Gross mortgage lending has hit its highest level since October 2008 as lenders advanced £14.7bn in May, Council of Mortgage Lenders’ figures show. Lending is a massive 21% up on the £12.2bn lent in April and 17% higher than the £12.6bn lent in May 2012.
CML chief economist Bob Pannell says: “Funding conditions, helped by the funding for lending scheme, continue to look favourable and are supporting more competitive mortgage pricing and availability and a gradual resumption of lenders’ risk appetite.
“While the direction of travel is clear and fits well with the more positive housing surveys from Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and others, our forward estimate does imply somewhat stronger house purchase activity than we had been expecting.”