Opinions & blogs

No bread for ‘jam tomorrow’?

I’m not sure I’d go so far as to say that the Chancellor’s Spring...

95% LTV: looking behind the figures

There are a whole raft of ways in which we can judge the performance...

Not what it seems

A friend recently asked me if I could have a word with his brother-in-law,...

Problems with free legals have not gone away

In this business, issues which at one point seemed incredibly important often get resolved...

The ‘professionalisation’ of buy-to-let is dominant

Sporting contests are often described as a ‘game of two halves’ which tends to...

It really is harder for today’s first-time buyers

Whenever there is a debate about the difficulties younger people have today in purchasing...

Closing the window on cyber threats

It’s no secret that small businesses are often over-stretched with their workload. That’s the...

Don’t be apathetic about protection

The ‘protection gap’ is often mentioned but, as time passes, there seems little progress...

Saving and spending

While we are working, we earn money; we spend some of that money, and...

Softly softly approach to secured loans

2017 was a strong year for second charge loans and while we wait for...

Tackling the construction skills shortage is only the first step

It’s no secret that there is a skills shortage in the construction sector. It...

Ex-pat buy-to-let mortgages an opportunity for brokers 

Ex-pat mortgages were back in the news recently when challenger bank, Aldermore, launched a...

The stamp duty conundrum

I’ve often thought that if stamp duty land tax didn’t exist, those within industry/economic/regulatory/political...

Will the naysayers be proved wrong once again?

If you’re looking for any sort of respite from a news agenda firmly focused...

COMMENT

A surge today, but what comes next for advisers and conveyancing?

March has provided a very clear example of how quickly this market can move when lenders feel the need to take action, with widespread...

Technology adapts so you don’t have to

20 years ago, many brokerages looked and operated in very similar ways. Typically small, local business, many firms focused solely on standard residential mortgage...

Rental barometer shows strength, but March changes the tone

Looking at our recently published Q1 2026 Rental Barometer data in isolation, there is clearly a strong and positive story to tell. Average rental...

Home and away: How appetite for UK property is rising

Conflicts in Ukraine and now the Middle East are a reminder that the catastrophic impact of war is not confined to war zones.   The...

Mutual strength and the broker partnership

The mutual sector has always been associated with community purpose, local branches and a member-first approach that feels a little different to the wider...

Latest news

Gen H cuts rates across mortgage range including New Build Boost

Gen H has reduced rates across its full mortgage range, including its New Build...

HMO licensing applications rise 40% as landlords shift to shared housing

The UK’s house in multiple occupation (HMO) market has expanded significantly in recent years,...

Investec hires relationship manager to expand City Professionals team

Investec Bank has appointed Hannah Oades as relationship manager within its City Professionals team...

Redwood refinance supports Birmingham landlord’s supported housing expansion

Redwood Bank has completed an £847,500 refinancing deal for a Birmingham landlord, releasing equity...

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