Our Insights

A quick glance at history reveals that High-Net-Worth (HNW) individuals have, over the centuries, resided in rural property during periods of public health crisis, helping them avoid highly populated areas and the risk of infection. In many ways today’s pandemic situation is no different with a surge in more affluent homeowners moving from our big […]

by Craig Middleton – Mortgage Sales and Distribution Manager, Harpenden Building Society Working from home every day may now seem normal to many. The early days of using the kitchen or spare bedroom as a make shift work area are now a distant memory as many have created a dedicated office space, or looking to […]

by Jean Errington, Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society As we look ahead to the summer with the hope of reduced pandemic restrictions, Holiday Lets continue to provide a profitable income stream for owners as ‘staycation’ business booms. UK holiday rentals – demand outstripping availability Such news has understandably seen a surge in UK holiday […]

Despite widespread concern about a crash in the property market, research suggests house prices around the world have risen throughout the pandemic. According to research from Knight Frank’s Wealth Report, Auckland took the lead with an 18% upswing in property prices, while in the UK, Oxford and the home counties experienced strong sales as buyers […]

by Jean Errington, Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society It seems like yesterday we were discussing last year’s burgeoning holiday lets market and now we’re experiencing the same trends for 2021. Deterred by the thought of quarantine hotels, country restrictions and the likelihood of catching the coronavirus itself, Brits are once again preparing for a […]

by Graeme Aitken, Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society Multigenerational living increasingly becomes the norm Whatever your experiences have been during Covid-19, one aspect that has remained constant throughout is ‘change’. The way we live and how we finance our accommodation hasn’t escaped this constant evolution and remains an ongoing point of debate for those […]

by Craig Middleton – Mortgage Sales and Distribution Manager, Harpenden Building Society As we head towards the anniversary of the first lockdown it’s hard to escape the ongoing social and economic impact of Covid-19. From a commercial perspective you only have to step outside to see real life examples. The empty, non-viable retail units now […]

by Craig Middleton – Mortgage Sales and Distribution Manager, Harpenden Building Society With New Year resolutions made, many in the UK will be looking ahead having firmly shut the door on 2020. Despite a particularly difficult year generally, and with our current lockdown status in force; on a social and an economic level, those serving […]

by Craig Middleton – Mortgage Sales and Distribution Manager, Harpenden Building Society Despite the huge hardship endured by many, some positive outcomes have been created and I believe it’s important to reflect on them. In the mortgage world I’ve seen numerous examples of human resilience, operational excellence and the application of technology keeping the property […]

by Jean Errington – Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society The profitability of holiday lets While news of a vaccine has brought some much needed optimism to the world, the future is still far from clear. Global lockdowns, quarantines and travel restrictions are still in full force meaning international travel, as we knew it, remains […]