Riding the Rollercoaster: The Thrilling Saga of House Prices and Mortgage Rates
This week has been a rollercoaster ride for prospective homebuyers, with significant developments in the housing market and the economy. On Tuesday, the Nationwide building society released a report stating that house prices had experienced the most substantial annual fall in 14 years. However, on Thursday, the Bank of England made another interest rate hike, adding complexity to the situation. While falling house prices might seem like good news for first-time buyers, the reality is not as straightforward. The housing market had seen a surge due to the Covid pandemic, fueled by the stamp duty holiday and the desire for more space as people shifted to remote work. As a result, the average house price reached an all-time high of £260,828 in July, a remarkable £45,000 increase from February 2020. Although the year-on-year house price drop of 3.8% in July appears significant, experts remain cautious about declaring a housing market crash. The number of approved mortgages and total borrowi