Housing Market Shows Signs of Picking Up, with All Eyes on Rates

Caz Blake-Symes • March 25, 2024

Adapted from a BBC News article by Kevin Peachey, with image source from Getty Images



Signs of life were seen in the UK housing market in the new year with a rise in the number of mortgages being approved.

Activity remains weak overall, with potential buyers still nervous about high interest rates.

But the latest Bank of England data shows approvals for house purchases rose to 55,200 in January from 51,500 in December. This was the highest level since October 2022.


Borrowing on credit cards also picked up last month. People took on £1.9bn more in credit on cards, car finance and other loans in January than they repaid.

All eyes on rates

Mortgage lenders have been shifting the interest rates charged on home loans at a rapid rate since the start of the year. This started with some significant cuts to the cost of new fixed-rate deals.


However, in recent weeks, these rates have started to creep back up. Many potential buyers have put plans on hold in the hope that the Bank of England will cut the benchmark interest rate later in the year, which would influence lenders' decisions.


The upheaval over the past year is shown in the Bank's figures, which show homeowners actually repaid more money on mortgages than they took out in new lending in the year to January - the first time this has happened since comparable records began 30 years ago.


This was mainly due to people being reluctant to borrow when mortgage rates were so high during mid-to-late 2023. Mortgage repayments still outstripped new lending by £1.1bn in January.


Separately, property sales at the start of the year were slightly up compared with December, but 12% lower than January last year.

The housing market is a major factor in the performance of the UK economy as a whole.


Any of our Advisers at Bristol, Weston, Bath and Exeter Mortgages Online would welcome the opportunity of discussing your mortgage requirements and to arrange to quote you on all the various options available to meet your specific needs.


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Boost to buying power from changes to affordability tests

By Caz Blake-Symes • May 1, 2025
Adapted from Zoopla’s April 2025 Housing report I mage: The analysis uses average house prices from the house price index and for first-time buyers to assess mortgage payments at different mortgage rates applied to a 30- year mortgage, at different loan-to-values. One emerging trend that we expect to positively support market activity in the coming months is a relaxation in how lenders assess the affordability of new mortgages. While buyers focus on the mortgage rate they will pay, lenders also check whether the borrower can afford a 'stressed mortgage rate' at a higher level than the borrower will pay. ​ While the average 5-year fixed rate mortgage is around 4.5% today, many lenders are currently 'stress testing' affordability at 8-9%. This makes it harder to secure a mortgage without a large deposit. If average mortgage stress rates were to return to pre-2022 levels of 6.5% to 7%, this would deliver a 15-20% boost to buying power. ​ An average first-time buyer with mortgage repayments of £1,020pcm at a 4.5% mortgage rate would typically have to prove they could afford monthly repayments of £1,550pcm at an 8.5% stress rate. If the stress testing is relaxed to 6.5%, repayments would fall to £1,275pcm, boosting buying power. It's a similar pattern for the average homeowner, while the actual impact will vary by lender and type of borrower. ​ This change would consequently supporting demand and sales volumes, helping to clear the stock of homes for sale, rather than boosting house prices. Other existing rules and regulations that remain in place will continue to impact the availability of mortgage finance.  Comment from Phil Clark “This is potentially very exciting news and will give borrowers a greater choice of products if these rules are relaxed. Regardless of whether you are a First-time Buyer, Looking to move, remortgage or invest in property, there are a huge range of competitive mortgage deals on the market. I will be delighted to discuss your specific requirements and offer you the most suitable deal!” Please call Phil on 0117 3251511 or email info@swmortgages.com For more information about the Mortgage and Protection products we offer, please visit www.bristolmortgagesonline.com Your home/property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or other debt secured on it.

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By Caz Blake-Symes • February 19, 2025
Adapted from BBC Article by Kevin Peachey, Cost of living correspondent 13 February 2025 Two major lenders launched mortgage deals on Thursday with interest rates of less than 4%, as competition picks up in the sector. The prospect of further cuts in the base rate by the Bank of England has given mortgage providers confidence to reduce their own rates. But the attention-grabbing sub-4% deals by Santander and Barclays will not be available to all borrowers, particularly first-time buyers, and may come with a hefty fee. The return of such deals might prompt other lenders to follow suit after a period of tepid competition. Nationwide, the UK's biggest building society, has said it will reduce some of its rates on Friday. Mortgage deals with interest rates below 4% have not been seen since November. Across the whole market the average rate on a two-year fixed deal is 5.48%. The typical rate on five-year deals is 5.29%, according to latest figures from Moneyfacts. Time to decide Some tracker and variable rate mortgages move fairly closely in line with the Bank's base rate, which was cut to 4.5% a week ago. However, more than eight in 10 mortgage customers have fixed-rate deals. The interest rate on this kind of mortgage does not change until the deal expires, usually after two or five years, and a new one is chosen to replace it. About 800,000 fixed-rate mortgages, currently with an interest rate of 3% or below, are expected to expire every year, on average, until the end of 2027. That means a higher monthly bill for many homeowners on their next renewal, but there are signs that the rate they could pay is on its way down.  Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said the interest-rate setting committee expected to be able to cut rates further "but we will have to judge meeting by meeting, how far and how fast". This will affect savers who are seeing lower returns, but could bring better news for borrowers. The Bank's next rates decision is on 20 March. Message from Phil Clark “Regardless of whether you are a First-time Buyer, Looking to move, remortgage or invest in property, there are a huge range of competitive mortgage deals on the market. I will be delighted to discuss your specific requirements and offer you the most suitable deal!” Please call Phil on 0117 3251511 or email info@swmortgages.com For more information about Mortgage and Protection please visit www.bristolmortgagesonline.com
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