Property news: Will house prices fall or rise in 2012?

House prices: Will they fall or rise in 2012?
The UK property market is likely to be even more depressed in 2012 than it was in 2011.

Commentators and analysts expect sales to stay low – perhaps even lower than they have been in the past year.

And prices are expected by most observers to fall a little – though some predict larger drops of up to 10% in the coming 12 months. Read more on this story

Improved mortgage range planned
Lenders expect to improve their range of mortgages this year but this will be offset by tougher lending criteria, a Bank of England survey has found.

Despite the tough economic backdrop, the Bank’s quarterly credit conditions survey said lenders were planning to launch more innovative deals, particularly for those who have smaller deposits. Read more on this story

Mortgage market sees surprise bounce as approvals hit two-year high
The number of approvals for new house purchases has defied expectations by rising to its highest point in almost two years, but economists warned of deals becoming more restricted as banks tighten lending conditions.

Loan approvals for house purchase rose to 52,854 in November with a total value of £7.6bn, the second monthly rise in a row and the highest figure since December 2009, the Bank of England figures showed. Read more on this story