Docklands News

Interest rates on 10-year fixed-rate deals are being reduced by mortgage lenders, with Lloyds Banking Group launching a mortgage with an interest rate fixed for 10 years at 1.66% this week. Halifax meanwhile launched a 10-year deal at 1.68% for 60% loan-to-value borrowers. Chris Sykes, mortgage consultant at broker Private Finance, noted that “Competition in the 10-year fixed-rate market is fierce and has emerged as a key battleground for lenders. As we now expect consistent base rate rises for the next year and likely more . . .  we are seeing increased inquiry levels and increased interest from potential borrowers.”

Financial Times (04/02/2022)   The Daily Telegraph (03/02/2022)  

L&Q is launching a collection of one-to-three-bedroom apartments through Help to Buy at New Union Wharf in the Isle of Dogs. Architects Jestico + Whiles have designed a pattern of terraces and apartments blocks overlooking the Thames, with U-shaped blocks orientated towards the water, interspersed with landscaped gardens. A 20-minute walk from Canary Wharf, and seven minutes on foot from Cross Harbour DLR station, the apartments feature flexible open-plan living spaces, large double bedrooms and private balconies. Contemporary handleless kitchens include integrated appliances, whilst bathrooms are fitted with modern white sanitaryware and bespoke mirrored cabinetry. Prices start from £390,000 for a one-bedroom apartment, with Help to Buy available on all homes under £600,000.

Property Wire  

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has warned that the soaring cost of construction materials is slowing house-building progress in the capital. Government data shows prices for materials, including steel, timber, and concrete, shot up 23% last year. Mayor Khan said one development in south east London has experienced costs rising 45% based on tender returns. He wants the Government to issue more grant funding for affordable housing as London councils and housing associations face added pressures. 

City AM (28/01/2022)  

Nationwide has reported the strongest start to the year for house prices in 17 years, with chief economist Robert Gardner noting that “Housing demand has remained robust." He continued: "Mortgage approvals for house purchase have continued to run slightly above pre-pandemic levels,” with the average price of a home now standing at £255,556. He added that “at the same time, the stock of homes on estate agents' books has remained extremely low, which is contributing to the continued robust pace of house price growth".

The Times (01/02/2022)  

The number of home buyers taking out 10-year mortgages has jumped by 216% since December, according to analysis by Twenty7Tec, a mortgage data firm. This trend towards longer-term loans has continued at the start of this week, the firm added, as buyers rushed to lock in cheap rates. Compared to last year, Twenty7Tec said the number of buyers taking out 10-year loans had increased by 150%. The surge in demand meant 10-year loans accounted for 4.5% of the mortgage market in the last week of January. This was nearly triple the rate recorded this time last year. 

The Daily Telegraph (01/02/2022)  

Fears among property experts of homebuyers flocking to the country in the post-pandemic era have been proven unfounded, new data suggests. According to a white paper, entitled COVID City Exodus: Reality or Urban Myth, sales in urban areas are now 7% ahead of those in rural or country areas. It comes after successive COVID lockdowns sparked a "race for space", causing property purchases in the countryside to outstrip urban sales by 10% in the second half of 2020. However this dropped to 4% in the first half of 2021, before disappearing altogether during the last six months of the year. Bob Pannell, author of the paper and an economist with Atelier, writes: "The most recent data debunks the myth that Britain's cities are in decline. There is little evidence of the paradigm shift in housing preferences supposed by many". The report predicts sustained growth in the urban housing markets for 2022. 

Daily Mail (28/01/2022)