Help to Buy risks and rewards
The Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme will boost home building, but we cannot ignore the risks the mortgage guarantee scheme poses to housing market stability in 2015 and 2016
Our Fosbury Flop moment
Ben Roskrow writes about Housebuilder's "Fosbury Flop" moment when it decided to launch the Housebuilder Product Awards - a success story to add to the good news pile.
Help to Buy (part one) going well despite the critics
The Help to Buy scheme has been dubbed "moronic" as detractors say it will fuel more boom and bust in the housing market. But Ben Roskrow argues that the signs are that the equity part of the initiative is working well
Making your jv work
Richard Jones, group head of regeneration of growth at EC Harris, welcomes the increase in innovative joint ventures to deliver housing and reveals the keys to partnering success.
Rental proposals highlight supply crisis
Special measures to attract institutional investment into the private rented sector will bring short term benefits to home builders but they do not address the fundamental reasons why institutionally funded development is not viable, says John Stewart.
Treasury moves show signs of success
In stark contrast to five years ago, the government seems to have its attention fixed on housebuilding. And, says Ben Roskrow, Treasury's latest move – the Help to Buy scheme – is showing signs of success.
The Osborne bazooka
The chancellor must feel it is "damned if it does, damned if it doesn't" when it comes to his initiatives on housebuilding. But, says EC Harris head of residential and regeneration Richard Jones, the industry should get behind the government’s attempts to boost the sector.
Housebuilder margins rise as firms enjoy market recovery
Steve Menary gives the lowdown on the latest financial reporting season for the plcs, finding that margins are beginning to move up, shareholders are seeing the benefit, but the government's housing strategy is yet to filter through to a big lift in starts.
A turning point in our fortunes
The chancellor's Budget could prove to be a game changer in releasing demand for new homes. But there is also work to be done on the supply side, argues HBF executive chairman Stewart Baseley.
Thatcher's housing legacy
The effects of Margaret Thatcher's policies to revive the private rented sector and withdraw the state from direct housing provision are still with us, but her desire to see a property owning democracy has been undermined, says John Stewart.
