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House price growth to reach 14% in November

Reallymoving has predicted annual house price growth to reach 14% by November 2020.

The quote service said the prediction is based on deals already agreed, as pent up demand and urgency to benefit from the temporary stamp duty holiday has driven up activity in the market.

Annual price growth is forecast to reach 4.7% in September, 11.4% in October, and finally 14% in November.

Rob Houghton, chief executive of reallymoving, said: “Buyers are determined to make their move now, despite the fact that the current spike in prices will in many cases wipe out the stamp duty savings.

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“For those higher up the ladder with secure finances, a healthy level of equity in their property and little other debt, gloomy economic forecasts are only encouraging them to press ahead with the move rather than sit tight and wait out what could be a long and painful recession.

“More than ever people’s homes are their castles and their offices – and with borrowing costs likely to be rock bottom for the foreseeable future, paying over the odds on a purchase isn’t too painful if you’re also getting over the odds on your sale and making a stamp duty saving.

“It’s a different story for first-time buyers though, who aren’t benefitting from stamp duty savings in most areas and who have seen low deposit mortgages all but wiped out. This explains why the proportion of first-time buyers in the market has dropped by 19% since May.”

BY RYAN BEMBRIDGE

Source: Property Wire

UK mortgage approvals
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Mortgage approvals reach 13-year high

Mortgage approvals for house purchase increased to 84,700, the highest since October 2007, according to the latest Money and Credit statistics from the Bank of England.

Net mortgage borrowing was £3.1bn in August which stayed consistent with the total recorded in July (£2.9bn), whilst effective mortgage interest rates were broadly unchanged.

The Bank of England suggests that these latest figures signal signs of recovery in August, despite mortgage borrowing being troughed at £0.5bn in April and still being slightly below the average of £4.2bn in the six months to February 2020.

The increase on the month reflected slightly higher gross borrowing of £18.8bn, although it is still below the pre-COVID level in February of £23.7bn.

In total, there has been 418,000 approvals in 2020, compared with 524,000 in the same period in 2019.

Gareth Lewis, commercial director of property lender MT Finance, said:

“The impressive pick up in mortgage approvals is what you would expect – if we go all the way back to Brexit, there has long been pent-up demand and people waiting to move, COVID then hit and people were still waiting.
“Now, there are so many ‘for sale’, as well as ‘sold’ signs, illustrating that there is confidence and a willingness to invest in property.
“Consumer credit has bounced back and stabilised, which is encouraging as it shows people are not over-stretching themselves by increasing debt and getting into financial difficulty. People are maintaining a grasp of reality.”

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Approvals for remortgage are little changed compared to July at 33,400, which is a 36% decrease from figures recorded back in February.

New mortgage rates were 1.72%, a decrease of one basis point on the month, whilst the interest rate on the stock of mortgage loans fell one basis point to 2.14% in August.

Dave Harris, chief executive at more2life, reacted to the data: “Although today’s findings show overall lending in the mortgage market still falls short of pre-crisis levels, there are positive signs of growth.

“Month-on-month increases to new mortgage approvals suggest that buyers have been taking advantage of the products on offer to help manage borrowing during the coronavirus crisis – and lenders and advisers have played a crucial part in this.

“At the same time, the equity release market has also been working hard to support older borrowers, with product innovation high on the agenda.

“The Equity Release Council recently found that product options in this market have increased by 29% year-on-year, further helping to ensure older borrowers benefit from greater choice and flexibility at a time when they arguably need it most.

“Seeking professional, specialist advice is crucial for older homeowners ensure they are aware of solutions like equity release which could help them develop a long-term financial plan.”

David Whittaker, chief executive at Keystone Property Finance,  added: “There were no signs of the traditional summer slump this August, with the mortgage market experiencing a ‘mini boom’ and showing positive signs of recovery following an extremely challenging period.

“Within the buy-to-let market, falling rates, pent-up demand and the Stamp Duty holiday have no doubt acted as an incentive for landlords and investors to take this opportunity to diversify their property portfolios.

“However, whilst today’s figures give us reason to be cautiously optimistic about the market, a raft of regulatory changes coming into force this year means buy-to-let investors must continue to seek the advice of brokers who can help them navigate this complex landscape.

