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“If you look at recessions going back to the 1970s, this is the weakest by a long way” Last week, Bank of England (BoE) Governor, Andrew Bailey, indicated that the UK recession may already be over, citing “distinct signs of an upturn.” Comparing current conditions to historical downturns, Mr Bailey commented, “If you look at […]

Residential Property Review – February 2024

Positive start to the year for the housing market Increased demand from buyers and sellers is helping to get the housing market back on track this year. According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the data on new buyer enquiries is consistent with a gradual recovery which shows a 7% uptick in January, […]

Commercial Property Review – February

2024 – a turning point? The recently released UK Commercial Market in Minutes from Savills has identified 2024 as a pivotal year for the commercial property investment market. Expectations are for an uptick in investment volumes versus 2023, after a couple of years of falls, with some strengthening in prime yields also likely. Positivity about […]

News in Review

“The Chancellor must use his Budget… to set out a clear pathway for firms and the economy to grow” Data released last week from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that UK gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by 0.3% in Q4 2023. Following a 0.1% contraction in Q3, the data shows that the UK […]

In the news

Gazundering in a buyer’s market Research1 has found that, in 2023, there was a 97% increase in people googling the term ‘gazundering’ – when a homebuyer reduces their offer on a property at the last minute, often just before exchange of contracts. About a third of sellers were subjected to gazundering last year2, indicating the […]

Equity release bouncing back?

After a challenging few years, equity release is picking up steam again, with the market experiencing growth for the first time in a year, according to market statistics1. New customers (10%) and total lending (8%) both saw a quarterly rise in Q3 2023. During that period, 17,078 new and existing customers used equity release products. […]

News in Review

“This is the fourth consecutive month that house prices have risen” Last week the latest data from the Halifax House Price Index for January showed that the average house price increased by 1.3% in the month, the fourth consecutive monthly rise. The average home in the UK now costs £291,029. The pace of annual growth […]

Are you due a midlife MOT?

Just to be clear, we’re not talking about your physical health here (that’s the doctor’s remit). We’re talking about a check-up to assess your financial wellbeing. And we’re asking because nearly one in six people aged between 45 and 54 are now making significant financial sacrifices to ensure their pension pots are up to scratch […]

In the news

Pension Tracing Service swamped People who think they could be missing out on thousands of pounds in pension savings have flocked to the phonelines to try and track down their lost money. Through a freedom of information request, it has come to light that The Pension Tracing Service received a total of 251,733 phone calls […]

Sleep easy in 2024

If you’re losing sleep over your finances, you’re not the only one. According to research1, nearly half (45%) of UK adults are lying awake at night because they’re worrying about money. The squeeze on people’s finances caused by the cost-of-living crisis is understandably a large part of this wave of insomnia, with those surveyed saying […]