Expert views
Commentary submitted by Aneisha Beveridge in their own words.
Back to profileStamp duty reform needed to help first-time buyers afford homes, say MPs
Stamp duty is becoming one of the key hurdles facing first-time buyers, adding thousands to the upfront cost of getting onto the housing ladder.
Home‑moving slowdown deepens as April breaks the 100‑day exchange barrier
It was the first April on record in which the average home took more than 100 days to move from sale agreed to exchange, reaching 104 days.
Potential opportunities for first-time buyers as house price growth slows
The market has coped reasonably well with another bout of turbulence in the mortgage market.
‘Challenging times’ for homebuyers – mortgage affordability tightest since 2008
For many renters, spending this proportion of income on housing would feel like a step forward.
Locations where it typically takes longer to sell a home than last year revealed
Part of this reflects the hangover from a subdued final quarter of 2025, when Budget uncertainty stretched selling times.
‘Meaningful relief for borrowers’ as banks prepare to cut mortgage rates
In one month alone, the share of movers agreeing a mortgage rate above four per cent jumped from 58 per cent to 83 per cent.
Rising rates test confidence but housing activity holds firm
In just one month, the share of buyers securing a mortgage above 4% rose from 58% to 83%
First time buyers ‘paid estimated £307m extra in stamp duty since relief ended’
Stamp duty is increasingly becoming another barrier for would-be homeowners.
Bank holds UK interest rates at 3.75% and stands ‘ready to act’ over Iran war
The Bank of England has followed other central banks in adopting a wait-and-see attitude.
Average UK house price reached a new high in February, says Halifax
Confidence plays an outsized role in the prime markets.
Some mortgage rates set to be raised in coming days as lenders make changes
2026 is also set to be a bumper year for refinancing.
£900m economic opportunity in England ‘lost to property sales falling through’
Rising exchange times are a big part of the story.