Zac GoldSmith > Launches Housing Manifesto > off plan mortgages high street lenders, government & 6 London Local Authority pension funds
London mayor candidate Zac Goldsmith [above] has pledged to introduce a “Mayor’s Mortgage” lasting nine months rather than the standard six to encourage off-plan sales. Launching his Housing Manifesto today, the Conservative hopeful said he would work with high street lenders, the government and six London Local Authority pension funds to bring in this mortgage. Currently the manifesto said buying property before it completes is impossible for all but cash buyers, which drives the ‘buy to leave’ phenomenon. He also pledged to build 50,000 homes a year by 2020 and appoint a ‘chief architect’ to drive up the quality of housebuilding. Zac Goldsmith: 'I will publish my tax return' Goldsmith said: “Housing is the most important issue facing London. I am clear that the only way to fix London’s housing crisis is to build more homes and we can only do that with a Mayor that will protect transport investment to open up new land, keep our economy strong and work with the g...