Buy-to-let landlords have been hammered by the rapid rise in mortgage rates after already having had it much tougher in recent years.
Mortgage rates have dropped since the start of 2024 but remain far higher than for most of the past decade, while regulation and costs have increased, and property investing is much less tax-friendly.
On this episode of Lunch Money, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert, look at what next for buy-to-let: will it see a revival, or will more landlords continue to sell up rather than buy in – and is this good news for first-time buyers?
The improvement in mortgage rates has seen a major estate agent reverse its forecast of house price falls this year, so why is Knight Frank now predicting a rise and could it be right?
Meanwhile, in business news, Ocado delivered good figures on its joint venture with M&S, sending its share price soaring.
Richard Hunter, of interactive investor, explains whether the tie-up paying off for Ocado and Marks and Spencer – and what it told us about food prices.
