UK Housing Market Update Are mortgage payments really absorbing a record share of income? Clients may have seen an article in the Telegraph on Wednesday 16th April which reported that, according to research company Mintel, mortgage payments now take up a record 25% of the average household... 18th April 2008 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Spain’s fiscal boost won’t offset the housing market downturn The latest news on the Spanish housing market supports our view that it is only a matter of time before house prices fall sharply with significant adverse effects on the wider economy. 18th April 2008 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Focus Housing and the credit crunch in Europe There are growing concerns that the credit crunch could trigger a sharp downturn in European housing markets with significant adverse effects on the wider economy. But while euro-zone house price... 17th April 2008 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Rate cuts are reducing aggregate mortgage payments The rise in mortgage payments facing borrowers coming off fixed rate mortgages has fuelled talk of monetary policy “pushing on a string”. In fact, the fall in payments of households with tracker or... 16th April 2008 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Rate cuts are reducing aggregate mortgage payments The rise in mortgage payments facing borrowers coming off fixed rate mortgages has fuelled talk of monetary policy “pushing on a string”. In fact, the fall in payments of households with tracker or... 16th April 2008 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update How much further might mortgage lending spreads rise? By mid 2009, we expect base rates to have fallen 175 basis points (bps), to just 3.5%. Borrowers with an existing tracker mortgage will benefit, but new borrowers or those looking to remortgage may... 9th April 2008 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Focus Affordability – why it has never been worse Affordability in the housing market has never been worse. This is not the message given by standard measures because, by focusing only on initial payments, they ignore the fact that the real value of... 31st March 2008 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update End of 100%+ LTVs to dent household good sales The popularity of mortgages with loan to value ratios (LTVS) of over 100% appears to have been a strong support to household goods sales over the past year or so. The decline in these products is... 10th March 2008 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update End of 100%+ LTVs to dent household good sales The popularity of mortgages with loan to value ratios (LTVS) of over 100% appears to have been a strong support to household goods sales over the past year or so. The decline in these products is... 10th March 2008 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update UK to slip down housing table in 2008 The latest annual European Housing Report published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) echoed other evidence pointing to a general slowdown in the pace of activity and price... 7th March 2008 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update UK to slip down housing table in 2008 The latest annual European Housing Report published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) echoed other evidence pointing to a general slowdown in the pace of activity and price... 7th March 2008 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update UK to slip down housing table in 2008 The latest annual European Housing Report published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) echoed other evidence pointing to a general slowdown in the pace of activity and price... 7th March 2008 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Focus Has easy credit been driving house prices? We estimate that without the relaxation in credit conditions, average house prices would have risen by a cumulative 19% since the end of 2003. In fact, the Nationwide house price index reports that... 27th February 2008 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update No end in sight to the tightening in mortgage lending standards The decision by three major lenders to withdraw their range of 100% to 125% mortgages will have only a limited direct dampening impact on the housing market, since the take-up of these loans has been... 21st February 2008 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Should the Budget lower stamp duty to revive the housing market? Speculation is mounting that the Chancellor might ultimately decide to follow the US lead and deliver a fiscal stimulus to the economy. With the housing market in the doldrums, and first time buyer... 15th February 2008 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Should the Budget lower stamp duty to revive the housing market? Speculation is mounting that the Chancellor might ultimately decide to follow the US lead and deliver a fiscal stimulus to the economy. With the housing market in the doldrums, and first time buyer... 15th February 2008 · 1 min read
