The Intermediary – September 2026 - Flipbook - Page 53
RESIDENTIAL
Opinion
The heart of the
housing agenda
I
t is increasingly difficult to
look at the Government’s
housing policy without
reaching the conclusion that
new-build sits at the very top
of its agenda.
The commitment to deliver 1.5
million new homes during this
Parliament has been accompanied
by a steady stream of planning and
housing announcements designed to
increase development, with the latest
regarding new measures intended to
fast-track thousands of homes near
train, tram and underground stations,
whereby suitable developments would
benefit from a default ‘yes’ approach.
The Government also said it had
passed the quarter-way point towards
its 1.5 million homes target.
There will inevitably continue to
be debate about whether the overall
target can be achieved, but that should
not distract from the direction of
policy. Ministers want significantly
more homes built, and new-build is
going to remain a major part of the
housing and mortgage markets.
Many moving parts
Greater supply does not automatically
make buying a home straightforward,
particularly when affordability
remains a significant issue and prices
vary considerably across the country.
Recent Propertymark figures
showed the average asking price of
newly-instructed new-build properties
across Great Britain increased from
£500,450 in July 2025 to £501,658 in
July this year. However, the national
figure concealed considerable regional
differences, with the West Midlands
recording the largest increase while
London, the South East and East of
England all recorded falls.
There is no single new-build
market, just as there is no single
type of new-build buyer. Firsttime buyers remain an important
source of demand, and they may
be dealing simultaneously with
deposit requirements, affordability,
developer incentives, lender criteria
and deadlines aached to a particular
development.
This is where specialist new-build
advice can be particularly valuable,
with advisers able to help clients
understand the variety of schemes
available and their borrowing options,
while also supporting them through
the wider process and ensuring the
different parts of their purchase
work together.
More support
The political focus on new-build
could also be strengthened by further
measures designed to help people
buy these properties. There have
already been renewed suggestions
that Government could consider a
resurrected Help to Buy-style scheme,
as well as discussion about whether
further Stamp Duty support for firsttime buyers might eventually form
part of its approach.
Whether either appears in the
October Budget remains to be
seen, and advisers should clearly
distinguish between speculation and
confirmed policy. However, these
discussions are another sign of the
aention being paid to the relationship
between increasing housing supply
and ensuring there are buyers able to
purchase those homes.
Whatever happens in the Budget,
the 1.5 million homes commitment
remains, and new-build will continue
to command considerable aention.
The right support
For networks like ourselves, and our
advisory firm members, the question
is therefore whether advisers have the
knowledge, lender access and practical
support required to make the most
of this market while delivering good
outcomes for clients.
At The Right Mortgage, we have
been increasing the support available
to firms that want to develop their
ROBYN JAMES
is mortgage development
manager at The Right Mortgage
& Protection Network
new-build business. Our recent
New-Build Strategy Day brought
together advisers to focus specifically
on this market, while our wider
work includes a dedicated new-build
panel, a new resource hub, developer
reach-out, client-facing resources
and calculators, webinars, events
and ongoing support. The purpose
is not simply to point towards newbuild as a business opportunity, but
to help advisers develop the specialist
knowledge to work effectively in it.
New-build cases can involve
different timescales, requirements
and pressures, and many of the clients
involved will be first-time buyers with
no previous experience. Being able to
explain the process, understand lender
requirements and work effectively
with the other parties involved can
therefore be just as important as
identifying an appropriate mortgage.
Policy and opportunity
The Government’s focus on newbuild should not simply be viewed as
a housing policy story. A significant
number will require mortgage
finance, and many will be bought by
customers who would benefit from
specialist advice. Any future measures
aimed at supporting first-time buyers
could increase that demand further.
There is no guarantee about
precisely how quickly the new-build
market will grow or what additional
Government support might emerge,
but the broad direction is becoming
increasingly clear.
New-build is already central to the
Government’s plans, and advisers who
build their knowledge, relationships
and proposition in this area now
should be well placed to serve a market
that is likely to remain important for
many years to come. ●
September 2026 | The Intermediary
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