Our Insights

by Craig Middleton, Mortgage Sales and Distribution Manager, Harpenden Building Society With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to be part of everyday life, thousands of employees have remained working from home. During the first lockdown back in March many of us were operating from a corner of the living room, the kitchen table or the spare bedroom […]

by Jean Errington – Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society Between local lockdowns, ongoing overseas travel restrictions and the fact that Covid-cases are on the rise once more, the outlook for a holiday abroad seems even further out of reach. The summer of 2020 saw many residents cancel their plans for exotic destinations while instead […]

by Jean Errington – Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society COVID-19 has negatively affected life in the UK more than any other scenario since World War Two: our health and well-being; free movement; the opportunity to see loved ones; financial stability; job security and how we live are just a few examples. Despite these setbacks, […]

by Craig Middleton, Mortgage Sales and Distribution Manager, Harpenden Building Society Housing on the high street Are redundant retail units a solution to housing shortages? A lack of housing stock remains an issue today, as it has for decades, with demand outstripping availability. What new types of housing have been introduced to help ease this […]

by Jean Errington, Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society The potential of Annexes as Holiday Lets 2020 has brought a summer like no other. With some holidays postponed, quarantines introduced and removed with no warning and decreased or non-existent protection from travel insurance, many have eschewed a trip abroad in favour of holidaying in the […]

by Graeme Aitken, Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society Mutigenerational living is on the rise As we gradually edge towards a post-pandemic era, we’ve all been forced to think differently – no more so than how and where we live. During lockdown we saw numerous examples of families moving in together to share resources and […]

by Craig Middleton, Mortgage Sales and Distribution Manager, Harpenden Building Society Before the market has been able to digest the implications of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed all other considerations aside, and slowed the economy as a whole. The mortgage industry has been significantly affected by this with repeated occurrences of lenders pulling products […]

by Jean Errington, Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society At Harpenden, we’ve noticed an increased trend in enquiries from first time landlords. As life gradually returns to some semblance of normality, the housing market has begun to experience a rebound. As a consequence, both traditional buy-to-lets and holiday rentals are benefiting from renewed interest.  The […]

by Craig Middleton, Mortgage Sales and Distribution Manager, Harpenden Building Society Much has changed during this pandemic era – not least considering where to put down roots and make a new home as we emerge from these unprecedented times. Escaping to the country has never been more appealing. City living, pre-covid, was highly desirable and […]

by Jean Errington, Business Development Manager, Harpenden Building Society While the initial chaos caused by Covid-19 has subsided, the world is still far from normal. Although some countries have begun to relax their travel restrictions and reopen their borders, the prospect of a holiday abroad still has a number of challenges. Reductions in the hospitality […]