Mortgage News, Insights & Advice
All the latest UK mortgage news, insights and advice from the world of mortgage lending and Oportfolio
Why High Earners Are Often Under-Assessed By Mortgage Lenders
Many people assume that earning a high salary automatically means getting approved for a large mortgage is straightforward. In reality, some of the highest earners we speak to often face the biggest frustrations when it comes to borrowing. At Oportfolio Mortgages, we...
Your Personal Insurance Questions Answered
When it comes to protecting your finances, your family, and your home, it’s completely normal to have questions about personal insurance. From life cover and critical illness policies to income protection, many people are unsure what they actually need, or whether...
How We Helped a London Buyer Secure a £1.4 Million Mortgage Using Multiple Income Streams (Case Study)
Discover how Oportfolio Mortgages helped a London buyer secure a £1.4 million mortgage using multiple income streams including salary, bonus, and investment income.
Non-UK National Case Study
Our client approached Oportfolio for help them to secure a mortgage after struggling to find one on their own.
Originally from a country outside of the UK, they were very nervous and cautious after receiving conflicting information from friends, family, and the internet about how to secure a UK mortgage.
Mortgage rates creep up
Hearing ‘Rates on the rise’ in the news has become something to dread but is that really sensible? And is it something we should actively worry about?
West Brom offer long fixed term mortgages
West Midlands based building society The West Brom have announced that they are launching 10 year fixed mortgage products, something that could be a massive game changer for buyers and remortgagers.
High interest rates worrying you? Do something about it.
Has your fixed rate come to an end? Are you like one of the thousands of homeowners who has put off restructuring their mortgage over the past year and are now stuck on the lender’s ridiculously high standard variable rate?
Buying your first home – broker is best
Last year, despite the pandemic, there were 674,263 houses sold in the UK and a staggering 356,800 of these were bought by first time buyers. Now that is fantastic news! Not only does that show that the housing market is still chugging along at a steady pace, but it...
“Best of breed” advice
Mark Gledhill - Oportfolio advice client since 2008 Mark and his wife came to Oportfolio for advice in 2008 as first time buyers with a new baby and in need of some expert help and guidance. With Oportfolio’s advice and knowledge around the homebuying process, Mark...
Bank Of England Takes Centre Stage
In the financial services sector, there is one burning question on everybody’s lips, will the Bank of England raise interest rates? Its not entirely unbelievable that they wouldn’t but it seems that now with inflation rising to the highest levels in 10 years, the BOE need to do something calm the waters before things get out of hand.
Changes To The Santander Mortgage Early Repayment Charge
Since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020, a lot of mortgage lenders changed their stances on various parts of their criteria to both protect themselves from any potential negative effects of the lockdowns but also to help loyal existing mortgage customers who may find themselves struggling. Santander was one of these lenders.
TSB are increasing their maximum loan to value
TSB have just sent a message out to all brokers to say that they have increased their maximum Loan to Value (LTV) from 90% to 95% for self-employed and day rate contractor applicants meaning that potential new TSB clients could put down as little as 5% deposit on a new purchase.
Low Rates & Cheaper Products From Virgin Money
The mortgage arm of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group conglomerate Virgin Money, have announced that they are taking the initiative to help the ever-growing number of buyers looking at purchasing under the shared ownership scheme.
95% Mortgages The Cheapest They Have Ever Been
According to financial information company Monefacts, 5% deposit mortgages are currently cheaper than they have ever been in the history of their recording. In rates terms, the average interest rate for a 95% mortgage on both a 2 year fixed period and a 5 year fixed period are at an all-time low.
How Does A Self-Build Mortgage Work?
The government has announced that this winter they will launch the all new ‘Help to Build’ scheme, available to people looking to get stuck in and build their own home.
We're Here to Help
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.