Data from the Council of Mortgage Lending (CML) shows gross mortgage lending for 2015 is the highest for seven years as demand remains high.

The ONS data shows the pace of house price growth remains strong with London higher by 9.8% ahead of the UK average.

From February the new London Help to Buy scheme will offer homebuyers loans up to 40% of the property value to purchase new-build homes.

There were 310,000 first time buyers in 2015 according to the Halifax with an increase in the number taking 35 year mortgages.

Property prices are up 9.5% in the year and a further decline in the number of homes for sale will keep the an upward pressure on prices.

UK house sales were 8% lower in 2015 over the year with London and majority of towns leading the way.

New research by the Resolution Foundation finds the average first time buyer takes 24 years to save enough deposit to buy their home.

Extra powers could be handed to the Bank of England to limit buy-to-let landlord borrowing to maintain financial stability.

A study produced by the CEBR for estate agent associations shows UK house prices are expected to rise by 50% in the next ten years.

Property prices in the UK have increased 7.0% over the year to October with an average price of £287,000 according to the ONS.

The Halifax data shows house prices are up 1.4% on the quarter despite a fall last month and is expected to rise strongly.

Homebuyers in London are to benefit as the government improves Help to Buy and removes restrictions for Shared Ownership scheme.

People struggling to buy their first home are given a helping hand with the Help to Buy Isa free from tax and up to 4% interest.

Landlords of buy-to-let properties must pay much higher stamp duty land tax following the chancellor’s Autumn Statement.

Older borrowers could soon be offered mortgages into their 80s and 90s as building societies review their age limits.

Data from the CML shows overall lending is up 19% year on year as remortgage buyers return after a dip during the summer.

Halifax report shows house price growth increased year on year to October of 9.7% due to improving economic conditions.

House prices in the UK are up 3.9% for the year and homeowners are biased toward fixed rate mortgages ahead of an interest rate rise.

House prices in the capital have reached a new high in September and is likely to exceed half a million next month according to the Land Registry.

As house prices rise Lenders have reintroduced interest only mortgages accessed only by wealthy homeowners with large amounts of equity.