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...
There are some things that most of us would prefer not to think about such as getting protected. That’s why the consumer watchdog Which? estimates that only 54% of people have a Will. It probably also explains why, according to a recent report for a leading insurance...
NatWest has made a number of changes across its range, cutting some rates but increasing cashback and fees. At NatWest a number of first-time buyer products with no fee are being replaced with deals that have a lower rate and higher cashback but also come with a fee.
The Easter holidays and the enforced suspension of London Parliamentary business gave us all a welcome break from the wall-to-wall coverage of the ongoing Brexit saga – but with return of MPs to Westminster came the return of the uncertainty that has dogged the...
If you search on the web for advice on the things you should do when choosing a mortgage, you’ll get a lot of information back. Some of it’s good, some of it not so good. But as important, if not more so, is what mistakes you should avoid doing. Here’s our guide to...
How much deposit do I need to be able to get a mortgage? It’s a question we hear asked a lot, especially from people who haven’t been through a mortgage application process in a good while and who worry that lenders have changed their policies around what percentage...
One of the key worries for many parents today is where their children will live when they fly the nest, and how they might pay for it. Although there appears to be a general consensus that the housing market is currently stagnant, years of price growth and the...
Top 5 Tips If Your Mortgage is Declined It’s often said that buying a house can be one of the biggest sources of stress you can have in life, which probably explains why a recent MoneyWise report suggests a quarter of all borrowers find the mortgage application...
It’s always lovely when the values you promote as a business are recognised publicly, so there was open delight at Oportfolio when the company’s founder, Oliver Whitehead, was named Best Overall Adviser at the recent Primis award ceremony. It was Oliver’s third year...
Is it harder to get a mortgage when you’re self-employed? It’s a question we get asked quite a lot and the most simple answer is that it’s not necessarily more difficult, but the way in which affordability is assessed by prospective lenders is inevitably a bit...
So, you’ve done it. You’ve taken the plunge, found your dream house, sorted the mortgage (hopefully through us!), found a buyer for your own property and contracts have been exchanged. All that’s left now is to sit back, put your feet up and wait for moving day. Well,...
When it comes to making plans for the future, one option that many homeowners consider is looking for additional borrowing from their existing lender or, if the circumstances are right, re-mortgaging in order to raise the money needed for a home extension. According...
With Theresa May having emerged from her Brussels trip with unanimous backing for her plan for Britain’s exit from the European Union (brexit) and prepares for tomorrow’s Parliamentary vote on it (assuming continued Cabinet concerns about the likelihood of a Commons...
Our occasional series highlighting the work of businesses Oportfolio works with continues with a look at the impact interior design can have on the sale of your current home and the transformation of your new one. Rush Interiors is run by leading designer, Rushim...
If you have any questions about UK mortgage news or anything you’ve read then please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.