Mortgage News, Insights & Advice
All the latest UK mortgage news, insights and advice from the world of mortgage lending and Oportfolio
Do You Need Life Insurance for a Mortgage?
Most people applying for a mortgage are only interested in deposits, interest charges, and lender conditions. But one of the more common questions is: Do you need life insurance to get a mortgage? The response is no, life insurance is not a legal requirement, but...
How to Choose a Mortgage Broker in the UK
Why Choosing the Right Mortgage Broker in the UK Matters Finding the right mortgage deal for you will cost you thousands of pounds throughout your term. And yet, among them all, it can become staggering. That is where a UK specialist mortgage broker can help. 1. Know...
New Virgin Money Rules for Foreign National Mortgages
Virgin Money has unveiled a major overhaul of its foreign national mortgage lending policy, bringing more flexibility and higher loan-to-value (LTV) ratios to those who are not ILR or settled/pre-settled status holders. The move will help more foreign national clients...
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....
Halifax Mortgage Affordability Changes
In a message to all mortgage brokers, Halifax Bank have announced some exciting new mortgage affordability changes. Halifax have recently, like most other lenders, tightened their purse strings as a result of both the covid-19 pandemic and also the economic crisis. In...
House Prices Were Down In January 2023
As a direct result of the UK's current cost of living crisis and mortgage interest rates increasing at the end of 2022, the interest in purchasing property has undoubtedly dwindled in recent months. People are finding it more difficult to save money for deposits,...
Exclusive Mortgage Deals For An Exclusive Mortgage Network
When we say we have good weight in the market, we mean it. There are thousands of mortgage advisors across the country, all competing for business and claiming that they are the best in the business. So why do we make this claim, and why should you believe us? The...
Rate Watch – Changes From Virgin & HSBC
In this brief mortgage rate watch article, we will be taking a look at some recent updates and communications coming from mortgage lenders this week. The first week and a bit of February 2023 has been an interesting one to watch as a mortgage broker and as potential...
Getting A Non-UK Resident Mortgage
Despite recent economic struggles in the UK, most down to government mismanagement of taxes at the end of 2022, the UK is still a great place to own property. Especially property in high net-worth areas such as London and the South-East. In London, properties have...
Should I Get A Green Buy-To-Let Mortgage?
In a world where we are all encouraged to be more environmentally friendly, we are constantly looking at ways of reducing our carbon footprint and preserve the world for future generations. One of the major ways that people are looking at doing this, is by making...
New Coventry and Santander Mortgage Rates
In a period that is quickly becoming known as the 2023 lender bidding wars, mortgage lenders are competing with each other on a daily basis to try and secure mortgage business, after a slump at the end of 2022. Lenders are competing with each other by dropping...
Need A Green Home Mortgage? Barclays Have Your Back.
The people of 2023 are a considerate bunch. I don't mean to sound insincere with that statement if it sounds that way! Global warming, climate change, energy efficiency and the like is a very hot topic in 2023 and people are becoming more and more conscious about...
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