First-time buyers

Santander cuts higher LTV rates for first-time buyers and home movers

Santander is cutting selected fixed mortgage rates across its first-time buyer, home mover and...

Brokers report rising caution among borrowers as remortgaging picks up

Mortgage brokers are seeing more remortgage activity, but say geopolitical uncertainty, cost of living...

MAB research shows confidence among buyers is rising, but many still hesitate

More than half of prospective buyers say they are ready to purchase in 2026,...

Atom points to growing near-prime hurdle for first-time buyers

First-time buyers with thin credit files or minor historic credit issues are becoming a...

Rates rise but mortgage market holds firm

The mortgage market is showing resilience despite a sharp rise in borrowing costs with...

Landlords shift to interest-only as rates climb above 5%

Buy-to-let landlords are rapidly changing borrowing strategies as mortgage rates climb with a growing...

The rise of larger deposits

The first-time buyer profile is changing. Increasingly, buyers are entering the market with larger...

HSBC cuts mortgage rates by up to 34bps across core ranges

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

Brokers deliver speed for first-time buyers, but lender delays persist

Mortgage brokers are moving first-time buyers through early stages of the application process in...

The Cambridge brings back fixed rates across core range

The Cambridge Building Society has reintroduced fixed-rate mortgages across its main range, offering new...

Shared living pressures extend well into adulthood as affordability bites

Britons are continuing to live in shared households far later in life as housing...

Mortgage searches hit 2.15 million in March as remortgage demand jumps

Mortgage search activity rose sharply in March as borrowers moved to secure deals amid...

Help to Buy benefits skewed towards higher earners, IFS finds

Government-backed Help to Buy schemes delivered modest improvements in housing affordability, with the gains...

Buying still £500 cheaper than renting despite rates above 5%

Mortgage affordability continues to outperform renting despite rates pushing back above 5%, as lenders...

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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