First-time buyers

First-time buyers overestimate deposit needed to buy

Many first-time buyers may be delaying home ownership because they misunderstand the deposit needed...

Lloyds Banking Group cuts deposit barrier with £5k first-time buyer deal

Lloyds Banking Group has launched a new mortgage allowing first-time buyers to secure a...

First-time buyers face pressure as high LTV mortgage choice falls

First-time buyers remain under pressure from reduced mortgage choice and stretched affordability, despite signs...

Off-plan sales hit 12-year low as costs squeeze housebuilders

The share of new homes sold off-plan has fallen to its lowest level since...

First-time buyers turn to renovation homes as affordability pressures bite

First-time buyers are increasingly choosing cheaper homes in need of renovation as affordability pressures...

House price growth slows as higher borrowing costs hit confidence

House prices remained broadly flat in April as higher borrowing costs and renewed economic...

The human adviser in an AI mortgage market

NatWest’s decision to place home-buying guidance inside ChatGPT is a story with large implications. It...

Mortgage affordability reaches tightest level since 2008

Mortgage affordability has reached its tightest level since 2008, with borrowers spending an average...

Afin Bank removes fee from 95% LTV five-year fixes

Afin Bank has removed the product fee from its 95% loan-to-value five-year fixed rate...

Renters would buy if mortgage payments matched rent, MAB research finds

Nearly half of renters would buy a home immediately if their monthly mortgage payments...

HSBC cuts mortgage rates by up to 0.31bps

HSBC UK has reduced rates across parts of its mortgage range, with cuts of...

The Buckinghamshire launches three-year fixed mortgage range

Buckinghamshire Building Society has launched a new range of three-year fixed mortgage products aimed...

Beyond the walk: Mortgage Leaders talk mental health – part 4

The Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter (MIMHC) is hosting its third annual 144-mile Walk...

Rightmove: Now it’s cheaper to rent than buy!

Rising mortgage rates have pushed average monthly repayments above rents for the first time...

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

Millions of households exposed to financial shocks despite apparent stability

Millions of UK households that appear financially secure could struggle to absorb an unexpected...

The Mortgage Hut adopts Instamo tool to speed up mortgage applications

The Mortgage Hut has introduced Instamo's FastSubmit technology to reduce the amount of manual...

FCA sets out timetable for major expansion of anti-money laundering supervision

The FCA expects to begin taking over anti-money laundering supervision of legal, accountancy and...

MAB revenue rises as refinancing drives mortgage completions

Mortgage Advice Bureau reported an 8.6% increase in first-half revenue to £161.0m as higher...

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