First-time buyers

First-time buyer numbers set to reach second-highest level in a decade

The number of people buying their first home is expected to rise sharply this...

The Leeds trims mortgage rates for new year

Leeds Building Society has cut mortgage rates by up to 0.26% across a wide...

2026 forecasts: More pessimism or will the housing market strengthen?

Throughout 2025 many in the housing industry, both lenders and builders cast serious doubt...

Westminster and London dominate list of most expensive areas for first-time buyers

A new study has identified where first-time buyers paid the highest prices for their...

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 exodus slows as leavers stay closer to the capital

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

Scotland and Yorkshire lead UK housing market activity in 2025

Scotland and Yorkshire have emerged as home to the UK’s most active housing markets...

Affordability issues likely to intensify until 2027, lenders warn

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

IMLA backs FCA roadmap on mortgage rule review

The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) has described the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA’s) Feedback...

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...

Gen H widens credit criteria to support more first-time buyers

Residential mortgage lender Gen H has extended its internal credit criteria in a move...

Rightmove forecasts modest house price rise in 2026

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

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