Property Buzz: Rates, private lending, and bitcoin to shake up property finance

Mortgage demand is falling, borrowing costs remain under pressure, and new lending models are emerging, leaving the property finance sector facing a period of major change. On Property Buzz, Phil Tarrant is joined by Annie Kane and Julian Barnes from Broker Daily to examine the latest developments across mortgages, lending and property finance. The trio looks at the prospect of further rate rises, mortgage affordability and the battle between banks to win a shrinking pool of borrowers, with mortgage demand reportedly down 16 per cent year on year. They also explore bitcoin-backed home loans, with cryptocurrency emerging as a potential source of deposit funding, while volatility and loan-to-value requirements create new risks for borrowers. Private lending comes under the spotlight as the sector expands across development finance, raising questions about the risks building beneath the surface, while mortgage brokers continue to dominate despite banks pushing their proprietary channels. The conversation also examines AI's potential to transform the mortgage process, from applications to decision-making, before turning to the bigger challenge facing property: how to get more housing built.