Before commenting on the mortgage conditions expected in 2012, it is prudent to provide an overview of those events seen in 2011.
It was the year of ‘uncertainty,’ with widely fluctuating opinions from leading economists on whether an interest rate increase was imminent, whether the economy was going to recover or contract further and the implications of macroeconomics on both the mortgage and the housing market. Continue reading


In our December 2010 and May 2011 house price forecasts we predicted a flat housing market, highlighting, in particular, the fundamental issue of overvaluation and affordability.
In our March forecast, we highlighted the wide ranging views of economists, and indeed the varying opinions at the Bank of England, concerning the most appropriate course of action to take with interest rates.