“As we start to emerge from the crisis and the UK returns to some form of normality, we’re committed to working closely with our broker partners to ensure the market can meet the unique needs of each buy-to-let landlord.”

By Jessica Nangle

Source: Mortgage Introducer

Million pound homes
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Million pound homes outperform the rest of the market

Sales activity in the £1m+ property market is storming ahead according to Rightmove, as wealthier buyers prioritise space and leafier locations

Houses over £1m are selling 18 days faster than this time last year – the fastest pace since 2014.

Paul Oberschneider, chief executive at Hilltop Credit Partners, said: “A common conception is that houses in the £1m+ market take longer to find buyers than the overall market because of their higher price points.

“But the latest data from Rightmove shows that UK’s million-pound homes are actually outperforming the rest of the property market in terms of the number of sales being agreed.

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“The hottest millionaire markets right now are Norfolk, Wiltshire, Cornwall, Henley, Hackney, Tooting, Stoke Newington, Balham with affluent buyers willing to part with huge sums of money to buy larger homes.

“A big reason for this market sentiment is the ongoing pandemic which is pushing many potential buyers to swap city apartments for bigger homes with more living spaces and gardens.

“With the government’s big push for work-from-home once again, many employees are also expected to spend fewer days in the office and may look to relocate to a bigger property with more outdoor space. The post-Covid market will have an increased focus on indoor and outdoor space and wealthier buyers will be the first to move to bigger homes.”

BY RYAN BEMBRIDGE

Source: Property Wire

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More properties sell for over the asking price

One in eight (13%) properties sold for more than the original asking price in August – the highest recorded since November 2015.

NAEA Propertymark’s August Housing Report found that over half (53%) of properties still sold for less than the asking price last month;

Mark Hayward, chief executive, NAEA Propertymark, said: “It’s interesting to see that one in eight properties sold for more than asking in August this year.

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“Last month, we witnessed a boom in the number of prospective buyers following the government’s announcement of a Stamp Duty holiday, and it seems this is increasing the level of competition in the property market.

“With the increase in the number of prospective buyers since this announcement, many buyers are clearly willing to pay over the asking price in order to secure their dream home.”

The average number of sales agreed per estate agent branch stood at 12 in August, a slight decrease from 13 in July.

This is the highest figure recorded for the month of August since 2007.

BY RYAN BEMBRIDGE

Source: Property Wire

Residential transactions UK coronavirus Home moves
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HMRC: Residential transactions see monthly increase of 15.6%

Residential transactions saw a monthly increase of 15.6% in August according to the latest UK Property Transactions Statistics by HMRC.

Despite the monthly increase, year-on-year the figures show that the August figures (81,280) are 16.3% lower than August 2019.

There were 8,350 non-residential transactions in August, which is a yearly decrease of 15.5% and monthly increase of 7.5%.

HMRC’s data reveals that the residential transactions for Q2 was the lowest quarterly total since Q1 2009 following impact from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mark Harris, chief executive of SPF Private Clients, said: “Despite only being introduced the previous month, the stamp duty holiday was already filtering through to transaction numbers in August as buyers rushed to take advantage of the saving.

“Despite the recovery in number of transactions compared with the previous month, the pandemic has had a significant impact on the market with August’s numbers down significantly on last year’s.

“The data illustrates just how long it takes for property transactions to complete and at the moment, with some lenders struggling with service levels, along with surveyors and lawyers, it is all taking longer than it usually would.

“Buyers need to be patient, as well as engage good advisers who can help steer the transaction through in as prompt a fashion as possible.”

Alan Cleary, managing director for mortgages at OneSavings Bank, added: “After a rocky start to the year, the continued uptick in activity is not only good for the market, but for buyers and sellers who are finally making progress with their property plans.

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“People on both sides want to make the most of low borrowing costs and the temporary removal of stamp duty which for now at least is helping to bolster the market.

“However, as we head into the often quieter months of the year, the uncertainty around the UK economy could mean that the strong levels of activity leading up to this point may start to wane.”

Jeremy Leaf, a former RICS chairman, believes that the market is showing determination to get transactions through.

Leaf said: ‘Transactions are a better barometer of market health than more volatile house prices.

“Although a little historic, and there is a delay between the point when the sale is agreed and completion, these numbers still demonstrate considerable resilience when we were emerging from the previous lockdown and before the stamp duty holiday could have much impact.

