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House prices dropped slightly for the second consecutive month in February, according to Halifax. The lender’s latest housing index shows that property values fell by 0.1% month-on-month in February, following a 0.4% decrease in January. However, across the UK, property values were still 5.2% higher in February than the same month last year, Halifax said. However, the bank cautioned that it would not expect the level of growth seen in house prices across 2020 to be sustained throughout this year. The average UK house price in February was £251,697. Russell Galley, Managing Director, Halifax, said the housing market has continued its “softer start to 2021” with average prices dropping off slightly compared to the previous month. He continued: "However, with annual house price inflation currently at +5.2%, property values remain comfortably higher than 12 months ago, when February was the last full month before lockdown.”
Evening Standard (05/08/2021) Daily Express (05/08/2021) Daily Mail (05/08/2021) BBC News (05/08/2021) The Daily Telegraph (05/08/2021)
Homebuyers taking advantage of the Government's new 95% mortgage scheme could end up paying premium rates, experts have warned. The plans will allow buyers to secure properties worth up to £600,000 with just a 5% deposit. It was hoped that the Government's guarantee behind the loans would help to lower rates from what is currently being offered by risk-averse banks. But brokers have warned that lenders could continue to charge higher rates, leading to pricey monthly instalments. Mark Harris of SPF Private Clients, a mortgage broker, estimated that rates for a five-year fixed deal could be between 3.5% and 4%, while Martin Stewart of advice firm London Money said they could be even higher. The average quoted mortgage rate for a 95% mortgage was 4.07% in January 2021, according to the Bank of England.
The Daily Telegraph (08/03/2021)
The total value of new mortgages set to be handed out in the coming months reached its highest level since 2007 towards the end of last year, Bank of England figures show. New mortgage commitments in the fourth quarter of 2020 totalled £87.7bn – however, the share of mortgages advanced to borrowers with deposits of less than 10% was 1.2%, marking “the lowest level since these statistics began in 2007”. Gross lending totalled £249bn in 2020, showing a 9.8% fall compared with 2019 (£276bn).
Evening Telegraph (10/03/2021) Daily Express (10/03/2021)
Caledonian Modular has confirmed the award of a contract package for a 279-key aparthotel in Canary Wharf, London. Canary Wharf Contractors is delivering the main build after a £74m development loan was secured by Canary Wharf Group and hospitality group edyn. The 20-storey Locke aparthotel is to be built at One Charter Street on Wood Wharf, Canary Wharf’s new mixed-use district. The job involves building 17 floors of volumetric modular serviced apartments over a retail/amenity space in the lower podium levels. The scheme will be crowned with a rooftop restaurant providing a unique dining experience with prime views over London City.
Construction Enquirer (01/03/2021)
The effects of the pandemic have hit demand for flats in London. In January, asking prices for inner and outer London flats were down 16.2% and 6.7% respectively compared with May 2020, according to data company TwentyCi. The proportion of flats sold has fallen too, as consumer demand quickly changed, favouring a house with a garden in the outskirts over a small flat in a handy location. Despite the headwinds facing the London flat market, pent-up demand from the shutdown last year, and the added incentive of the stamp duty holiday, have still boosted sales; TwentyCi found that in December, agreed sales for inner London flats were up 40%, going on to rise 8% year-on-year in January.
The Daily Telegraph (26/02/2021)
The stamp duty holiday has been extended by six months until the end of September, an extension that includes a tapering of support, with the nil-rate band gradually lowering from June. The extension applies to all transactions in England and Northern Ireland, meaning buy-to-let investors will continue to benefit from the tax savings. The deadline for buyers to take advantage of the higher £500,000 nil-rate band has been extended by three months. This means that buyers can save up to £15,000 in tax if they can complete their sales by June 30. After this date, the nil-rate band will drop to £250,000 until September 30th, with the maximum tax savings falling to £2,500 during this period. From October 1st, the nil-rate band will fall back to its original level of £125,000.
The Daily Telegraph (03/03/2021) The Times (03/03/2021) Financial Times (03/03/2021)