UK Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Lending (Sep.) The news that mortgage lending is rising while mortgage rates are dropping may be a sign that the FLS is starting to make an impact. But the changes are marginal, and it will take a lot more than a... 29th October 2012 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Weekly Canada not immune to potential sub-prime problems The sub-prime mortgage crisis is often miscast as the cause of the US housing bust and that because Canada's sub-prime industry is supposedly much smaller in comparison, fears of a similar housing... 29th October 2012 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Land Registry Repeat Sales Index (Sep. 12) The September Land Registry house price data provide further evidence that the housing market is refusing to join the good news party. If anything, it appears to be weakening further. 26th October 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Homebuilders benefiting from lower distressed supply The continued drop in the supply of distressed homes on the market is encouraging homebuilders to break ground on more sites. Admittedly, with a substantial overhang of properties still in the shadow... 25th October 2012 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update Will the Mortgage Market Review lead to more remortgaging? The new ‘transitional arrangements’ included in the finalised Mortgage Market Review are to be welcomed, as they will help prevent ‘mortgage prisoners’ being unfairly treated by their existing lender... 25th October 2012 · 1 min read
China Economics Update False dawn for property Some commentators have turned optimistic about the outlook for Chinese residential property. We remain of the view that, with inventories still high, a big pick-up in property investment is unlikely... 25th October 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response New Home Sales (Sep. 12) September’s rise in new home sales is another sign that homebuyers are becoming more willing and more able to splash out on a new home. 24th October 2012 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response BBA Mortgage Lending (Sep. 12) There was a further slight uptick in mortgage approvals in September, but it would be premature to view this as the start of a sustained recovery in the housing market. The improvement was modest, and... 23rd October 2012 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update Are mortgage borrowers deleveraging? Despite a sharp rise in the household saving ratio, there is no evidence that households are proactively reducing the size of their mortgage debt. Deleveraging will be a long, drawn-out affair. 22nd October 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Existing Home Sales (Sep.) Following August’s very strong rise, existing home sales predictably gave up a little ground in September. Nevertheless, the bigger picture remains that, driven by extremely favourable valuation and... 19th October 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update A closer look at the presidential candidates’ housing plans The election campaign has been frustratingly light on detail with regards to housing policy. Piecing together what we have, however, it looks like anyone expecting either candidates’ housing plan to... 18th October 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Housing Starts (Sep.) In another sign that the improvement in the housing market is gathering pace, housing starts smashed the consensus expectation for a small gain and rose by a very strong 15% m/m. 17th October 2012 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update Has lenders’ forbearance reached a limit? Lenders' willingness to agree new payment plans for struggling mortgage borrowers seems undiminished. But the prolonged nature of the recession appears to have taken its toll on the ability of... 17th October 2012 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Focus Could a surge in housebuilding lead to a house price crash? Fears that a surge in housebuilding will lead to a house price crash, and therefore limit the potential boost to the economy, are unfounded. New-build supply is just too small a proportion of the... 15th October 2012 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Outlook Too soon to look for a housing market recovery Over the past few months, developments in the wider economy and the housing market have been broadly in line with our forecasts. Therefore, we have not made major adjustments to either our economic or... 11th October 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update New-build premium starting to drop The price premium attached to new-builds has fallen over the past six months. Moreover, continued strong investor demand, which is bidding up prices among the lowest tier of existing homes, should see... 10th October 2012 · 1 min read