“On the ground, we have noticed no sign of sales collapsing, renegotiating on deals or price reductions in the past few days – more of a determination to carry on.”

By Jessica Nangle

Source: Mortgage Introducer

Landlord purchases First-time buyers First time Bridging Loan Rental demand Buy-to-let mortgage Property transactions first-time buyers Landlords First Homes Help to Buy Housing transactions Demand rental market Buy-to-Let Landlords Residential transactions
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Rise in first-time buyers searching for buy-to-let properties

Demand has grown among first-time buyers who want to enter the buy-to-let market, according to Legal & General Mortgage Club.

Data from its mortgage criteria search tool found the search combination for first-time buyer, first-time landlord and non-owner occupier increased by 18 per cent since the start of September.

The mortgage club also found that ‘holiday lets’ was the second most searched for term among advisers this month.

According to Legal & General, its findings showed many first-time property investors were looking to purchase buy-to-let properties in response to an increase in demand from consumers to holiday in the UK, rather than abroad, amid international travel restrictions.

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Kevin Roberts, director at Legal & General Mortgage Club, said: “Despite the impact of coronavirus, we are seeing rising demand across the housing market with buy to let in particular enjoying a mini-boom.

“Our latest findings from SmartrCriteria suggest a growing number of first-time buyers are searching for mortgages for buy-to-let ventures, including those engaging with the growing trend towards staycations this year.”

Mr Roberts added: “Amidst this continued high demand we are seeing in the mortgage market, thousands of borrowers are clearly turning to independent advisers to help them with their plans and these experts are playing a vital role for consumers”.

Akhil Mair, managing director at Our Mortgage Broker, commented: “The data L&G have shared today is a very accurate reflection on the type of business and enquiries we have been receiving in the last few months.

“We are witnessing an unprecedented amount of first-time buyer, first time landlord enquiries, including expat and foreign nationals wishing to invest in the UK property market.”

Mr Mair added the “huge interest” his firm had encountered was due to incentives such as the stamp duty holiday.

By Chloe Cheung

Source: FT Adviser

keys 1837155 960 720
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Best boroughs for student rental demand

Benham and Reeves, has revealed the best boroughs for student rental demand, despite predictions of a rental market decline due to a lower level of students heading to the capital. London’s higher education providers accommodate 16% of the UK’s university students each year, and as many as 32% of the capital’s students come from overseas.

The average London student pays £702 a month in rent, meaning those on a three-year course will pay out £8,424 a year, totalling more than £25,000 throughout their course.

This means the capital’s student body brings in nearly £271m to London’s rental market in rent each month, with international students accounting for £85.6m of it.

However, with COVID-19 causing travel restrictions and broader health implications for universities, it’s predicted that the number of students heading to London this term will drop by as much as -24%.

That’s a loss of over £65m a month for the London student rental sector, but despite this prediction, many areas of London are still experiencing extremely high levels of demand for student accommodation, something that will be welcome news to student landlords across the capital.

According to the research by Benham and Reeves, the number of student-specific rental properties that have already been snapped up by students sits at 22% of all student-specific properties listed on the rental market.

However, in Merton, this ratio is far higher, with 80% of all student accommodation already let agreed.

Bromley (75%), Bexley (61%), Barking and Dagenham (60%), Hounslow (53%), Harrow (53%) and Redbridge (50%) are also seeing high levels of current student demand for rental properties.

Even in more expensive markets such as Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington and Camden, student rental demand is sitting at 19% to 25%.

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Director of Benham and Reeves, Marc von Grundherr, commented: “There is currently an evident decline in the level of rental demand from students than we might otherwise expect at this time of year. This has, of course, been driven by a lower number of international students looking for properties due to the travel restrictions and other hurdles that the current pandemic has presented.

“However, while predictions of student rental market losses are rather eye-watering, to say the least, we don’t believe this will be an issue that plagues the market for long.

“Many current students are beginning their studies in a virtual capacity until such time they can make a move to London, and once they do, we should see a further influx of demand for suitable student lets.

“University is very much about the life experience you gain from actually moving to a new city or country. With London still offering some of the best standards of higher education you can find worldwide it’s unlikely students will refrain from this first-hand experience unless absolutely necessary.

