Mortgage lending may have reached record high - CML

Latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders suggests total lending was up £24.5bn in March from £20.5bn in February, making it the strongest level of lending in the past four months. This could also prove to be a new record after the figure has been adjusted for seasonally factors, the CML says. Lending for house purchase experienced the strongest increase in March, rising by 24% to £11.3bn. Despite rising house prices, first-time buyers also seem to be returning to the market, with people looking to step onto the property ladder for the first time and accounting for about ...