Drop in US home builds exposes fragile market

Figures show that housing starts dropped 10.6 per cent in October as homebuyers remained cautious about the market

Bovis to raise land value on market rebound

The housebuilder, which has axed more than half its workforce, now has cash to start buying new plots

Olympic Games ‘driving out poorer residents’

Gentrification effect brings into question the Government’s intention to improve living standards, says report

Stamp duty change to compound low prices in worst hit areas

RICS warns that areas already suffering from house prices falls will face drop in activity when stamp duty threshold is lowered

House prices slip in run-up to Christmas

Asking prices fall for first time in three months as sellers try to shift properties before psychological deadline

Fame & Fortune: John Hitchcox

The influential property developer is now worth millions and has been seen with a string of supermodels, including Kate Moss

Landlords see light at the end of the tunnel

Rise in buy-to-let loans ends hibernation of housing investors, and reduced forecast for repossessions adds to optimism

Mortgage rescue scheme falls on stony ground

Only 92 families have been helped since £285m initiative was launched in January for households facing repossession

Building Societies warn of higher mortgage costs

Tighter regulations on lending will see increased costs passed on to borrowers, the BSA warns

First-time buyers benefit as home loans rise

The number of mortgages granted in September increased by 2 per cent - the third consecutive monthly rise

Mortgage rates fall but loan restrictions tighten

Woolwich introduces restrictions to protect against base rate rises as it introduces new deals for borrowers with a 25 per cent deposit

House prices grow for sixth month in a row

A 1.2% rise in prices in September is the latest evidence to suggest Britain's property market is over the worst

New players raise hopes of mortgage rate competition

Brokers have welcomed new deals, although banks continue to impose tighter lending criteria

October shopping spree raises hopes for economy

Retailers reported an increase of 3.8 in the value of goods sold on the high street - the biggest in seven years

Cheap cash may create another property bubble

Great swaths of the world's residential market - outside Britain - are not just in full recovery mode, they are booming

The Politics of the X-Factor

Love it or hate it, the show is the cornerstone of ITV's weekend, despite numerous controversies behind the scenes

Passing clouds could make buyers pause

Savills, the estate agency, is forecasting an average decline of 6.6 per cent in house prices by mid-summer