Mortgages now at their most affordable level in a decade according to Halifax

Mortgages in the UK have reached their most affordable level in a decade, according to new research from Halifax.

The latest Halifax Affordability Review reveals that homeowners spend less than a third of disposable income on mortgage payments, the lowest affordability in 10 years since market peak of 48% in 2007.

The significant improvement in affordability since 2007 has been driven predominantly by historically low mortgage rates, despite the first base rate rise in a decade last November according to Halifax.

Andy Bickers, Mortgage Director at Halifax, said: “This is a real boost for both those who already have a mortgage and those preparing to take their first step on to the property ladder. Improved mortgage affordability has been a key factor supporting housing demand and helping to stimulate the modest recovery that we are currently seeing.

“In recent months we have seen the number of first-time buyers and homemovers purchasing a home with a mortgage bounce back towards 2007 levels, and mortgage payments becoming a much smaller proportion of disposable income across most of the country will also support a heathy market with more choice and opportunity for buyers/borrowers.”

Read the latest Halifax press release 17th March 2018 ‘Most affordable mortgages in a decade’ in full click here.

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

1 in 8 new-build homes unsold after six months

Developers hold their nerve as one in eight new-build homes remain unsold after six months   Jonathan Samuels, CEO of specialist lender, Octane Capital, believes that developers are increasingly prioritising profitability over speed of sale, with new-build homes spending longer on the market as developers resist unnecessary price reductions and instead look to protect scheme…
Read More
Breaking News

Rental price and average salary tracker – July 2026

Year-on-year Rental Price Growth Moderates, Yet High Demand and Limited Supply Continue to Push Rents Higher London recorded the strongest monthly rental growth, with average rents rising from £2,385 to £2,484 (+4.2% month-on-month). As a result, the representative annual salary needed to secure the average-priced rental home increased from £70,050 to £74,520 (+6.4% year-on-year). The…
Read More
Breaking News

Holiday let reforms fail to boost housing market activity in Devon and Cornwall

The latest research by LandSale has revealed that the introduction of council tax premiums on second homes, alongside wider measures designed to curb the growth of holiday lets, has yet to deliver a stronger housing market in Devon and Cornwall, where sales activity continue to lag behind the South West and England as a whole.…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 10/8/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Letting agent complaints are up 47% and why everyone is misreading the property redress   The competence tax has been abolished Thought leadership by Olivier Jauniaux Founder of NestLink Somewhere in a lettings office this week, a property manager is reading a six-page document about a deposit…
Read More
Breaking News

Rental price and average salary tracker – July 2026

Year-on-year Rental Price Growth Moderates, Yet High Demand and Limited Supply Continue to Push Rents Higher London recorded the strongest monthly rental growth, with average rents rising from £2,385 to £2,484 (+4.2% month-on-month). As a result, the representative annual salary needed to secure the average-priced rental home increased from £70,050 to £74,520 (+6.4% year-on-year). The…
Read More
Breaking News

House prices stable in July

House prices stable in July (0.0%), following a +0.2% rise in June Average property price now £299,253 compared with £299,396 in June Annual growth of +0.1% is the slowest rate of house price inflation since November 2023 Northern Ireland continues to record the UK’s strongest annual growth at +7.4%   Amanda Bryden, Head of Mortgages…
Read More