Questions to ask for first-time home buyers answered by Oportfolio Getting on the property ladder can feel like an impossible task. Although still a challenge for many, there is a lot of help available for first-time buyers to get a mortgage and their first home. Here...
Going to the gym helps you build your fitness and improve your endurance. Aside from the obvious physical benefits, the gym can also help your mental well being, by improving your mood, sleep, and brain function. When you’re living and working in London, life can be...
At the start of 2018 the Bank of England was warning that interest rates would almost certainly have to rise in order to keep pace with inflation and the Government’s economic targets. By August of that year, the threat of rising rates had receded and in the time...
Moving home – or buying a new home – can be a really exciting time, but it can also seem a bit overwhelming, even if it’s not your first rodeo in the property market. According to the lifestyle magazine House Beautiful, studies published last year suggest the average...
If you’re about to start a new job or you’re switching from a salaried role to self-employment, you may be worried that your change of circumstances will negatively impact your chances of securing a mortgage. But while some lenders can be reluctant to lend to you if...
Many people find the prospect of a mortgage application to be a source of stress, and although that’s understandable because a dream move is often riding on a successful outcome, it doesn’t necessarily need to be the anxious time that people expect. There are two key...
The ongoing coronavirus crisis continues to put pressure on family income as the true impact of the Government’s social distancing strategy is felt around the UK. There are a number of schemes that have been launched to help businesses, those in full-time employment...
One of the key things we need to do when we take on a big financial commitment like a mortgage is to make plans for a time when you or your family might not be able to meet the repayments. Usually, that means taking out one or more of three different insurance...
As we wave farewell to a year that has, by all sorts of measures, been pretty momentous, and usher in the third decade of the millennia, it’s time to start thinking about that house move in 2020 you’ve been planning. One of the mistakes people can make when it comes...
There has been a lot of change in the mortgage market over the last decade, with tighter controls over lending criteria, more scrutiny around affordability and interest rates tumbling to record lows. But one question we get asked a lot is: can I force my mortgage...
If you’re one of the 8.5 million British adults with a family who should have a life insurance policy but don’t, then now is the right time to be looking at your options. Life insurance should be a vital part of your financial planning. Chosen well, it gives you and...
One of the most common concerns for any homeowner at any given time is likely to be what happens to interest rates. It’s an issue that has come into sharper focus since the EU referendum was held 41 months ago. In a week’s time, the UK will go to the polls for the...
We all know that life can be expensive and most of us are busy trying to cut our costs rather than increase them, but there’s one additional expense that you should seriously consider adding to your monthly outgoings. If you have a family or there are others who...
If recent media reports are to be believed, the ongoing political uncertainty is having a significant impact on the London housing market. According to the latest price index from estate agency portal Right Move, the impasse on Brexit has shaved £13,000 off the...
There are a few times every year when a letter from one of your insurance providers will drop through your door to notify you that your fixed mortgage deal is ending and notifying you of your new premium for the coming year. The chances that these letters will...
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