Mortgage News, Insights & Advice
All the latest UK mortgage news, insights and advice from the world of mortgage lending and Oportfolio
NatWest Mortgage Rate Of 3.77% Narrowly Undercuts Nationwide
In a very interesting move this week, one of the UK's big six mortgage lenders has narrowly undercut one of their major competitors to offer the current lowest mortgage rate on the mainstream market. A new NatWest mortgage rate of 3.77% has been released this week,...
Should I Remortgage With The Same Lender?
Is your current mortgage deal nearing its end? You might be wondering whether to remortgage with the same lender or switch to a new one to get a better deal and more importantly, save some money with a lower interest rate! As a mortgage expert I understand that this...
5.5X Income Mortgage Available For First Time Buyers
Is it possible to get a 5.5X income mortgage? That is a very common question that I am hearing more and more. Mainly because borrowing money is becoming more difficult. When I first started working in mortgages and property, there were plenty of purchase schemes...
Are Over-50s Being Priced Out By The Recession?
As more and more news articles are produced about the current economic struggles that the UK faces, we hear a lot about the impact that the economic crisis will have on young people. However, studies show that a large amount of over-50s are actually concerned about...
House Sales In January Lowest Since 2015
Troubling statistics released show that in January 2023, house sales were the lowest that they have been in 8 years since January 2015. Why has this happened? Will it get better? And what could this mean for people looking to get on the property ladder and build their...
Does Shared Ownership Need Re-Branding?
Back in the day, purchasing your first home was much easier. We know that this has become a bit of a cliché, but it's true! 20, 30, 40+ years ago, buying a home in your early 20's was something that was expected to happen. In 1983 the average price of a house in the...
First Time Buyer Deposit Saver By Coventry
Perhaps the biggest stumbling block for first time buyers when considering flying the parent's nest or finally getting out of the generation rent cycle. How much deposit do you need as a first time buyer, and how are you supposed to save a deposit in this day and age?...
Virgin Money Makes Surprising Mortgage Rate Increase
For the last few week we have been reporting on the welcome rate reductions coming from most lenders following the dramatic rate hike of 2022. For many mortgage brokers, it looked like things were finally returning to somewhat normal levels. However, Virgin Money, the...
Collection Of Energy Performance Certificate Ratings
Lloyds Banking group, which is comprised on Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland, Birmingham Midshires, and Scottish Widows, have revealed their plans moving forward to tackle and reduce carbon emissions through their lending. Both Halifax Bank and buy-to-let lender...
What Is A Santander Accountant’s Certificate?
Getting a mortgage as a self employed person can sometimes be tricky. As specialist self employed mortgage advisors, we know this too well. Whether you have a small freelance business or are the head of a large company, every self employed person has to file their tax...
New Mortgage Rates Below 4% & Other Rate Changes
This week has been another week filled with mortgage rate drops as lenders battle it out to gain new mortgage customers after shooting themselves in the foot with ridiculously high increases at the end of 2022. The most exciting news this week is definitely the...
As A Landlord, Should I Increase Rent?
Historically being a buy-to-let landlord has always been a lucrative game to be in. If you find yourself in the fortunate position to be able to either purchase a property for purely rental purposes, or own a property that you are able to turn into a rental home, then...
What is the Bank of England Base Rate?
Before 'Goblin Mode' was announced as Oxford Dictionary's word of the year, I would have predicted that 'Base Rate' would be a strong contender to take the crown in 2022/23! As a phrase that has dominated the British papers over the last 12 months, it is very...
Can I Get a 5.5 Times Salary Mortgage? Santander News
Whenever the topic of mortgage affordability comes up, most people will tell you that you can borrow around 4.5X your income as a mortgage. That is the general industry standard and has been for a number of years as a means of limiting lender liability and the risk of...
New Competitive Bank Of Ireland Mortgage Rates
When looking to get a mortgage or remortgage quote, chances are that Bank of Ireland mortgage rates are probably not your first thought! Despite being THE Bank of Ireland, most people would think of the likes of Halifax, NatWest, Nationwide, Santander before BOI....
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