Rightmove, Nationwide Launch UK Property Lending Check

The U.S. housing market continues to face challenges in 2025, with elevated home prices, fluctuating mortgage rates, and economic uncertainty causing many Americans to postpone homeownership plans, leading to subdued home sales despite rising inventory. Experts, including Zillow's CFO, have sounded alarms about the market's sluggish recovery, highlighting that economic unpredictability will continue to dampen buyer confidence. In response to homebuyers' frustrations, UK-based Nationwide Building Society and Rightmove have introduced a new 'property lending check' feature, providing real-time insights on mortgage eligibility for specific properties before viewings or offers, aiming to reduce stress and wasted efforts during the homebuying process. Meanwhile, mortgage lenders in the U.S. are increasingly integrating with real estate portals to create seamless end-to-end platforms; for instance, Lower Mortgage's acquisition of Movoto seeks to combine lending services with property listings to enhance customer acquisition and streamline homebuying. Zillow Group's CEO has also acknowledged ongoing market challenges for buyers and sellers, reflecting the broader cautious outlook prevalent among industry leaders. These developments illustrate the industry's efforts to adapt to a complex market environment by leveraging technology and consolidations to better serve consumers.