Homebuying

Manchester dominates first-time buyer lending as Worcester surges

Manchester has become Britain’s most first-time buyer-heavy mortgage market outside London with seven in...

OPDA secures data-sharing agreements with legal software and conveyancing bodies

The Open Property Data Association has signed new agreements with the Legal Software Suppliers...

Buyers gain edge as listings rise

February is on track to record the highest number of new property listings for...

Academics warn housing shortage is entrenching poverty as affordability pressures mount

A shortage of social and affordable housing is trapping lower income families in poverty...

Stamp Duty receipts climb to £899m in subdued January market

Homebuyers handed over £899m in Stamp Duty Land Tax in January, despite the traditionally...

Average mortgage payments down £119 year-on-year

The average monthly mortgage payment for a new homebuyer has fallen by £119 over...

Connells drives £33bn lending as profits jump 19%

Connells Group generated £33.3bn of mortgage lending in 2025 as group profits surged 19%...

UK house prices rise 2.5% as sales market steadies

UK house prices increased 2.5% in the year to November 2025, signalling firmer conditions...

The conveyancing power of sales-ready packs

Conveyancing is stressful – and I'm not just talking about the poor customer experience....

Property chains adding £2k to moves

Property chains are adding more than £2,000 to the average cost of moving with...

Home of Mortgages taps Street to turbocharge referrals

Home of Mortgages has become one of the first nationwide firms to integrate with...

AIIC ramps up SlothMove stake to 92% in broker push

AIIC Group has increased its stake in home-moving tech platform SlothMove from 50% to...

House prices pause after strongest January start since 2020

Asking prices for newly listed homes were effectively flat in February, edging down by...

First-time buyer solo females outpace couples

More women are planning to step onto the property ladder alone rather than with...

COMMENT

Why advisers can be part of the conveyancing team

There is a tendency to think the mortgage adviser’s involvement in conveyancing begins with recommending a firm and then largely ends once the client...

Why the AI revolution could be a golden age for financial advice

Every major technological shift creates the same debate: will it empower professionals to do more, or eventually replace them? Artificial intelligence is simply the latest...

Should mortgage advisers consider the emerging secondary market for life policies?

Mortgage advisers regularly help clients navigate major life changes. While much of the focus is naturally on borrowing, refinancing and insurance, there is another...

One mortgage journey no longer fits every borrower

In the mortgage market, we have lots of different ways of describing customers depending on where they are in their lives. We talk about...

Closing the protection gap starts with informed clients

Millions of people have no protection insurance coverage and could be left vulnerable in the event of a death in the family, serious illness...

Latest news

Green rent cap plan could squeeze buy-to-let affordability

Green Party proposals to restrict private rent increases for three years could make it...

Firms’ confidence in FCA rises as satisfaction hits 79%

Confidence in the Financial Conduct Authority has increased, with almost eight in 10 regulated...

Westmarq challenges surveying ‘duopoly’ as it targets lender business

Westmarq has challenged mortgage lenders to move more of their valuation business away from...

Advice firms step up technology use as integration remains key obstacle

Financial advice firms are taking a more proactive approach to technology, but integrating new...

PROFILES