Mortgage News, Insights & Advice
All the latest UK mortgage news, insights and advice from the world of mortgage lending and Oportfolio
UK Mortgage Market Update – 13th of July 2026
UK mortgage rates recorded their biggest monthly fall since October 2024, while house prices rose slightly and the housing downturn eased. Read the latest mortgage market update from Oportfolio Mortgages.
Helping An IT Consultant Secure A Mortgage Using Fixed-Term Contract Income
Discover how we helped an experienced IT consultant on a fixed-term contract secure a £540,000 mortgage by choosing a lender that understood contract-based employment.
Mistakes To Avoid When Buying Life Insurance
Buying life insurance? Learn about the most common life insurance mistakes and how to choose the right cover for your mortgage and your loved ones.
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 Borrow 5.5 Times My Salary For A Mortgage?
Some UK mortgage lenders can offer eligible borrowers 5.5 times their salary or more. Find out how higher income multiple mortgages work and what affects eligibility.
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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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.












