Mortgage News, Insights & Advice
All the latest UK mortgage news, insights and advice from the world of mortgage lending and Oportfolio
Is It Possible to Get a 100% Mortgage? Yes, Through Family Building Society.
Yes, it is possible to get a 100% mortgage in the UK, but usually with family support. Family Building Society has launched an enhanced Family Mortgage available up to 100% loan-to-value (LTV), giving first-time buyers and home movers a way to buy without a...
Interesting New Data From The Mortgage Works Buy-to-Let Barometer
The Mortgage Works’ latest Buy-to-Let Barometer report highlights a significant shift in landlord sentiment, with confidence in the Private Rented Sector (PRS) weakening compared with last year. At a time when regulation, taxation and interest rate pressures are...
Hinckley & Rugby Building Society JBSP and Income Flex Criteria
With the average UK house price now surpassing £300,000, according to Halifax, mortgage affordability remains one of the biggest barriers facing buyers, particularly first-time buyers trying to secure their first home. In response to growing affordability challenges,...
Changing Mortgage Rates
The hottest finance topic in the UK at the moment is changing mortgage rates. Will they go up? Will they go down? To many, it does seem like mortgage lenders are changing their minds on a daily basis. Just as we thought the market was recovering from the substantial...
Employed Risk Losing Income If Unable To Work
Let's face it, it's our biggest nightmare. Losing a large part of, if not all of your income if you find yourself unable to work. This applies to both employed people and self-employed people. However, shocking research shows that a disproportionate amount of employed...
What Is Metro Bank?
In 2010, a new bank appeared on the UK high street. The first new high street bank in the UK in around 150 years in fact! With a big blue, white and red sign, people couldn't help but stop and see what the new 'Metro Bank' was all about. As you can probably guess,...
Self-Employed Need Mortgage Advice – Advisor Insights
In this edition of advisor insights, senior mortgage and protection advisor at Oportfolio Mortgages Jade Pinkerton shares her thoughts about why self-employed people need mortgage advice now more than ever. Jade and the Oportfolio team attended the PRIMIS mortgage...
Clydesdale Bank Buy-To-Let Criteria Changes
New Clydesdale Bank buy-to-let criteria changes have been announced this week. In a message to all subscribing brokers at the beginning of the week, the Scottish based bank announced that they would be making a major change to their buy-to-let criteria that would...
NatWest To Increase Their Overpayment Allowance
NatWest mortgages have announced that they will be increasing their overpayment allowance on their mortgage products, meaning that borrowers will have more of an opportunity to pay back their loan quicker and sooner without incurring any extra fees. Here is a...
More Stamp Duty Incurred By London Purchasers
Shocking research by mortgage lender Coventry Building Society has revealed that despite recent stamp duty cuts and changes to the rules, London based home purchasers are paying significantly more stamp duty than any other area of the country. So, what is stamp duty?...
Releasing Equity For Debt Consolidation Has Increased
2022, going in to 2023 has been an incredibly difficult time for many people. The current economic crisis that we find ourselves in has tightened a lot of people's purse strings, eaten up savings, and has unfortunately left many worse off than they were before. As a...
Two Lenders Make Changes To Their Stress Rates
As we reach then end of the first week of March 2023, the mortgage market has already seen a lot of changes coming in from mortgage lenders. Not all of them positive! Unfortunately a few lenders have started to increase their mortgage rates again, despite reducing...
Mortgage Approvals Low For Fifth Month
Statistics recorded and released by the Bank of England show that mortgage approvals on average have slumped and fallen for the fifth month in a row. This means that more mortgage applications, which would normally go through to offer smoothly, are being declined or...
Halifax and BM Solutions Extend Mortgage Completion
Halifax bank and buy-to-let only lender BM solutions (Birmingham Midshires) have announced this morning that they have made some changes to their products, specifically around their completion dates on selected products and mortgage types. Here is a breakdown of what...
Is Prime London Property Bouncing Back?
Historically, owning prime property in London has been a safe and savvy way to invest your money. People from across the globe have fought to own an exclusive piece of the capital. And it looked like this was going to continue forever. However, a disastrous turn of...
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