The 06 June 2019 edition of “Savills ProgrammE and Cost Sentiment Survey” shows that construction costs are still very high (and unlikely to go down following Brexit) and sales values for homes are viewed with ever increasing caution. If consequentially land values in London do not come down, we will continue to see a squeeze…
The Government has published a very useful guide on buying a home of your own. If you are thinking of doing so, it is well worth reading, just click on the reference link below to go to their website. It provides a very clear route map of the process, what to do before, during and…
Mix Developments supports integrated communities. Development models should be inclusive in all aspects regardless of economic or perceived social status. We all need to be part of the changes, from early planning to implementation and management – be it as housing providers, statutory authorities, architects or development managers. Affordable housing in all its forms should…
The Financial Conduct Authority’s January Sector View paints a worrying picture for the housing sector’s future. Not only are people born in the 2 decades before the year 2000 finding it more difficult to get onto the housing ladder, the amount they have to borrow in relation to their incomes has increased and the length…
Mix Developments has long campaigned for a more diverse housing market to allow younger people the opportunity to own their own homes. Our housing model specifically provides for this under represented group of people. Home ownership should not be dependent on the wealth or circumstances of parents. References BBC business news
Mix Developments welcomes the PM’s announcement on removing the borrowing cap for Local Authorities for their new affordable housing delivery programs. But will this be enough to fix the housing crisis? To really redress the availability and affordability of homes, we need direct action from statutory bodies to engage with SME affordable housing entities, to…
We were impressed by our tour of the Sutherland Road, Walthamstow affordable housing scheme by Levitt Bernstein architects which shows what can be achieved with considerate design. The scheme includes generous balconies and corridors and a beautifully landscaped communal garden. The car parking is kept to a minimum so that it does not overly impede…
The English Housing Survey published today highlights two important issues, a decrease in the proportion of homeowners under the age of 35 and that mortgagors spend a smaller proportion of their income on housing costs than other tenures. The proportion of home owners under the age of 35 is now down to 9%, half of…
First time buyers are increasingly becoming a bigger part of the housing market with the value of mortgages in the first quarter of 2018 increasing by 6% on the first quarter of the previous year, according to a new report by Savills. A number of factors have led to this, with Help-to-Buy (where buyers have…
The Resolution Foundation’s recent publication, “Home improvements: action to address the housing challenges faced by young people”, highlighted their aspirations to own a home of their own are still high despite large rises in house prices and falling ownership rates. The report notes that twice the number of Millennials (people born between 1980-1996) were still…
As much as this is good news that home buyers in the UK have hardly felt the effects of the 0.25% base rate rise, it should be read with caution. The uncertainty over Brexit and the potential for interest rates to rise as competition slows, especially for low earning first-time-buyers, cannot be ignored. References The…
The lack of housing that is affordable is the biggest challenge for a generation. Mix Developments welcomes the £44bn commitment for housing and stamp duty relief for first-time buyers outlined by the Chancellor today. However, we are calling for some of this funding to be targeted to SMEs, particularly those who are geared to deliver…