Bank of England – Mortgage approvals down in August

bank of england interest rate

The latest figures show that: – Mortgage approvals on house purchases for August sat at 64,680 down (-0.7%) from 65,161 in July. This brings three consecutive months of growth to a stop. Approvals are also down slightly (-0.5%) when compared to the 64,983 seen in August 2024. This reflects a quieter summer period, while there…

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Housing market faces headwinds as Budget tax speculation hits buyer demand for a third of homes for sale, priced over £500,000

Wider mainstream market activity less impacted by tax speculation   House price growth has continued to slow, down from 1.9 per cent in December 2024 to 1.4 per cent in August Pre Budget tax speculation is impacting market activity – demand for properties over £500,000 had dropped by four per cent with a seven per…

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Half of homebuyers barely know the area they move to

Nearly half of homebuyers move to neighbourhoods they barely know – So how do you find the right home if you aren’t familiar with the area? New research from The Property DriveBuy reveals that nearly half of homebuyers are unfamiliar with their new neighbourhoods before moving in, with more than one in five admitting they…

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Busting the mortgage myths that hold many buyers back

The latest research from Alexander Hall has found that the majority of aspiring homebuyers are being held back from applying for a mortgage due to common misconceptions about affordability, deposits and eligibility. The survey of aspirational homebuyers yet to enquire about a mortgage – commissioned by Alexander Hall – found that many could be in…

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Bank of England’s holds interest rates at 4%

bank of england interest rate

With the Bank of England’s decision to hold interest rates at 4%, here are some thoughts from the Industry.   Matt Smith, Rightmove’s mortgage expert: “A Base Rate hold today had looked fairly nailed on, especially after yesterday’s news that inflation remains stuck at 3.8%. The later-than-usual Budget is very much on the horizon, and…

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Energy Rules Without Power: Tenants and Landlords Both Question EPC Impact

New research from LRG reveals that both landlords and tenants are struggling to engage with the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) system, raising serious questions about whether it can deliver on its intended goals ahead of the government’s 2030 targets. While landlords overwhelmingly support the principle of improving energy efficiency, confidence in the system designed to…

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New Build Home Enquiries Double in Summer 2025 

New Builds 2020

From June to August 2025, Compare My Move’s conveyancing data shows a 120% increase in new build home purchase enquiries compared to the same period in 2024.  This surge reflects not only more people looking to buy homes overall but also a higher share of buyers choosing new builds. On average, 12% of purchase enquiries in…

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Residential Performance Dives, Dragging Entire Sector Down

Glenigan Review sees UK construction recovery put on pause as private housebuilding activity plummets Project starts decline by 22% during the Review period, 36% down compared to 2024 levels Main contract awards value slashed by 33% year-on-year, representing a 24% decrease relative to the prior three-month period Planning approvals nosedived 48% against the previous three…

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Biggest property put-offs revealed by homebuyers

Biggest property put-offs could see homebuyers offer £40k less or more – From flying flags to aggressive dog breeds The latest research from Springbok Properties has revealed the biggest property put-offs that could see buyers offer as much as £40,000 less, if not more, leaving many sellers struggling to achieve their asking price in the…

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Why are HMO numbers falling?

The latest research from COHO, the HMO management platform, reveals that despite little change in tenant demand, house share availability has dropped by almost -60% in some parts of England, raising the question of whether we’re seeing an HMO landlord exodus. COHO’s analysis of house share listings data* shows that in England, the number of…

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UK House Price Index for July 2025

The latest index shows that: – The average monthly rate of house price growth in July was +0.3%. The average annual rate of house price growth in July was +2.8%, down slightly from +3.6% in June. As a result, the average UK house price sits at £269,735.   Director of Benham and Reeves, Marc von…

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ONS House Price Index – Thoughts from the Industry

Thoughts from the Industry about the latest ONS House Price Index. Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark: “It is positive to see the housing market progressing forward in strength. As we move towards the autumn months, hopefully this momentum will continue. “There continues to be two factors that may weigh heavily on consumers’ minds as they…

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