Opinions & blogs

Identifying value

One of the most important questions being asked as part of the thematic review...

Will FLS demise hit small lenders?

As we start the New Year the lending arena is already slightly different again,...

What Osborne missed

Last month I looked at some of the possible housing and mortgage market-related measures...

CML move is a vote of confidence for buy-to-let

Sometimes it’s the littlest of things that can tell you how a market or...

Sourcing systems are here to stay

(No underwriters were harmed during the making of this blog) In the last two and...

Dinosaurs: Think secured loan regulation won’t affect you?

So it won’t be long now until the world changes again for us brokers....

How many ‘expos’ will there be in 2014?

With the dust now settled on what I will call ‘Expo season’ – although...

Few advisers maximise their GI market position

The very latest gross mortgage lending figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML)...

Ensure clients conduct a household MOT

The insurance sector is facing a hefty bill from storm St Jude that...

So many secured loans, so few brokers

These last few weeks I've been wondering why on earth there are so few...

Equity release bucks attitude to the older borrower

One major consequence of the credit crunch and the financial crisis which engulfed the...

Come in, the water’s lovely

The overseas mortgage market could provide a valuable new revenue stream, writes Clare Nessling, director...

Networks: don’t be surprised by your ARs

A few years ago, a member of our team approached me with an expression...

Are we becoming ageist?

There are more centenarians in England and Wales than ever before. The Office for...

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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...

Credit search vs credit scoring

The terms credit score and credit check are often used interchangeably by consumers, many of whom assume they mean the same thing. Yet understanding...

Latest news

Spring surge in property listings creates market opportunities

The average asking price for newly listed properties has risen by 1.1% (+£3,876) this...

Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance appoints senior portfolio director

Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance (STB CF) has announced the appointment of Carl Pykett...

Inflation expectations rise slightly as BoE releases latest survey

Public expectations for inflation and interest rates have edged higher, according to the Bank...

£1 billion lost annually as 50,000 London social homes used fraudulently

A shocking new report reveals that around 50,000 social housing properties in London are...