Mortgage News, Insights & Advice
All the latest UK mortgage news, insights and advice from the world of mortgage lending and Oportfolio
Santander Mortgage Rates Slashed While Virgin Increases Fixed Deals
Amid recent economic policy shifts, Santander and Virgin Money have made notable changes to their mortgage rates, offering contrasting options for UK homebuyers and investors. Santander is reducing rates across its fixed-rate residential and buy-to-let mortgages, with...
Metro Reduces UK Buy-To-Let Mortgage Rates As TSB Hikes Them
October has truly been the month for rate instability in my opinion. None of us wanted rates to fluctuate as much as they have over the last month or so, and I don’t think that I was the only one who thought that we might at least enjoy some stability until the end of...
Barclays Introduces New Maximum Age For Mortgage Applicants
This morning, Barclays Mortgages has announced a new set of age-related criteria for its residential mortgage offerings, hoping to simplifying the mortgage application process for older borrowers. The changes, establish new guidelines for maximum age limits,...
Buy-to-Let in the post lockdown market
The UK property market has now been open again for six weeks following its enforced two-month suspension during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown and, with the easing of government restrictions on property transactions, the buy-to-let (BTL) market has also begun to...
What is the real cost of moving house?
So the housing sector has reopened after seven weeks of lockdown and maybe the time spent in close proximity to your family has exposed the shortcomings in your current home. Or perhaps you’d been drawing up plans to move to somewhere new before the coronavirus struck...
What’s in store for the post-pandemic housing market?
The coronavirus lockdown has been an absolute game changer for anyone who had spent the first quarter of 2020 planning a spring or summer move. It hasn’t just been down to the Government’s measures effectively shutting down the residential housing sector; other...
Expert help and advice at an anxious time
As the UK takes its first tentative steps towards coming out of lockdown, the worries that enforced social isolation brought – concerns over job security, food shortages and the clear risk to health – are for many people being replaced by new anxieties relating to...
Is it time to make your financial legacy tax proof?
If you’re a homeowner, then chances are you’ll already have a life insurance policy in place to cover your mortgage, either because you decided it was the smart thing to do (which it is), or because your mortgage lender insisted on it. If you don’t currently have a...
Financial Protection: Getting The Right Advice
As we enter the sixth week of lockdown, it’s not surprising that many people have spent much of the time in isolation from the rest of the world thinking about their health, financial security and the ways in which they can best protect themselves in the future. From...
Now Is The Time To Protect Yourself Financially
As we approach the end of our fifth week of enforced social distancing, the impact on how we live life and – crucially – how we manage our personal finances has been radically altered. The government’s fiscal response to the current crisis has been focused...
Our guide to the Coronavirus Mortgage Relief Scheme
The Government has promised that homeowners whose income is affected by the coronavirus/Covid-19 outbreak will be eligible for mortgage payment relief in the form, initially, of a suspension of repayments for three months. Is everyone eligible? No. Although the...
Can I improve my chances of getting the mortgage I want?
Any veteran property owner who’s been through the process of applying for a mortgage in the last few years will tell you that there are a lot more hoops to jump through these days than there used to be before 2008. Although lenders have become more competitive in the...
5 things you need to know when buying a new home
Moving home – or buying a new home – can be a really exciting time, but it can also seem a bit overwhelming, even if it’s not your first rodeo in the property market. According to the lifestyle magazine House Beautiful, studies published last year suggest the average...
Can I get a mortgage if I’ve just changed my job?
If you’re about to start a new job or you’re switching from a salaried role to self-employment, you may be worried that your change of circumstances will negatively impact your chances of securing a mortgage. But while some lenders can be reluctant to lend to you if...
What do I need for my mortgage application?
Many people find the prospect of a mortgage application to be a source of stress, and although that’s understandable because a dream move is often riding on a successful outcome, it doesn’t necessarily need to be the anxious time that people expect. There are two key...
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