affordability

Fixed rates dominate as first-time buyers drive activity in 2025

The UK mortgage market in 2025 was shaped by falling rates towards year-end, a...

Housing reforms set to reshape UK landscape in 2025

The UK housing market is entering one of its most reform-heavy periods in decades...

London house price worries? Keep Calm and Carry On

After months of febrile speculation and doom-laden predictions ahead of the autumn Budget, featuring...

London exodus slows as leavers stay closer to the capital

The pandemic-era rush out of London is firmly in retreat with new figures showing...

Improving mortgage choice and lower rates ease affordability pressures for homebuyers

Homebuyers entering the market this Christmas are benefiting from improved mortgage choice and lower...

Affordability issues likely to intensify until 2027, lenders warn

Mortgage affordability is expected to become a more pressing issue by 2027, according to...

First-time buyers spark busiest housing market for three years

First-time buyers are fuelling the busiest year for the housing market since 2022 with...

INDUSTRY REACTION: Bank rate cut passes by narrow margin

At its meeting ending on 17 December 2025, the Monetary Policy Committee voted by...

Rightmove forecasts modest house price rise in 2026

House prices are expected to rise modestly in 2026, with asking prices forecast to...

Falling swap rates lift funding outlook for property market

Falling swap rates are improving funding conditions for property borrowers and point to a...

The Vernon boosts affordability support with JBSP launch

Vernon Building Society has launched a new Joint Borrower Sole Proprietor mortgage range aimed...

Lenders divided on whether regulatory scrutiny will ease in 2026

Lenders are split on whether regulatory scrutiny will ease in 2026, new research from...

What the agents say: 2026 housing market predictions

Next year should be a year of steady progress for the housing market. After...

The Cambridge raises stress limits to widen borrowing capacity

The Cambridge Building Society has moved to strengthen support for residential borrowers by increasing...

COMMENT

Harpenden’s expat move could be bigger than the numbers suggest

Harpenden Building Society’s move into expat mortgages this summer has been good news for brokers and borrowers. But I think its importance goes beyond...

We need to wait to get a clearer picture

It's been a week where the political and economic backdrop has moved almost as fast as rates themselves, and it's worth taking stock of...

Leasehold valuation reform: the consultation is asking only half the question

The Government's consultation on leasehold enfranchisement valuation rates is important because it will help determine what leaseholders pay to extend leases or buy freeholds,...

What commonhold will mean for mortgage lenders and brokers

Commonhold is often presented as the straightforward alternative to leasehold. It removes the freeholder, gives flat owners greater control and avoids some familiar problems...

Why you need to know what sits behind the average review score

There’s a funny thing about review scores. The better they are, the less likely we are to question them. If a company is sitting at...

Latest news

Landbay adds 11 tracker products and cuts rates by up to 15bps

Landbay has expanded its buy-to-let tracker range with 11 new products and reduced rates...

Howden expands in North Wales with Wrexham office

Howden has opened its first commercial insurance office in Wrexham as the broker expands...

UK buyers reluctant to compromise despite affordability pressures

UK homebuyers remain committed to purchasing a property but are less willing than buyers...

Keystone trims buy-to-let fixed rates by up to 15bps

Keystone Property Finance has reduced pricing across a number of its buy-to-let mortgage ranges,...

PROFILES