The latest monthly mortgage index from mortgage broker, John Charcol, shows the proportion of homeowners borrowing at fixed-rates falling in October, to 26.3%. The ratio compares with a peak of 83.1% in June and confirms that borrowers have gradually been convinced that low interest rates are here to stay. The firm’s spokesman, Drew Wotherspoon, says [...]
Mortgage borrowers are becoming less fearful of interest rate rises and opting for variable rate loans in larger numbers. July figures from John Charcol show that while fixed-rate deals retained their popularity, variable-rate mortgages, such as tracker or discounted loans, made up 35% of all mortgages arranged through the broker, compared to 17% of the [...]
Many homeowners are opting for peace of mind over cheaper monthly repayments, an industry expert noted this week. Jacqueline Thornton, financial planner at Re-Financial Planning, said most homeowners are choosing fixed-rate mortgages rather than saving money by moving to a lower-cost standard variable rate (SVR) deal. Mortgage broker John Charcol recently reported 83% of its [...]
The housing market downturn has left up to 3.5 million Britons unable to move, according to research from John Charcol. The mortgage broker estimates that one third of UK households with residential mortgages are stuck in their properties because falling prices have eroded the amount of equity they hold and restricted access to mortgage finance. [...]
Last month saw homebuyers and remortgagers opt for fixed-rate loans as never before. According to mortgage broker, John Charcol (JC), the proportion of customers choosing fixed-rate deals rose to a record 83.1% in June and the firm’s mortgage activity monitor also showed the average take-up at 81.2% over the past four months. However, the broker [...]
John Charcol claims there has been a “sharp increase” in house purchase activity so far this year year. The broker says that in May, mortgage applications for house purchases were higher than for remortgaging for the first time since 2007. The firm’s Monthly Mortgage Index shows that business connected to house purchases hit 53.4% last [...]
First time buyers are taking advantage of plummeting house prices, according to figures released this week by mortgage experts John Charcol. A fifth of mortgage applications during the first four months of 2009 came from first time buyers – an increase of 350% compared to the final four months of 2008. A significant proportion of [...]
John Charcol is advising remortgagers and first-time buyers to consider taking out fixed-rate loans. A number of lenders have lowered fix-rates this month but according to the mortgage broker, the trend could soon reverse and today’s relatively attractive offerings will disappear. The firm explains that gilt yields for maturities of five years or more have [...]
Mortgage broker, John Charcol, is urging homeowners coming to the end of their fixed-rate mortgages to find a new deal as soon as possible. According to the firm’s senior technical manager, Ray Boulger, borrowers should start investigating their options six months before their current deals expire. The financial turmoil of the past three weeks means [...]
John Charcol has reported that increasing numbers of homeowners struggling with higher interest payments are opting to extend the terms of their mortgages to reduce monthly repayments. According to research by the mortgage broker, between 10% and 15% of borrowers who have remortgaged in the past two months extended the lifetime of their loans, or [...]
A number of lenders have launched new mortgage deals this week. Leeds Building Society has introduced a five-year fixed-rate loan at 5.99% and with no higher lending charge. Maximum loan-to-value ratio is 80% and 10% capital repayments are allowed each year without any penalty charge. Interested parties can apply via the lender’s branches, online, or [...]
Mortgage broker, John Charcol, has published its latest best-buy tables, which are headed by Nationwide and Abbey. For fixed-rate loans, Nationwide’s two-year deal gained prominence, charging 5.95% and reverting to 6.49% at the end of the fixed period. A fee of £599 applies. Abbey’s discount and tracker mortgages also appear high on the list with [...]
M&S Money launches 3% cash ISA
M&S Money has launched an Advantage Cash ISA paying 3 per cent, and which allows transfers in from other ISAs. It can be opened with a minimum deposit of £100 lump sum followed by minimum monthly deposits of £25. The 3% rate is variable, but there is no short-term bonus so the return won’t plummet [...]
Google suspends UK Compare Mortgages site
Google has closed its UK mortgage comparison site which it launched in July last year, after it proved to be less popular than expected. Mortgage comparison sites are designed to allow visitors to compare mortgages quickly and easily without having to visit each lender’s individual site. Google was competing with several well-established comparison sites, including [...]
AA launches ‘black-box’ policy for young drivers
The AA is launching an innovative car insurance policy called Drivesafe which could help younger drivers save up to £850 a year. Younger drivers already pay substantially higher premiums than other motorists and these costs are increasing. A new study by Confused.com suggests insurance costs for younger driver have gone up by 5.7 per cent [...]
ATOL scheme updated to protect online bookers
ATOL, a financial protection scheme managed by the Civil Aviation Authority, is being extended to protect up to six million more holidays a year. The scheme ensures that holiday makers do not lose out financially if a travel company collapses, and that they are not stranded abroad. An increase in the number of holidays booked [...]
Home repossessions lowest for four years
The number of UK homes repossessed fell to 36,200 in 2011, significantly below the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ forecast of 40,000, and lower than 2010 when 37,100 homes were repossessed. With interest rates remaining low and lenders adopting a sympathetic attitude to customers in financial difficulty, repossessions fell to their lowest level since 2007. However, [...]
Monthly pay lasting just 17 days
Workers are running out of money just 17 days after receiving their monthly pay, according to new research by the Halifax bank. This means that the average UK worker spends half the month worrying about money. The study, based on the responses of more than 2,000 adults, found that 10 per cent of workers start [...]
Women disadvantaged by auto-enrolment changes
Government proposals to increase the auto-enrolment threshold to £10,000 could put 1.8 million women at risk of missing out on a pension, the TUC has warned. Under the auto-enrolment scheme, which will be phased in from October, private sector employers will automatically enrol workers between the age of 22 years and the state pension age, [...]
Emergency household repairs company Homeserve is taking longer than expected to get back on track after its operations were suspended last October. The company expected customer numbers to fall by 5% this year but it has increased this estimate to 8% and announced the loss of 200 jobs. It estimates that renewal revenue in 2013 [...]
Sale rumoured for Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks
There is growing speculation that National Australia Bank (NAB) may sell Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank after the Australian parent company announced a strategic review of the two banks’ operations. The Australian economy is performing well and NAB reported strong profits for the final quarter of 2011 but with the UK economy at a virtual [...]
More women experiencing debt difficulties
Women in Debt, which offers female-focused debt advice, has warned that the number of UK women facing serious debt has grown significantly over recent years. The organisation believes that more women will need advice on solving debt problems in the future because they are building up an unsustainable level of indebtedness. Women in Debt’s director, [...]
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