JEREMY Hunt’s Autumn Statement is delivering “welcome signs of positivity” for the housing market, a property association says. 

“Rates, especially those fixed for two or five years, are dropping. The weekend saw rates drop below 5% for the first time since the beginning of October.”

JEREMY Hunt’s Autumn Statement is delivering “welcome signs of positivity” for the housing market, a property association says. 

The National Association of Property Buyers say the Chancellor’s recent fiscal announcement is making mortgages a more attractive option for many prospective buyers.

Spokesman Jonathan Rolande said: “A steadier hand on the tiller means mortgage rates are dropping. It seems strange that this could be happening at the same time as The Bank of England is increasing base rates, but these are strange times. 

“The mortgage market spiked far higher than the BofE would have expected as the rates offered by lenders hit new highs following the botched Kwasi Kwarteng Budget. Now we are seeing more fiscal responsibility, and the markets are reacting to the fact that Britain looks like a safer home for money once again. 

Mr Rolande added: “Rates, especially those fixed for two or five years,  are dropping. The weekend saw rates drop below 5% for the first time since the beginning of October. The best 5 year fixed is now around 4.84% with Platform mortgages.

There is certainly an improvement in the market but we should be under no illusions that things will return to ‘normal’ any time soon. The BofE is likely to increase base rates again soon, putting more pressure on lending percentages. The market is showing a number of signs that it is slowing, with prices dropping. However, the doomsday scenario that looked possible, probable almost – where rates would hit double digits – seems to have been averted for now.

If rates hit 4% soon, in conjunction with some better value property that is hitting the market, this will be a golden time for buyers to snap up a dream home. However, fear of possible further drops in values will deter many from doing so. We shall see whether that is a wise decision or not.”

The comments come days after it was warned that homeowners face the biggest hike in mortgage interest payments ever. 

Thousands with a typical outstanding home loan could seeing their monthly charges doubling next year to almost £500.

The shock rise was predicted after analysis of figures published by Treasury watchdog the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) and follows attempts by the Bank of England to tame soaring inflation by hiking interest rates – leading to rises in mortgage interest rates.

The Liberal Democrats, who carried out the analysis, calculate that for a typical household with an outstanding mortgage of £236,000, the hike next year would mean monthly interest payments doubling to £474 – an extra £2,851 a year.

The news will fuel fresh fears that the cost of living crisis will lead to properties being repossessed.

Last night Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Sarah Olney said: ‘Homeowners are paying the price for the Conservative Government crashing the economy.

‘The mortgage ticking time bomb has only seconds left.

‘This is simply unmanageable with the tax rises announced by the Chancellor.’

The party wants the Government to scrap a planned reduction on surcharge imposed on the banking sector, and use the money to set up an emergency mortgage protection fund to help families seeing their repayments soar.