Every year is a challenging year for first-time buyers, but 2020 really thwarted them as a collective. We don’t need to cover old ground – I think we’d all agree it was a figurative kick-in-the-teeth for many people who might have been hoping to get on the housing...

After a challenging year for first time buyers, and those with little deposit to put down, the launch this week of the government-backed 95% mortgage is welcomed by many. The scheme, announced in last month's budget statement, involves the government ‘guaranteeing’...

Home renovations have recently become more than just a popular DIY activity, but more of an obsession, as we all try to improve the space in which we live. Being at home so much has lots of us revaluating our dwellings and wanting to make the best of not going abroad...

Exactly one year on from the start of the first lockdown of 2020, how has the housing market changed – and what does the future look like? Oportfolio’s founder, Oliver Whitehead, looks back on a year like no other. It seems incredible to think that it’s been a full...

If the pandemic and its three lockdowns have taught us anything at all, it’s that no one ever quite knows what lies around the corner. All being well, the UK will start a cautious reversal of the current social distancing measures in the next few weeks. The Government...

Technology may have its frustrations, but there’s no doubt it has made life much easier when it comes to the business of sorting out personal financial matters like car insurance, choosing a mobile phone provider and buying cheap flights. Price comparison websites...

Following on from speculation at the back end of last week that the Chancellor will use his Budget speech on Wednesday to announce an extension to the stamp duty holiday, this weekend’s news also suggests Wednesday’s Budget statement may have more glad tidings for...

There has been speculation in the national media in recent days that the Chancellor will use his Budget statement on March 3 to announce a 3-month extension to the Stamp Duty holiday. The initiative was introduced in July of last year to counteract the three-month...

With average house prices at their highest level for 7 years, many people are beginning to look ahead to the spring and summer and assessing their options when it comes to their current home. Recent data shows that average house prices ended 2020 at their highest...

One of the big dilemmas for people considering whether to take the plunge and buy a house or flat is whether they should do it now – and try to take advantage of the Stamp Duty (SDLT) holiday – or wait to see how the housing market settles into 2021. It’s a dilemma...

The decision during the last national lockdown to suspend Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on house purchases up to £500,000 led to a spike in the housing market during last summer and early autumn. With just two months to go until that scheme is due to end on March...

We’re well and truly into 2021 now, but we could all be forgiven for having the very real sense that while the number might have changed, not much else has. The pre-Christmas tiered restrictions and now a second full national lockdown after a summer and autumn of...