Mortgage News, Insights & Advice
All the latest UK mortgage news, insights and advice from the world of mortgage lending and Oportfolio
What Is A Gifted Deposit & Do You Have To Declare It?
When purchasing a property, securing a sufficient deposit is one of the most significant financial hurdles you’ll encounter. Saving a large enough deposit, especially when you are having to pay rent and bills at the same time. Can be very difficult. For many, this...
Halifax Expands Foreign Income Mortgage Criteria
Halifax has announced a new exciting change to its mortgage application criteria, that is due to take effect on the 12th of August 2024. In a message to all mortgage brokers this morning, Halifax announced that they will now accept foreign income mortgage...
What Is The Own New Scheme?
The property market is constantly evolving, with prospective homeowners on the lookout for the best opportunities to secure their dream home. And with things like rising house prices and higher cost of living, it is becoming more difficult for people to make that leap...
The Best Gyms in Putney to Get You Into Shape
Going to the gym helps you build your fitness and improve your endurance. Aside from the obvious physical benefits, the gym can also help your mental well being, by improving your mood, sleep, and brain function. When you’re living and working in London, life can be...
Meet the Team: She-rel and Lydia – What is their role
At Oportfolio, our customer service defines who we are and what we do. She-rel and Lydia both play a key role in our team, ensuring every one of our clients feels like they have received an excellent customer experience. She-rel Edwards combines two roles - Team...
Property prices up 2.1% month-on-month.
A new report from Nationwide has confirmed everything Oportfolio have been seeing anecdotally in the last few weeks- namely, that the demand for property is far outweighing current supply. This is making for a highly competitive market, especially in the City of London and the surrounding areas.
Landlords ‘not confident’ in new EPC regulations
BTL properties need to achieve a good energy efficiency rating for lenders
Interest Rates – 6 September 2021
This weekend many lenders reduced their interest rates. This is not just in relation to those with large deposits but for a huge range of products and clients.
Here’s why you need to review your mortgage right now
At the start of 2018 the Bank of England was warning that interest rates would almost certainly have to rise in order to keep pace with inflation and the Government’s economic targets. By August of that year, the threat of rising rates had receded and in the time...
Is your world properly protected?
There are some things that most of us would prefer not to think about such as getting protected. That’s why the consumer watchdog Which? estimates that only 54% of people have a Will. It probably also explains why, according to a recent report for a leading insurance...
5 first-time buyer mistakes to avoid
For most people, the process of buying a first home stirs up a whirlwind of emotions. It’s exciting, of course – getting on the housing ladder is a significant milestone in life – but it can also be stressful, overwhelming and exhausting, especially if you don’t have...
What is a mortgage payment holiday?
What is a mortgage payment holiday? A mortgage holiday is an arranged break from paying your monthly mortgage payment. Whether that is capital and interest or purely interest only. Mortgage holidays are temporary and should only be taken in unavoidable and serious...
How Will Rising House Prices Affect Me?
We’re living through strange times in the housing market where open an house allows a full afternoon of ten-minute viewings, resulting in immediate offers being put in at asking price – or above. Long gone are the days when the buyer holds the power and a lower...
Feedback from satisfied Oportfolio team customers
Here’s a selection of independent testimonials written by clients who have used Oportfolio based on referrals from others or who would happily recommend us to members of their personal network. “We were recommended Oportfolio through a friend and are very happy that...
‘The Gothic House’ best mortgage case study
Gus and Selena were referred to us by James Penny of Penny & Sinclair Estate Agents in Oxford who has regularly referred clients to us over several years. During our initial conversation with the couple, it was clear they had fallen head over heels for a period...
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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.