First-time buyers

Precise waives valuation fees on residential loans up to £400k

Precise has introduced free standard valuations on residential properties worth up to £400,000 as...

Growing demand for faster, more supportive broker service among first-time buyers

First-time buyers are leaning heavily on brokers for speed, reassurance and help navigating affordability...

Mortgage market outlook uncertain as demand weakens

The UK housing and mortgage market continues to face uncertain conditions as geopolitical tensions...

Cambridge BS reopens Rent to Home scheme with three properties available

The Cambridge Building Society has reopened applications for its Rent to Home initiative, offering...

Mortgage myths leaving many first-time buyers stuck on the sidelines

Millions of aspiring homeowners may be delaying plans to buy because of widespread misconceptions...

The protection gap that runs all the way up the ladder

The property ladder is usually talked about in terms of deposits, equity, and affordability...

Mortgage debt hits record £1.73trn as high-LTV lending rises

The total value of outstanding UK residential mortgage lending reached a record level in...

Average deposit now exceeds annual salary in most British housing markets

Homebuyers in more than six in 10 housing markets across Great Britain now need...

Prenups move into the mainstream as younger couples seek financial clarity

Prenuptial agreements — long associated with celebrities and high net worth families — are...

Santander’s higher LTV cuts see 98% first-time buyer deal below 5%

Santander UK will lower the rate on its recently launched My First Mortgage to...

Mortgage lending jumps 16% in 2025

Mortgage lending climbed 16% in 2025 to its highest level since the pandemic as...

UK house prices steady as first-time buyers return

UK house prices edged higher in February as improving affordability and a rebound in...

Reeves backs building societies’ first-time buyer push

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has thrown her weight behind building societies’ campaign to convince aspiring...

Santander issues first offer under 98% LTV first-time buyer mortgage

Santander UK has confirmed that the first mortgage offer has been issued under its...

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

Saffron expands expat landlord range and eases residential income criteria

Saffron for Intermediaries has broadened its specialist mortgage criteria with new expat HMO products...

Gable zero-deposit mortgages added to Twenty7tec sourcing platform

Twenty7tec has added Gable Mortgages to its RESEARCH platform, making the lender's zero-deposit residential...

Second charge mortgage lending rises 25% over 12 months

Second charge mortgage lending continued to grow in July, with £205 million of new...

Perenna integrates Scroll Finance as specialist lending expansion gathers pace

Perenna has completed the integration of second charge lender Scroll Finance as it prepares...

PROFILES