The mortgage market at the moment is reminiscent of Katy Perry’s hit single — it’s hot then it’s cold, lenders say yes then they say no, buy-to-let investors are in then they’re out, rates are up then they’re down….

It’s been a rollercoaster year, and it’s only April!

As we went to press, Nationwide had just announced its latest House Price Index, showing that, while house prices rose on an annual basis, they fell a little from the previous month.

Both good and bad news, depending on your perspective of buying for the first time or selling.

Looking forward to raising a glass to this wonderful industry very soon!

Commentators said that, while the market was improving, it was still
subdued compared to pre-pandemic levels. When the sector will return to
full throttle is anyone’s guess but waiting for complete stability is a long game: it may never come and we must take solace in the areas of improvement.

The Bank of England’s newest mortgage approval figures showed a significant improvement, and this is the news we all want to hear.

Lenders say yes then they say no, buy-to-let investors are in then they’re out, rates are up then they’re down

Many brokers also report an upturn in business, and not just the thankless kind that involves many extra hours searching for new deals as rates are pulled last minute. Borrowers and investors are returning to the market, even if cautiously for now. Of course, it’s a sector that will always be in demand and the wheels must keep moving.

In this month’s issue, our cover feature by Leah Milner analyses the potential fallout of the chancellor’s abolition of the Furnished Holiday Lettings regime. Our second feature, by Emma Simon, looks at the equity release market and whether it will bounce back this year after demand fell in 2023.

There are news analysis, commentary and profiles aplenty, but a special mention has to go to our shortlist announcement for this year’s Mortgage Strategy Awards. Last year was another extremely challenging time for the market so huge kudos to all of those who made the cut.

It’s been a rollercoaster year, and it’s only April

It won’t be long before the winners are unveiled, on 22 May at our usual five-star venue, Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair.

Looking forward to raising a glass to this wonderful industry very soon!

Rebekah Commane is editor of Mortgage Strategy

This article featured in the April 2024 edition of MS.

If you would like to subscribe to the monthly print or digital magazine, please click here.

The post Editor’s note: Take solace in areas of improvement appeared first on Mortgage Strategy.