The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), which represents lenders who offer around 94% of all residential mortgage lending in the UK, has today reported UK mortgage lending grew in August. According to the Council, lending was 6% higher in August on a monthly basis, attributed to seasonal factors. The figures come after July saw a [...]
The Bank of England has today revealed mortgage approvals picked up significantly in July to a 14-month high. According to the central Bank, there were 49,239 loans approved in the month – higher than the upwardly revised 48,500 for June and a significant improvement on April’s 45,855 which represented a four-month low. The figure was [...]
There is some good news for the housing market after a Bank of England survey revealed mortgage availability is set to improve in the coming months. The survey comes as mortgage lending continues to remain subdued as first-time buyers, in particular, struggle to obtain a mortgage unless they have a substantial deposit. Since the credit [...]
Crisis-torn lender, Northern Rock, is understood to be launching a series of mortgage products which require just a 10% deposit (90% loan-to-value). The announcement, revealed by the Financial Times, comes as mortgage lending continues to remain subdued as first-time buyers, in particular, struggle to obtain a mortgage unless they have a substantial deposit. Since the [...]
Research from the Halifax has revealed first-time buyers are still struggling to get onto the property ladder unless they have a hefty deposit. The mortgage lender said a first-time buyer has to find at least £29,000 in order to secure a mortgage, while those in London require almost double that (£50,000). Since the credit crunch [...]
First-time buyers (FTBs) are still struggling to get a foot on the ladder, despite a steep rise in the number of mortgage products available. Mortgage deals for those with a small deposit has doubled, according to Moneyfacts.co.uk, with more than 1,000 mortgages on the market for those with a 20% deposit or less. However, while [...]
Property website Rightmove has suggested that first-time buyers (FTBs) are returning to the housing market. According to a report by the property website, which questioned 25,584 potential buyers last month, FTBs are encouraged by house price falls. It found that around 33% of FTBs expect the cost of property to be lower this time next [...]
Despite the doom and gloom surrounding the housing market currently, there is some positive news from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). According to the CML, 52,000 new loans were granted to home buyers in June - 19% higher than in May and up 14% on June 2009. CML economist Paul Samter points out that [...]
Despite a rise in the number of mortgage deals on offer, a large deposit remains essential in securing a competitive loan, both for house purchasers and remortgagers. According to research by Moneyfacts Group for the BBC, the number of mortgage products available has risen 66% so far this year, to 2,351. However, the financial researcher [...]
Less than half of those contributing to the Building Societies Association’s (BSA) June Property Tracker survey think that now is a good time to buy a home. The confidence level slipped to 45%, down from 49% in March, possibly reflecting concerns about the state of the economy and the various austerity warnings issued by the [...]
In its May affordability index, FindaProperty.com has reported that first-time buyer house prices have increased for the fourth consecutive month, taking the average asking price of a starter home to £155,677. The figure is 1.2% higher than a year ago and at its highest since February 2009. At the same time, affordability has improved for [...]
The Post Office has launched new mortgage deals with first-time buyers in mind. The lender is not only happy with a minimum deposit of 10% but is also allowing borrowers to choose between an interest only and capital plus interest repayment option. For a two-year fix the rate is 5.45%, for a five-year 5.99%, and [...]
Buying a home has become a pipe dream for millions of young Britons, the National Housing Federation (NHF) claims. Research by the body, which represents England’s housing associations, suggests that 50% of those wanting to get a foot on the property ladder are preparing for at least a 10-year wait. The YouGov survey commissioned by [...]
Affordability for first-time buyers has continued to improve, according to FindaProperty.com. The website’s latest index suggests it is now easier for first-time buyers to get onto the property ladder than it has been at any time since the start of the credit crisis, in 2007. Stable prices and more borrower-friendly lending criteria are responsible for [...]
Reporting on its recent “Future Housing” conference the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) says it expects the UK to see a smaller proportion of homeowners and a higher proportion of tenants, mostly in the private sector, in the years ahead. Changing consumer preferences and affordability pressures will drive the trend. Examining the plight of first-time [...]
Potential first-time buyers on average earnings can now afford to buy a home in nearly four out of 10 regions of the UK, the Halifax has reported. According to the lender’s research, 39% of the UK’s local authority districts are accessible to those wanting to buy their first property, compared to 6% when the housing [...]
