Mortgage News, Insights & Advice
All the latest UK mortgage news, insights and advice from the world of mortgage lending and Oportfolio
Buying A Property From Your Landlord: TSB’s Mortgage Option
Getting onto the property ladder is a challenge that continues to elude many renters and first-time buyers in the UK. With skyrocketing property prices, high rents, and limited opportunities to save for a deposit, the dream of homeownership often feels out of reach....
Using Bonuses For High-Value London Property Investment
London’s elite professionals often find themselves juggling high salaries, substantial bonuses, and an ambition to own prime real estate. With property prices in London reaching unparalleled heights, using your bonuses strategically can unlock opportunities to secure...
Are HSBC Mortgage Rates Going Down In 2025?
In a very welcome introductory message for the new year, HSBC has updated its Energy Efficient Homes Cashback Mortgage (EEHC) offerings, increased cashback availability and reduced mortgage rates across its range. HSBC mortgage rates, as well as every other lender's...
What Is A Standard Variable Rate (SVR) Mortgage?
The standard variable rate is a nightmare. There’s no reason to pretend that it isn’t, and you should want to avoid it at all costs. For a lot of mortgage customers, well at least those who are receiving continued quality mortgage advice, the standard variable rate or...
Breaking News: Bank of England Raises Base Rate to 1%
Latest news coming out of the Bank of England says that they are raising the BoE base rate to 1% from the previous 0.75% which was only introduced in March 2022. Despite issuing warnings of a possible incoming recession and despite pressure from government officials,...
Standard Variable Rate Mortgage – Case Study
Key facts: Couple purchased their first property in the UK a few years ago but never had the standard variable rate explained to them. Their mortgage was on an interest only basis but when their product term ended, they reverted automatically to the SVR. They were...
£1 Million+ Mortgage for a London Professional
Key facts: Client found his dream property and needed a large £1 Million+ mortgage loan. As a mortgage over £1 Million is larger than your average mortgage, there were several factors that needed to be taken into account and specific criteria needed to be met. Our...
Company Director Mortgage needed for professional couple
Key facts: Clients were looking to purchase their first home together as a couple and had found the perfect starter home. With a decent sized deposit that they had worked hard to save, our clients were looking forward to starting their new life together as homeowners....
Putney Mortgage Advisor helps local buyers
Key facts: Clients had already purchased a property in Putney and were looking for a Putney Mortgage Advisor who knew the area well and had an in-depth understanding of the area to help. The property that the clients had purchased needed a lot of structural and...
How much does it cost to live NEAR London?
The office on national statistics (ONS) have recently released a report that claims that a town’s proximity to London is one of the top 3 factors that affect a property’s value. The data presented by the ONS and recorded in 2019 found that towns within 200km of London...
Natwest Announce a 40 Year Mortgage Term
Fantastic news coming out of NatWest Intermediary Solutions as they announce a significant improvement to their mortgage lending criteria – an increase to both the maximum term allowed and age allowed. What's new? Effective immediately, mortgages submitted via an...
Shared ownership mortgages are back with The West Brom
Who are The West Brom? West Midlands based building society The West Brom has announced that they are vetoing their ban on shared ownership mortgages. The 173 year old building society, which was once known as a good new build shared ownership specialist, dropped out...
Self-employed income requirements change for Santander
Mortgage lending juggernaut Santander have today announced that from the 11th of April they will be introducing new self-employed mortgage income requirements. We all know that when it comes to self-employed income, it is never a straightforward affair. Salaries,...
Loan to income caps are increasing for big lenders
Both Halifax and Scottish Widows have announced today that there will be a dramatic shake up with their loan to income rules from Wednesday the 6th of April. Both lenders will be increasing their loan to income affordability from 4.49X to 4.75X income meaning that...
Santander increases rates across its products
Over the last couple of days Santander has announced that it has increased its rates on most residential and buy to let products meaning that repayments will go up for thousands of people. Some of the rate changes are as follows…
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