Welcome to our weekly update giving you the key stories, breaking news and topical analysis from the past week up to today, 27 April 2018.
As mortgage rates begin to creep up, the number of people taking out borrowing has peaked, and lenders are responding with more products and deals. This week we also saw how house price growth in the north is supporting the market, while Brexit continues to have minimal effect on the sector. Here are seven stories you might have missed this week…
1. A busy month for mortgages: homebuyers and movers hit record 50,000
Both new mortgages and remortgages are up year-on-year after a busy start to 2018, with the highest levels of homebuyer lending seen in more than a decade. To read the full story, click here.
2. Leeds South Bank area to be revitalised with £350m development plan
A once downtrodden industrial area of Leeds city centre, Holbeck, is about to get a major facelift after regeneration plans were approved by Leeds City Council who hailed it one of the largest redevelopments in Europe. To read the full story, click here.
3. Leave or remain? This is how UK landlords voted on Brexit
The majority of buy-to-let landlords voted to remain in the EU in the June 2016 referendum, it has emerged, while many see Brexit as a threat to the industry. To read the full story, click here.
4. First-time buyers have a lot to learn about buying property…
Surprising statistics have revealed a major lack of knowledge among a lot of today’s first-time buyers, which could result in confusion and unexpected bills for many unless they do their research first. To read the full story, click here.
5. Looking to buy a new-build? There’s a new mortgage for you
Following in the footsteps of Barclays’ new “green” mortgage, Virgin has announced a new range of fixed rate mortgages for new-build homes. To read the full story, click here.
6. House price growth being held up by Northern Powerhouse
House prices in cities across the UK have risen by an average of 5.5% over the past 12 months, with the northern regions supporting much of the growth while parts of London and the south continue to struggle. To read the full story, click here.
7. North-west construction market hots up giving Brexit the cold shoulder
New findings from professional services firm Turner & Townsend confirm that in contrast to London, where construction output declined by 5.7% impacted by Brexit uncertainty, the north-west is up by 30.7%. To read the full story, click here.