“Like many areas of life this year, we may see a slow start to the university year. But as life develops to deal with COVID-19, greater degrees of normality will prevail, and this is no different in the rental market student or otherwise.

“The very promising signs are that currently, many boroughs are experiencing massive demand for student rental properties, and this bodes very well for the academic year ahead. Foreign student demand, in particular, can bring very favourable levels of rent for buy-to-let landlords. We regularly have students from China and other areas of Asia renting at well above the average in their chosen areas to ensure they secure the best property they can while studying.”

DescriptionData PointSource or Workings
Number of UK higher education students2,383,970London Higher
Number of students studying at 39 HE providers in London386,000London Higher
London Students as a Percentage of UK total16% 
Number of overseas students (Other EU and Non-EU) in London122,000London Higher
Percentage of International Students in relation to London total32%Overseas student total as a percentage of all London students
Average monthly London student rent£702Save the Student
Total rent paid by all students each month£270,972,000Monthly rent multiplied by the number of London students
Total rent paid by international students each month£85,644,000Monthly rent multiplied by the number of international students
Expected Covid-19 drop in student numbers24%KCL
Forecast number of total students after drop293,360Total number of London students reduced by 24%
Forecast number of international students after drop92,720Based on international students accounting for 32% of total students
Decline in monthly student rental income as a result of drop-£65,033,280Total Rental income reduced by 24%
Decline in monthly international student rental income as a result of drop-£20,554,560Based on international students accounting for 32% of total students
Table shows the level of student rental properties already let as a percentage of total student properties listed.
LocationCurrent Demand for Student Rentals
Merton80%
Bromley75%
Bexley61%
Barking and Dagenham60%
Hounslow53%
Harrow53%
Redbridge50%
Waltham Forest44%
Greenwich42%
Kingston upon Thames37%
Lewisham34%
Wandsworth34%
Sutton33%
Croydon31%
Richmond upon Thames28%
Haringey27%
Hammersmith and Fulham25%
Ealing25%
Islington23%
Brent22%
Southwark21%
Hackney21%
Newham20%
Hillingdon20%
Camden19%
Lambeth18%
City of London18%
Barnet15%
Tower Hamlets13%
Kensington and Chelsea11%
Westminster10%
Enfield0%
Havering0%
London22%
Source: Rightmove

Source: Property118

Rightmove asking prices property Mortgage Asking prices UK house prices Average house prices property prices
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Dash for bigger homes pushes up September asking prices, Rightmove says

Surging activity in Britain’s housing market nudged up asking prices for homes in September, as buyers sought larger properties following the coronavirus lockdown, a survey showed on Monday.

Property website Rightmove estimated there were almost 40% more sales moving through the pipeline than a year ago, chiming with other surveys that show a post-lockdown surge in the market, helped by a temporary cut in property tax.

Rightmove said asking prices rose 0.2% in September, reversing August’s decline. The national average asking price now stands at 319,996 pounds ($415,642), up 5.0% on a year ago.

Official data based on prices paid at the end of the purchase process showed a 3.4% rise for the year to June.

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Prices hit a record high for homes with three or four bedrooms, the survey showed.

“Needing more space has always been the most popular reason for moving house, but now there’s a new urgency for extra space to be able to work from home,” said Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s director of property data.

“Buyers (are) competing for the same type of property. At the start of the year a fourth bedroom was very much a luxury for buyers trading up, but it’s now emerging as a must-have for those who are able to take that step.”

But with unemployment set to rise sharply later this year with the closure of the government’s furlough scheme, and the end of a tax break on property purchases in April 2021, the outlook for the housing market next year looks tougher.

Reporting by Andy Bruce, editing by David Milliken

Source: UK Reuters

Carney Bank of England Andrew Bailey BoE's
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BoE’s Haldane says UK recovering ‘faster than anyone expected’

Britain is recovering faster than anyone had expected from the economic impact of COVID-19, but businesses need better incentives and access to finance to invest in technology, BoE’s chief economist Andy Haldane said.

“UK GDP had, by July, recovered around half of its Covid-related losses, rebounding further and faster than anyone expected,” Haldane said in an article for the Mail on Sunday newspaper written jointly with the former chairman of John Lewis Partnership, Charlie Mayfield.

