Three quarters of UK homeowners don’t know what difference a 1% rise in interest rates would make to their monthly mortgage repayments, although half expect rates to change in the short term Read More
Three quarters of UK homeowners don’t know what difference a 1% rise in interest rates would make to their monthly mortgage repayments, although half expect rates to change in the short term Read More
The number of mortgage approvals continues to rise as the annual ‘spring bounce’ in the mortgage market has finally arrived – two months late, but better late than never. Remortgaging is the market driver, says the British Bankers’ Association (BBA). Read more…
There was little increase in the number of new mortgage deals closed by bank lenders in April, as the annual ‘spring bounce’ failed to materialise, according to the British Bankers’ Association (BBA). Consumers are focussed on clearing existing debt, rather than taking on more.
House prices in April were up 8.7% on the same month last year, and those seeking first time buyer mortgages are now looking at an average house price of £168,202 in the UK, according to the latest House Price Index by Halifax. The average house price a year ago, in April 2009, was £154,663. Halifax also [...]
The cost of repayments on first time buyer mortgages could rise by £52 per month due to the election result, according to new findings by the UK’s largest accommodation website.
The latest Nationwide house price index has shown house prices increase by 0.7% in March, reversing the downward trend in February which had worried many experts, fearful of a second recession.
The Financial Services Authority has warned building societies to further restrain mortgage lending and limit the size of mortgage deals. The move is intended to prevent borrowers from saddling themselves with debt which, while affordable today, could become unsustainable if interest rates were to rise.
Mortgage advisors are urging mortgage clients to ‘shop around’ and also consider remortgage options, as some lenders raise their mortgage interest rates to account for a possible Bank of England rates increase later this year. Certain lenders are already raising their standard variable rate (SVR), which customers move to by default, if they do not switch to a different mortgage deal at the end of their initial tie-in period.
Ignore the tabloids! The January slump in mortgage lending does not mean a slide back into recession. Slack demand for mortgage deals is a normal seasonal feature at the start of every year, and this year was greater than usual due to the number of buyers who rushed through their mortgage deal, to qualify for the favourable rates of stamp duty in December.
Personal loans and business loans remain hard to come by, despite the government’s campaign of quantitative easing designed to boost lending. Interest rates on personal loans are at a nine-year high, with many banks choosing to lend only to existing customers.
















