Opinions & blogs

What holiday season?

What an end to the 'quiet' holiday period, if August was 'quiet' then I...

Equity release: hard work just begun

In last month’s column, I wrote about the importance of consumer education when it...

Redundancy waivers – good idea or marketing gimmick?

Last month, one of our newest building societies launched the UK’s first ever mortgage...

Don’t settle for inertia

The phrase ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ could certainly be applied to many consumers’ views of...

The role of bridging in Bank Refinance Settlement opportunities

Following the rapid decline in the UK property sector from 2008, and the related...

Brokers share predictions for next 12 months

The summer sun is shining on optimistic brokers according to our latest Broker Barometer....

How will we cope with a base rate rise?

The regular quarterly arrears and possession statistics from the CML have hardly been the...

Why you can’t ignore secured loans

In the second charge division, we were delighted to have contributed to the £500...

SMEs ignorant of insurance needs

The good news is that the number of SMEs in the UK is at...

Treating customers fairly?

Whilst most bridging lenders operating in the sector are not currently regulated, those who...

Could peace break out between estate agents and advisers?

The relationship between estate agents and mortgage brokers has not always run smoothly and...

Helping portfolios grow with property refurbishment loans

The refurbishment lending market has seen a recent boost with property investors and homeowners...

New entrants should opt for intermediary distribution

Competition is absolutely vital in any sector and the mortgage market is certainly no...

Advisers needs educating about home reversion

Education about home reversion plans is critical. Even in the advisory community. We find...

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Why predicting 2025 interest rates feels like a fool’s errand

In my first (and for some reason clearly not my last) article last month, I attempted (perhaps foolishly) to discuss where rates might go...

Helping university students onto the property ladder

As we head towards the Easter break, thousands of first-year university students up and down the country will be preparing for exams and making...

Lenders must step up on high LTV products

Things are on the up for borrowers with a smaller deposit. The financial information website Moneyfacts publishes a regular update on mortgage product numbers,...

Why it matters that bridging hit more than £10bn last year

We see many numbers bandied around in the financial industry, which can sometimes have a numbing effect. So why should we all, especially brokers, care...

Top five reasons why renters should consider short-term protection insurance

In an unpredictable world, financial security can often feel like a luxury, especially for renters who may already juggle living expenses, rent payments, and...

Latest news

Seven out of 10 homebuyers likely to miss stamp duty deadline

Seven out of 10 (71%) homebuyers with accepted offers expect to miss the 31st...

First-time buyer mortgage sales declined in London over the past decade

First-time buyer mortgage sales in London declined significantly between 2013 and 2023, as increasing...

UTB appoints BDM for the north and Scotland

Fran Arnold has joined the sales team at United Trust Bank Mortgages as business...

International demand for UK property investment ‘more diverse than expected’

The UK property market is attracting investment from a much broader range of international...