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Britain’s central bank said in a policy statement on Thursday the economy was recovering faster than it had forecast in August, though prior to that several policymakers had struck a more cautious tone than Haldane.

Haldane said he was writing in his capacity as chairman of a government commission to boost economic productivity.

Reporting by David Milliken; Editing by Chris Reese

Source: UK Reuters

Residential Remortgage
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Struggling to get a mortgage? Try a broker… or a small lender

It’s mayhem in the mortgage market at the moment due to a paperwork backlog at banks and pent-up demand from the lockdown.

Lenders are making changes to their home loan deals with little or no notice to limit the amount of business they take on.

So that cheap rate you were eyeing up could quite easily be gone tomorrow. Or the terms and conditions may change suddenly, meaning you no longer qualify for a loan you thought had been secured.

Here are four other places to turn if you are caught up in the chaos…

SMALLER LENDERS

Lee Hockins, from Summit Wealth financial advisers, says: ‘It’s virtually impossible at the moment to get a mortgage at 95 per cent loan to value and there are only a small number of lenders offering 90 per cent mortgages – and none of the big ones.’

Lloyds, NatWest, Barclays, Santander, TSB and most recently HSBC have all pulled out of the market for mortgages with a deposit of 10 per cent or less, hammering first-time buyers.

The good news is that smaller regional building societies may be able to help.

Many still assess applications manually, unlike big banks which often use automated underwriting technology which can result in a computer-generated rejection.

Having your application assessed by an individual means your specific circumstances can be taken into account. Try the Buckinghamshire, the Penrith and Stafford Railway.

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BANK OF MUM AND DAD

Popular mortgage deals that allow parents to help their offspring on to the ladder are being cut back too.

But the Bank of Mum and Dad isn’t entirely closed.

After Lloyds shut its Lend a Hand mortgage to new applicants, the main mortgage designed for parental help is Barclays’ Family Springboard deal.

This allows a family member or friend to put at least 10 per cent of the purchase price in a savings account with the bank in place of a deposit.

Ray Boulger, of mortgage brokerage John Charcol, says: ‘The Barclays Springboard mortgage is the best of the deals for people who are getting help. It’s really good value for first-time buyers with either a small or no deposit, who has someone who wants to help but also wants to keep control of their funds.’

Tipton & Coseley Building Society has launched a Family Assist mortgage offering up to 100 per cent loan-to-value mortgages for buyers, so long as a relative has a 20 per cent charge on their own property or puts 20 per cent of the amount borrowed into a savings account.

But some are limiting the amount of outside help allowed. Nationwide recently changed the criteria for gifted deposits, so borrowers who want a 90 per cent loan-to-value mortgage can only be given 25 per cent of the deposit, meaning they have to provide the rest themselves.

A BROKER ON YOUR SIDE

With banks launching and ditching mortgage deals on an almost daily basis, a broker can really prove their worth.

Not only do they often get tipped off in advance when a deal is about to be pulled, they are clued up on the specific criteria that each lender will look for in your mortgage application – and can stop you wasting time. Brokers will also have a good idea how stretched a bank’s mortgage department will be, helping you avoid disappointment when demand is high.

TRY A LIFETIME MORTGAGE

For the over-55s who are retired or approaching retirement, an alternative option is a so-called retirement interest-only mortgage. Boulger says: ‘With these deals, the eventual sale of the property can be used as the repayment strategy.

‘So lenders assess whether you can afford the loan on the cost of paying the interest only in retirement, as opposed to a repayment deal where you have to pay back some of the capital each month.

‘The downside is that if it’s a joint application, lenders have to decide whether, after one partner dies, the surviving partner would be able to support the mortgage from the remaining income.’

Lenders offering this type of mortgage include Nationwide, Leeds, Bath, Ipswich, Loughborough and Tipton building societies.

…OR LET THE CHAOS PLAY OUT

  • Mortgage rates are expected to remain at current levels for some time – but house prices may not.
  • Many experts believe that while prices are heading up at the moment, there could be a fall back when the stamp duty holiday ends in March next year.
  • Remember, if you are buying and selling at the same time, then a fall in the market is likely to impact both ends of the deal.
  • So you may be no worse off if you wait – and find it easier to borrow the amount you need for your next mortgage.

By Sarah Bridge, The Mail on Sunday