Mortgage News, Insights & Advice
All the latest UK mortgage news, insights and advice from the world of mortgage lending and Oportfolio
UK Mortgage Market Update – 23 March 2026
UK Mortgage Market Update – 23 March 2026 The UK mortgage market saw some important developments this week as the Bank of England held interest rates, lenders adjusted pricing, and housing market activity remained steady. Here’s what happened this week and what it...
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...
Case Study: Securing a Mortgage Quickly to Meet a Tight Exchange Deadline
Case Study: Securing a Mortgage Quickly to Meet a Tight Exchange Deadline This mortgage case study is based on a real client scenario. Details have been simplified to protect client confidentiality. In competitive property markets like London, timing can be just as...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Selling your house through interior design
Our occasional series highlighting the work of businesses Oportfolio works with continues with a look at the impact interior design can have on the sale of your current home and the transformation of your new one. Rush Interiors is run by leading designer, Rushim...
The secret weapon for successful relocation
Our occasional series highlighting the work of businesses Oportfolio works with continues with a look at City To Country relocation – a property relocation service with a difference, run by a man who knows a thing or two about the advantages and disadvantages of city...
18% of staff have income protection despite huge need
Research published in June 2017 shows the astonishing lack of critical illness or income protection insurance taken out by the UK workforce. The research conducted by Canada Life Group Insurance, which surveyed 1,010 full- and part-time employees in the UK, shows few...
What is contents insurance? (and what is it not?)
Close to 16 million adults have no contents insurance according to a Financial Inclusion Commission (FIC) report published in November 2017. It found 60% of those earning £15,000 or less per year have no contents cover – and few would be able to replace their...
Secure Your Business With Key Person Insurance
Not many professional business owners understand the benefits that having a key person insurance policy in place at their enterprise could provide. You may own a business yourself or be a key decision maker in the company. If you are then you’ll know precisely how...
Self-employed? You need to consider personal protection
The right personal protection policy can offer a financial safety net to any individual and their family should the worst happen and a critical illness stops them from working. This forward planning and protection is especially important for those who are...
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