High street bank lending for house purchases grew by 3.6 per cent compared to the same month in 2017, UK Finance figures released today demonstrate.
Almost half the population in the UK, some 48% think re-introducing 100% mortgages is a good idea, a nationwide poll has found.
The sense of community that emerges from cohousing developments is not merely due to its physical design, nor is it a happy accident — it is the central aim of the development and management process, which starts prior to the design and development of these communities.
The vast majority of building societies, some 87%, expect the Bank of Mum and Dad to play an increasing role in helping first time buyers get on the housing ladder over the next five to 10 years.
The short-term rental market has ballooned in recent years. According to the Residential Landlords Association, Airbnb listings in ten UK cities increased by almost 200% between 2015 and 2017. And while attention has mainly focused on the problems this is causing in big cities such as London, or tourist hotspots such as Barcelona and Berlin, communities in England’s regional cities are also feeling the effects.
Against the backdrop of the UK’s severe housing shortage, the government’s plan offers a welcome injection of funds to a previously under-resourced sector. Community land trusts, for example, have provided nearly 1,000 homes for urban and rural communities to date, with limited access to public funds. But there’s an apparent oversight in the strategy, which could undermine the fund before it even begins to take effect.
