House prices nationally have increased 35% since the start of the pandemic as massive fiscal and monetary stimulus, coupled with working from home opening up more options for where to live, fuelled demand for homes. At the same time, supply has been severely limited with construction slow to catch up. However, the rapid rise in house prices makes it more challenging to save for a deposit, and thanks to surging inflation, real incomes are being squeezed and confidence has been suffering. On top of this, the latest housing data shows that this sector is the most vulnerable to the rising rates environment with the ... (full story)