US Housing Market Data Response Existing Home Sales (Apr.) Existing home sales rose by 1.7% m/m in April – a little more than we were expecting. But the overall picture from the last year has been of only limited upward movement. And while demand for homes... 20th May 2016 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update A bumpy ride ahead New buyer enquiries in London fell sharply in both March and April, as did house price expectations. With house prices already very high, the data point to a sharp slowdown in price growth and... 20th May 2016 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update What can homebuilder share prices tell us about housing starts? Homebuilder share prices have flat lined since early 2015, which could be a sign that the recent soft patch in housing starts is set to continue. But the past relationship between the two is far from... 18th May 2016 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Housing Starts (Apr.) April’s rise does not alter the fact that housing starts have failed to deliver any sustained growth over the past year. However, with housing demand rising gradually and builders growing more... 17th May 2016 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update Has London’s housing market reached a precipice? April’s RICS data showed that London’s new buyer enquiries balance fell to its second lowest level on record. History, however, suggests that on its own, the slump in buyer demand is more likely to... 16th May 2016 · 1 min read
China Data Response Hong Kong GDP (Q1) Hong Kong’s economy contracted in Q1, with output dragged down by falls in exports and household spending. We don’t expect a major rebound in the quarters ahead as interest rates rise further and the... 13th May 2016 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update How keen are households to buy homes? The share of US households who think that now is a good time to buy a home is close to previous highs, but the share of households who plan to buy in the near future is more subdued. The contrast... 12th May 2016 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response RICS Residential Market Survey (Apr.) New buyer enquiries fell into negative territory for the first time in over a year in April, as the higher rate of stamp duty for additional homes came into force. And the effects of the new tax... 12th May 2016 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Chart Pack Buyers continue to outnumber sellers Demand for homes is rising thanks to mortgage rates that are close to record lows and an improving labour market. Mortgage applications for home purchase in April were at their highest level since... 11th May 2016 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update What do the low level of lettings instructions tell us? The relatively subdued level of new lettings instructions is a reminder that, despite its high profile in recent quarters, BTL lending is only one measure of the health of the private rented sector... 11th May 2016 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Halifax House Prices (Apr.) House prices fell in April according to the Halifax index. And with economic sentiment cooling, house prices high and demand growth slowing, we see house price growth softening further over the... 9th May 2016 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Chart Pack March data show spike in Transactions This month’s data provided evidence of the extent to which buyers have brought forward purchases ahead of the stamp duty surcharge. And given the size of the boost to activity, transactions may be... 6th May 2016 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Applications (Apr.) Applications for refinance and home purchase both increased in April, driven in part by a drop in mortgage interest rates. While an expected increase in rates will dampen refinance activity in the... 4th May 2016 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response CoreLogic House Prices (Mar.) The combination of a steady rise in housing demand and very low levels of housing inventory is putting upwards pressure on house prices. While the very large 1.9% m/m gain is likely to be revised down... 3rd May 2016 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Lending (Mar.) Mortgage approvals for house purchase dipped a little in March, as the number of new buyers seeking to transact ahead of the stamp-duty surcharge tailed off. But gross lending surged, as those BTL and... 29th April 2016 · 1 min read
China Economics Update Has property finally turned the corner? A recovery in China’s property market appears to be giving a lift to economic growth. This should continue for a few quarters. But the turnaround does not signal that the drawn-out correction in China... 28th April 2016 · 1 min read
