2022: an eventful year

Whichever way you look at it, It is fair to say that 2022 was an eventful year! It is also true to say that it was wholly unprecedented. Looking back, it seems strange to think that in January we were still emerging from the global pandemic with Omicron infections finally peaking towards the end of month, before we really saw Covid-19 subside – hopefully for good.

Thora Kehoe

Why is demand so high for UK property?

Did you know that 104,980 UK residential properties were sold in August alone? This is a 7.6% uptick on the level sold in August last year, and a 1.1% jump on July. This is the latest news from HMRC, as revealed in its latest Property Transactions data.

How high will UK house prices rise?

The average house price now sits at a record £294,260, and house prices are up by a whopping 11.5% on the same time last year!

We call for greater data transparency as survey reveals almost a fifth of brokers have been held as ‘data prisoners’

Our latest broker study has revealed that almost a fifth (17.5%) of UK brokers have been held as ‘data prisoners’ (those effectively trapped to CRM systems by complicated methods and/or extortionate fees to retrieve data).

One step closer to digital nomadism?

It was reported by the BBC in July that ‘more than 25 countries have now launched visa programmes for digital nomads, enabling these travellers to work legally, longer and more freely.’

Incoming wave of first-time buyers make clear case for tech adoption

According to Coventry for intermediaries, the first-time buyer (FTB) market is approaching a boom, expected to be worth £73.1bn by 2024, with FTB mortgages accounting for three in ten property transactions. With many of those taking their first steps on to the property ladder unsure and unaware of what is involved when it comes to homeownership, the expertise of brokers cannot be overstated.

Brokers must prioritise protection plans for first-time buyers

First-time buyer demand has remained robust despite the onslaught of economic challenges introduced since spring 2020. Indeed, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities’ latest English Housing Survey found that there were around 957,000 first-time buyers in 2020-21, an uptick of 131,000 on the year prior. However, while it is reassuring that prospective buyers have not been deterred by financial headwinds, the wider economic picture cannot be ignored.

Smartr365 Founder and CEO dives into the latest house price data

The latest ONS House Price Index strongly suggests that the market is returning to pre-pandemic conditions. Although average house prices have grown by 7.8% in the year to June (a £20,000 uptick), they have dropped by a huge 12.8% in just a month.

Bumper year for remortgaging calls for automated and scheduled client comms

It’s shaping up to be a bumper year for remortgages with £100bn of plans set to mature before year end, according to Accord Mortgages, with peaks in October and December.

Tech adoption is crucial to beating mortgage expiry dates

The shelf life of mortgage products is shrinking dramatically. According to Moneyfacts, products are currently on the market for an average of just 17 days, breaking all previous records.