November approval figure of house loans was the highest since December 2009.

November saw a surprise rise in loan approvals for new homes, according to the latest Bank of England figures. The Bank said 52,854 loans for house purchases were approved during the month, totalling some £7.6 billion. It said the November approval figure was the highest recorded since December 2009. It also marked the second consecutive monthly rise in approvals.

Despite these findings, the Bank also revealed that fewer loans were approved for remortgaging in November, with just 31,154 agreed to.  This might mean good news for movers if it’s a sign that people are choosing to move home rather than extend their existing properties.