First-time buyers are finding it easier to get a foot on the property ladder, according to independent mortgage adviser, Mortgageforce.co.uk. Better deals for high loan to value (LTV) borrowers meant that in November, 14% of all transactions arranged by the online broker were for those buying their first home, compared to the usual 10%. The [...]
New research from Moneyfacts shows that the UK’s mortgage lenders are becoming less scared of offering high loan-to-value (LTV) ratios. According to the price comparison website, the number of mortgages available to borrowers with a 10% deposit rose from 56 in August, to 114 in November. However, availability remains severely contracted when compared to the [...]
Abbey Mortgages is advising potential first-time buyers who are currently renting to take their first step onto the property ladder. The bank’s research shows that first-time buyers could collectively save up to a massive £1 billion if they acted now and bought their own home. According to Abbey, 1.61 million Britons said they were looking [...]
The UK mortgage market is showing signs of recovery with the number of products increasing slowly. However, only borrowers with a minimum deposit of 25% are likely to feel any real benefit, according to Moneyfacts.co.uk. Research from the financial website shows that since the beginning of April, the number of deals on the market has [...]
Basic bank account standards at risk
Consumer Focus, the statutory consumer champion, is calling for a minimum standard for basic bank accounts to be introduced, to ensure the survival of the product, which is used by 20 per cent of the UK population. Basic bank accounts are used by people who are unable to open a regular current account, perhaps because [...]
A year has passed since the government replaced Child Trust Funds with Junior ISAs (JISAs) but more than half of parents are unaware that they exist, according to research by friendly society Family Investments Children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011 were eligible to open a Child Trust Fund and to receive [...]
PPI costs increase for Lloyds and Barclays
Lloyds Banking Group has set aside a further £1 billion to cover compensation costs for customers who were mis-sold Payment Protection Insurance (PPI). Yesterday, Barclays revealed £700m of PPI costs in the 2012 third quarter increasing its total provision to £2bn. Lloyds Banking Group, which has made the largest PPI provision out of all the [...]
Bonfire Night worst day for burglaries warns Aviva
Insurance group Aviva is warning households to be vigilant over security at this time of the year, as burglaries tend to increase signficantly between Halloween and Bonfire Night. On Bonfire Night the number of burglaries increases by around 25 per cent compared with an average day, according to the company’s research. Aviva also reported a [...]
Consumer confidence hits six-month low
Although the UK has officially emerged from recession, consumer confidence fell to -30 in October from -28 in September, according to market researcher company GfK NOP. This is the lowest level of consumer confidence since April when the UK was in an economic slump. Analysts had expected the index to remain stable at -28. Respondents [...]
100,000 mortgage holders escape negative equity trap
New figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) reveal that the number of borrowers in negative equity fell 13 per cent to 719,000 between the first quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012. The number of borrowers paying a mortgage greater than the value of their property fell despite a further small [...]
Banking commission appoints counsel to cross-examine witnesses
The Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards has appointed counsel to cross-examine witnesses during its inquiry into the collapse of Halifax Bank of Scotland. Barrister David Quest has been appointed to question witnesses in a public evidence session, as part of a sub-committee panel inquiry into the bank. Andrew Tyrie, chairman of the Commission said: “This [...]
Mortgage approvals increased in September
An increase in the number of mortgage approvals in September suggests that the ‘Funding for Lending’ scheme, launched by the Treasury and the Bank of England, may be starting to give the property market a boost. According to Bank of England figures, the number of loans approved for house purchase increased by 2,103 to 50,024 [...]
Five million paid less than living wage
Five million people in the UK are paid less than the ‘living wage’ of £7.20, or £8.30 in London, according to a new report by KPMG. In Northern Ireland, 24 per cent of workers receive less than they require in order to pay for essentials and the situation is little better in Wales where 23 [...]
Commission calls for radical change in housing market
A new study by the Future Homes Commission suggests that the way homes are built in the UK is dysfunctional and needs a radical overhaul. The organisation, which was established by the Royal Institute of British Architects, believes that 300,000 extra homes could be built every year without any input from Government funding. Instead, the [...]
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