Our Insights

by Craig Middleton, Mortgage Sales and Distribution Manager, Harpenden Building Society Before the market has been able to digest the implications of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed all other considerations aside, and slowed the economy as a whole. The mortgage industry has been significantly affected by this with repeated occurrences of lenders pulling products […]

by Jean Errington, Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society At Harpenden, we’ve noticed an increased trend in enquiries from first time landlords. As life gradually returns to some semblance of normality, the housing market has begun to experience a rebound. As a consequence, both traditional buy-to-lets and holiday rentals are benefiting from renewed interest.  The […]

by Craig Middleton, Mortgage Sales and Distribution Manager, Harpenden Building Society Much has changed during this pandemic era – not least considering where to put down roots and make a new home as we emerge from these unprecedented times. Escaping to the country has never been more appealing. City living, pre-covid, was highly desirable and […]

by Jean Errington, Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society While the initial chaos caused by Covid-19 has subsided, the world is still far from normal. Although some countries have begun to relax their travel restrictions and reopen their borders, the prospect of a holiday abroad still has a number of challenges. Reductions in the hospitality […]

by Craig Middleton, Mortgage Sales & Distribution Manager, Harpenden Building Society As we continue to navigate through the current pandemic many aspects of life are changing as the ‘new normal’ is embraced. But what is the new normal? Working from home is one example and has created a whole set of opportunities for the mortgage […]

by Craig Middleton, Mortgage Sales & Distribution Manager, Harpenden Building Society Could empty retail units provide a solution to housing shortages? During recent months we’ve all needed to adapt to a life changed by COVID-19. There’s not been a more disruptive incident in a generation with its fallout impacting our futures in ways we never […]

by Graeme Aitken, Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society The Coronavirus has, without exception, changed the lives of everyone in our country in one way or another. At this time, everyone is focusing on the health and wellbeing of family, friends and communities, and managing financial pressures and uncertainty. However, when the lockdown is lifted, […]

by Jean Errington, Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society The lockdown is affecting all areas of every business, especially the travel and tourism sectors. The Coronavirus outbreak is causing a widespread reconsideration of holiday choices, with many signs that more and more people are looking at domestic, UK destinations rather than the overseas adventures that […]

by Craig Middleton, Mortgage Sales and Distribution Manager, Harpenden Building Society In February, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that the overall employment  rate increased by 0.6% year on year (Dec 2018 vs Dec 2019) to a record high of 76.5% (since ONS figures began in January to March 1971). Employment is defined by […]

by Graeme Aitken, Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society In January of this year, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors released its Residential Market Survey (1). The overwhelming sentiment was one of positivity; buyer enquiries, agreed sales and new instructions are all increasing. House prices are rising nationally and respondents were upbeat on the outlook […]