28/08/2001

New mortgage demand set to fall following peak in applications

The British Bankers' Association (BBA) has revealed that the demand for new mortgages looks set to fall this autumn following a record level of mortgage lending last month.

During the July peak, much of the new lending reflected the introduction of new products by some banks, particularly for re-mortgaging, rather than a substantial increase in lending by institutions.

The report of a fall in new mortgage approvals for house buying also coincided with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' report last week of fewer enquiries about houses for sale.

Analysts now predict a cooling in the UK housing market following sharp price rises over the past couple of years.

The slowdown in mortgage demand is expected even though mortgages are considered to be affordable, given that interest rates are low and mortgage lenders are continuing to offer attractive deals in a bid to compete for customers. (MB)

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