Mortgage News, Insights & Advice
All the latest UK mortgage news, insights and advice from the world of mortgage lending and Oportfolio
Swap Rates Decline, Boosting Homebuyer Affordability In The UK
Recent research from Octane Capital has revealed a promising forecast for mortgage rates in the UK. The study, which analysed average swap rates over 30 and 60-day periods, indicates that swap rates have started to decline. This shift could herald a significant...
Nationwide Cuts Mortgage Rates Below 4%, Leading Market Shift
Nationwide Building Society has announced a significant reduction in its mortgage rates, with the lowest rate now dipping below 4%. The mutual lender has reduced prices by up to 0.25% across its two-, three-, and five-year fixed-rate products, making it the first...
How Does Remortgaging Work?
Remortgaging can be a complex and stressful process, even for the most experienced mortgage customer. There are many factors to consider, and it's crucial to ensure you're making the right decision for your financial future. At Oportfolio, our goal is to help you make...
Should I fix my mortgage?
One of the big questions around homeowner mortgages at the moment is whether it’s best to tie in for a relatively short fixed deal – or go for the longer-term security offered by 5- or even 10-year fix product. With latest industry figures from the mortgage market...
NatWest cuts rates and increases fees
NatWest has made a number of changes across its range, cutting some rates but increasing cashback and fees. At NatWest a number of first-time buyer products with no fee are being replaced with deals that have a lower rate and higher cashback but also come with a fee.
The buy-to-let mistakes every landlord should avoid
Despite the uncertainty in the housing market, the prospect of buying a second property – or perhaps a third, fourth or fifth – to rent out and becoming a landlord is still attractive to a lot of people. Recent research comparing the England and London property rental...
What does Brexit mean for the London housing market?
The Easter holidays and the enforced suspension of London Parliamentary business gave us all a welcome break from the wall-to-wall coverage of the ongoing Brexit saga – but with return of MPs to Westminster came the return of the uncertainty that has dogged the...
Avoid these mistakes when choosing your mortgage
If you search on the web for advice on the things you should do when choosing a mortgage, you’ll get a lot of information back. Some of it’s good, some of it not so good. But as important, if not more so, is what mistakes you should avoid doing. Here’s our guide to...
How much deposit do I need for a mortgage?
How much deposit do I need to be able to get a mortgage? It’s a question we hear asked a lot, especially from people who haven’t been through a mortgage application process in a good while and who worry that lenders have changed their policies around what percentage...
Is Buy-to-Let The Housing Solution For Your Children?
One of the key worries for many parents today is where their children will live when they fly the nest, and how they might pay for it. Although there appears to be a general consensus that the housing market is currently stagnant, years of price growth and the...
What do I do if I’ve had a mortgage declined?
Top 5 Tips If Your Mortgage is Declined It’s often said that buying a house can be one of the biggest sources of stress you can have in life, which probably explains why a recent MoneyWise report suggests a quarter of all borrowers find the mortgage application...
Award-winning mortgage advice in London
It’s always lovely when the values you promote as a business are recognised publicly, so there was open delight at Oportfolio when the company’s founder, Oliver Whitehead, was named Best Overall Adviser at the recent Primis award ceremony. It was Oliver’s third year...
Self-employed and need a mortgage? It’s a numbers game.
Is it harder to get a mortgage when you’re self-employed? It’s a question we get asked quite a lot and the most simple answer is that it’s not necessarily more difficult, but the way in which affordability is assessed by prospective lenders is inevitably a bit...
Tips for a stress-free moving day
So, you’ve done it. You’ve taken the plunge, found your dream house, sorted the mortgage (hopefully through us!), found a buyer for your own property and contracts have been exchanged. All that’s left now is to sit back, put your feet up and wait for moving day. Well,...
In a Conservation Area and want to extend? Read this.
When it comes to making plans for the future, one option that many homeowners consider is looking for additional borrowing from their existing lender or, if the circumstances are right, re-mortgaging in order to raise the money needed for a home extension. According...
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