Mortgage News, Insights & Advice
All the latest UK mortgage news, insights and advice from the world of mortgage lending and Oportfolio
Barclays Mortgage Rates Cut
Finally, some news that we have all almost literally been holding our breaths for! Barclays Bank has announced reductions in its mortgage rates, becoming the first of the 'Big 6' mortgage lenders to do so after the Bank of England hit its inflation target of 2%. The...
Barclays Interest Only Mortgage Requirements Updated
Barclays has announced significant changes to its interest only mortgage requirements, introducing a new tiered equity system based on the location of the security property. This update, effective immediately, is designed to provide a more location-specific approach...
Adverse Credit Mortgage Criteria Eased by Hinckley & Rugby
In a significant move to make homeownership more accessible to different types of borrowers, Hinckley & Rugby for Intermediaries has announced relaxed criteria on its Credit Flex adverse credit mortgage product, designed for borrowers with adverse credit...
Should I use a professional mortgage broker?
Technology may have its frustrations, but there’s no doubt it has made life much easier when it comes to the business of sorting out personal financial matters like car insurance, choosing a mobile phone provider and buying cheap flights. Price comparison websites...
Deposit Guarantee Scheme Great For First-Time Buyers
Following on from speculation at the back end of last week that the Chancellor will use his Budget speech on Wednesday to announce an extension to the stamp duty holiday, this weekend’s news also suggests Wednesday’s Budget statement may have more glad tidings for...
Are you ready for a Stamp Duty holiday extension?
There has been speculation in the national media in recent days that the Chancellor will use his Budget statement on March 3 to announce a 3-month extension to the Stamp Duty holiday. The initiative was introduced in July of last year to counteract the three-month...
Will I be able to get a mortgage after furlough?
With average house prices at their highest level for 7 years, many people are beginning to look ahead to the spring and summer and assessing their options when it comes to their current home. Recent data shows that average house prices ended 2020 at their highest...
Should I buy a house now?
One of the big dilemmas for people considering whether to take the plunge and buy a house or flat is whether they should do it now – and try to take advantage of the Stamp Duty (SDLT) holiday – or wait to see how the housing market settles into 2021. It’s a dilemma...
We’ve come home to Putney
The decision during the last national lockdown to suspend Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on house purchases up to £500,000 led to a spike in the housing market during last summer and early autumn. With just two months to go until that scheme is due to end on March...
Still open for business
We’re well and truly into 2021 now, but we could all be forgiven for having the very real sense that while the number might have changed, not much else has. The pre-Christmas tiered restrictions and now a second full national lockdown after a summer and autumn of...
What trends might we see in the 2021 housing market?
I’m usually reluctant to make predictions about the UK housing market – there are too many variables to make gazing into a crystal ball remotely reliable, and the proof of that is there for all to see in the past 12 months! But understandably, people are more cautious...
What’s on your Christmas list this year?
It’s been quite a year for the housing market. A three-month moratorium on all new transactions during the spring was followed in early summer with an explosion in activity as lockdown was lifted and the market reopened. It really is time to look forward to Christmas!...
Remortgaging Is Key To A Dream Property
After the year we’ve had, it’s understandable that many people don’t want to take on the additional burden of a bigger mortgage to buy their dream home. As I’ve already explained in a previous article, if you do want to take advantage of the stamp duty holiday, which...
It’s time to plan for a more financially secure 2021
Almost exactly one year ago, I wrote an article which started with a question: How would you and your family cope if you suddenly found you were unable to work and earn a living? What would you do if you were no longer financially secure? Looking back, it seems almost...
Time’s running out in the race for a Stamp Duty holiday
There’s now just a little over four months to go before the Chancellor is due to slam the door shut on the Stamp Duty holiday that has saved homebuyers up to £15,000 in land tax since June this year. Recent figures from the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA)...
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