Relative to us, it was on the other side of the man-made L.A.

This collapse in applications probably reflected the impact of still-high mortgage interest rates and high house prices relative to average incomes, undermining the ability of people to afford newly built houses.

And because they breathe much faster than adults, they are taking in more toxic particulate matter relative to their tiny bodies, which can trigger inflammation, coughing and wheezing.

Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist, said that house prices remained high relative to average earnings at the start of 2024, which meant that raising a deposit was tough for prospective first-time buyers.

In fact, their pay has been eroding relative to private sector counterparts for the last three decades.