0 minute readUK mortgage loans fell to a nine-month low in February — despite a drop in lending rates. Newly approved loans to home buyers fell to 47,094, the lowest number since last May, says the Bank of England. That was despite average rates falling to 3.83%. Total lending rose to £11.5bn [US$17.4bn] as remortgaging picked up. Simon Rubinsohn, of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, said cold weather may have put off house-hunters but lending should pick up after the Chancellor exempted homes under £250,000 from stamp duty for first-time buyers.
Diana Golobay was a reporter with HousingWire through mid-2010, providing wide-ranging coverage of the U.S. financial crisis. She has since moved onto other roles as a writer and editor.see full bio
Most Popular Articles
Smith Douglas Homes Doubles Down On Pace And Growth
While many homebuilders, such as D.R. Horton and Tri Pointe Homes, significantly reduced the number of new home starts over the last quarter amid sluggish homebuyer demand, Smith Douglas Homes Corp. is taking a different approach, akin to that of Lennar. Pace over price. The builder’s strategy reflects a commitment to affordability and serving the […]
Mar 18, 2026
-
Mortgage rate declines are raising the likelihood of a refi surge
Mar 19, 2026 -
Homebuilders Urged To Invest In Frontline Jobsite Workers Now
Mar 19, 2026 -
How hybrid operations are elevating builder performance
Apr 30, 2026 9:50 am -
HousingWire Mortgage Rankings have arrived, bringing data-driven benchmark to originator performance
Apr 30, 2026 -
After An Involuntary Pause, Orders Matter Again For LGI
Mar 20, 2026
Latest Articles
HousingWire Mortgage Rankings have arrived, bringing data-driven benchmark to originator performance
HousingWire on Tuesday announced the launch of the HousingWire Mortgage Rankings, a new performance intelligence product designed to provide a clear, data-driven view of mortgage origination activity across the U.S. The rankings benchmark mortgage originators based on observed production, offering a standardized view of performance across geographies, loan types and channels. Historically, the mortgage industry has lacked […]
Diana Golobay was a reporter with HousingWire through mid-2010, providing wide-ranging coverage of the U.S. financial crisis. She has since moved onto other roles as a writer and editor.see full bio
