US Commercial Property Outlook All-property returns to fall to zero next year as values slide The dramatic shift in the interest rate environment over the first half of the year means that we have brought forward (and increased) our forecasts for yield rises. Property valuations now look as... 21st June 2022 · 24 mins read
US Housing Market Data Response Existing Home Sales (May) Surging mortgage rates led to another fall in existing home sales in May to their lowest level since the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns two years ago. And with mortgage rates set to rise to 6.5% by... 21st June 2022 · 2 mins read
UK Housing Market Update Withdrawal of affordability test is a wise move We suspect that the main reason for the hasty withdrawal of the Financial Policy Committee’s mortgage affordability test is that it was on course to become a severe constraint on many buyers’... 20th June 2022 · 3 mins read
US Housing Market Update Surge in mortgage rates makes house price falls likely We have previously argued that a mortgage rate of above 6% represents the threshold at which house price falls become likely. With rates recently rising above that level, we are therefore revising... 20th June 2022 · 3 mins read
UK Housing Market Chart Pack Rising mortgage rates begin to take their toll The rise in mortgage rates from a low of 1.5% last November to 1.8% in April is beginning to weigh on home purchase demand, with the new buyer enquiries balance of the RICS survey dropping into... 20th June 2022 · 8 mins read
UK Commercial Property Update Will Manchester office rental growth outperform again? After a more severe downturn in 2020, Manchester office rental growth has caught up with other regional cities in recent quarters. While employment growth and occupier activity may remain fairly weak... 17th June 2022 · 3 mins read
US Housing Market Data Response Housing Starts (May) Housing starts in May recorded their largest month-on-month decline since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A fall in housing demand due to higher mortgage rates is occurring at the same time as... 16th June 2022 · 2 mins read
Europe Commercial Property Update Will property resist the effects of deglobalisation? A recent MSCI article speculated that real estate investment could buck the deglobalisation trend given distinct features of the asset class, though we are not convinced that will bring many benefits... 14th June 2022 · 3 mins read
US Housing Market Update Existing home sales set for a sharper fall Leading indicators are pointing to a large fall in existing home sales. For example, the recent sharp decline in the NAR buyer traffic balance is consistent with a fall in sales to 4.5m annualised... 14th June 2022 · 3 mins read
UK Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Lenders and Administrators Return (Q1 22) The detailed quarterly mortgage lending data from the Bank of England confirmed that the squeeze on lenders margins intensified at the start of the year, suggesting that mortgage rates will continue... 14th June 2022 · 3 mins read
Global Economics Update House price falls loom Housing markets are now showing signs of starting to weaken. While the consensus is that house price inflation will merely slow, we expect outright prices to fall in several of the most vulnerable... 13th June 2022 · 2 mins read
US Commercial Property Data Response Commercial Property Lending (May.) Commercial real estate debt continued to grow at a decent pace in May, in line with the recent strength in investment activity. However, we expect a weaker economic backdrop to weigh on commercial... 13th June 2022 · 2 mins read
UK Housing Market Update How significant are the Government’s housing reforms? The Prime Minister last week announced a trio of policies aimed at reversing the decline in home ownership since the financial crisis. We doubt the schemes will make a big difference, although more... 13th June 2022 · 3 mins read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Weekly Farewell, Cecilia Skingsley; rate hikes & house prices We expect house prices to fall in Sweden and Norway this year as rising interest rates push up borrowing costs. But the peak-to-trough declines are likely to be smaller than those in Canada, Australia... 10th June 2022 · 5 mins read
US Housing Market Chart Pack Housing demand falls as mortgage rates rise Housing activity is slowing in the face of higher mortgage interest rates. Mortgage applications for home purchase dropped to a two-year low in May, existing homes sales have declined in each of the... 9th June 2022 · 9 mins read
Europe Commercial Property Valuation Monitor Office sector joins industrial as overvalued in Q1 Higher alternative asset yields drove a sharp deterioration in European property valuations in Q1. Valuation scores declined across all sectors, though retail remained in fair value territory. With... 9th June 2022 · 6 mins read
