What is in store for the UK housing market is a concern for some experts, as there are factors at play that could stall growth and in doing so could stall the economy. The housing market and its constant ebb and flow through the ups and downs are an important part of our economy no matter whether one is a homeowner or not. There are those that next year will be considering a purchase of a new home for the first time, those considering a larger home for their growing family or the combining of generations into one property, while there will be others downsizing as their family matures into their own family units. No matter where the home buyer is in the market, the flow of buying and selling is important to keep it going, and it is when there are fewer buyers that there are stalls to the needed growth. Unfortunately, there are many buyers that could be shut out of the market next year.

There is a strong expectation that there will be fewer homeowners choosing to move home either by upgrading as their family has grown or downsizing as it matures, and children move on to grow their own family homes. By choosing to stay put, homeowners could slow down the natural flow of the housing market. Without starter homes as homeowners upgrade, fewer will be available for first-time buyers. This will increase demand for newly built first-time buyer type homes which would push prices higher. This is also a burdened trend for first-time buyers as they have been turning to homes in need of repairs, upgrades, and improvements to find one they can afford.

In a recent poll by Reuters, housing market experts forecasted that house prices will increase and do so as rental costs rise higher. Housing overall will become more expensive, however it is expected that first time homebuyers will still have a chance in the market. Higher rental costs will make it difficult for buyers to save for their deposit, so lower interest rates will need to make the difference in affordability. 

There is always the question of whether a homeowner should remortgage now or wait. The answer is a unique one that cannot be answered easily. The decision depends on what the current financial needs of the homeowner are as well as the current economic situation. Of course, economic forecasts for the near future have an influence on the choice. Unfortunately for some homeowners, what is so obvious now as to whether to get a new deal or wait, was less obvious a month ago and the outcome could have been costly.

There are some homeowners that have the opportunity to start 2025 with savings in their household budget. Those that have come to the end of their mortgage term and were moved to the lender’s standard variable rate (SVR) are likely to find substantial savings through one simple process and it’s so easy to discover how much savings. The process to begin saving money is simply to shop online for a remortgage. A few minutes online at the website of a remortgage broker to obtain quotes will provide a wealth of information important to the homeowner.

House prices have remained elevated after the buying boom created by the pandemic. There was a need for more space to accommodate lockdowns while working and studying from home. However, the major factor behind the buying frenzy was the low cost of borrowing. The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had lowered the standard base interest rate to almost zero at 0.1%. Lenders then offered their own historical low rates. Borrowing was so cheap it offered an open door to those that had been struggling to get onto the property ladder and in homes that would have had to wait for an upgrade rather than as a first-time home buyer’s property. Sadly, those interest rates are long gone and now an old trend is back helping renters abandon high fees and buy their first home.