UK Commercial Property Data Response Bank of England Credit Conditions Survey (Q4) Today’s Credit Conditions Survey showed that the supply of residential mortgage finance continues to improve slowly. But with lenders now tightening credit scoring criteria again, this is less... 5th January 2012 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update The end of the US housing downturn 2012 may well be the year in which the five-year-long decline in US house prices ends. But that doesn’t mean it will also be the year in which prices start to rise consistently. Tough credit... 4th January 2012 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Lending (Nov.) The latest mortgage lending figures confirm that housing market activity remains subdued. That is unlikely to change while rising unemployment and low consumer confidence depress the demand for... 4th January 2012 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response BBA Mortgage Lending (Nov.)11 There was little in today’s lending data to suggest that mortgage approvals are likely to break out of their recent narrow range any time soon. And with both the economy and the wholesale mortgage... 23rd December 2011 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response BBA Mortgage Lending (Nov.) There was little in today’s lending data to suggest that mortgage approvals are likely to break out of their recent narrow range any time soon. And with both the economy and the wholesale mortgage... 23rd December 2011 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Outlook Finding a floor The housing market is on the verge of finding a floor. After sliding for five years, in 2012 house prices may finally stop falling. But this doesn’t mean that significant and sustained rises are on... 21st December 2011 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Existing Home Sales (Nov.) The 14% downward revision to the number of existing home sales since 2007 confirms that the housing crash has been deeper than originally thought. But this is old news. Much more important is that the... 21st December 2011 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update First thoughts on the revised Mortgage Market Review The FSA’s proposals to put a revised affordability test at the centre of the mortgage underwriting process will not dampen materially further the flow of mortgage credit from today’s subdued levels... 19th December 2011 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response FSA Mortgage Lending Statistics (Q3) FSA data released this morning suggest that credit conditions are acting as a brake on housing activity and therefore are probably putting downwards pressure on house prices. Consistent with that, the... 13th December 2011 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response RICS Housing Market Survey (Nov.) The latest RICS Housing Market Survey reported a slight moderation in the pace of house price falls in November. Yet the stock of unsold properties neared a threeyear high this month, suggesting that... 13th December 2011 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Chart Pack High credit hurdle hampering housing Housing market activity has improved in recent months, with both new and existing home sales rising in October and homebuilding activity holding on to its previous gains. This has yet to translate... 8th December 2011 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response RICS Lettings Survey (Oct.) A rise in supply and an easing in the pace of tenant demand growth led to a softening in rental value growth in the three months to October. That trend is likely to continue as affordability... 7th December 2011 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Applications (Nov.) November’s rise in mortgage applications for home purchase are a glimmer of hope that record low mortgage rates and the improving labour market are finally having some positive effect on housing... 7th December 2011 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update Are high rental yields supporting house prices? One explanation for why house prices have remained fairly well supported over the past year or two is that rental yields look attractive compared to the alternatives. Yet the track record of such... 7th December 2011 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response CoreLogic House Prices (Oct.) After having stabilised during the summer, in the three months to October prices on the CoreLogic index fell at an annualised rate of 7.5%. This is clearly disappointing when the domestic economy... 6th December 2011 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Halifax House Prices (Nov.) This month’s fall in the Halifax house price index was hardly a surprise given other recent, downbeat economic news. And with the labour market weakening rapidly and the economy on the brink of... 6th December 2011 · 1 min read
