With Summer coming many will be considering selling their home with a view to moving onto pastures new. Late Spring and Summer is recognised as a great time to sell, largely because the weather is[...]
Why Do People Take Out Secured Loans? | What Are The Benefits?
When they require quick access to funds, most people will consider taking out a loan. Loans can be useful for a number of reasons and there are lots of different ways you can borrow money these days.[...]
Common Reasons Why Mortgage Applications Get Rejected
The whole process of applying for a mortgage can be quite stressful and your hopes of getting on the property ladder or purchasing your next home can instantly be ruined by your mortgage application [...]
Can I Remortgage my property to buy a Second Home?
Yes. Probably. Equity release is simply a way to realise some of the value in your existing home by increasing and/or extending the existing loan on your existing home and using that loan capital [...]
Using Equity Release To Buy A Second Home | How Much Do You Need?
Using Equity Release To Buy A Second Home Equity release is known for being a brilliant way to release some of the money that is tied up in your home. The lump sum you receive through an equ[...]
Top Tips For Remortgaging Your Home
Once you have been living in your home for a few years, you may want to consider remortgaging. Switching mortgage providers is actually quite common and there are a number of different reasons why pe[...]
What Can Stop You From Getting A Mortgage?
People tend to assume that getting a mortgage as a first-time buyer will be really straightforward and, for the most part, this is true. However, some will find it much more difficult to get mortgage[...]
Securing A Mortgage On A Low Income – How To Approach the Situation?
Getting a foot on the property ladder is becoming more and more difficult for people of all ages. Not only is the price of property in many parts of the UK continuing to rise, but the majority of bus[...]
How Covid-19 Has Changed What Property Buyers Want
The last 18 months or more have been a strange experience for many of us. Those that have continued to work have had to adjust, in many cases, to a new way of working. This has meant the home being m[...]
What is a Property Chain and How Does it Work?
If you’re new to buying a home, you may hear lots of familiar phrases that you don’t fully understand. One of these phrases commonly used is ‘the property chain’. If you’re unsure what this is and wh[...]
What is a Debt Management Plan (DMP) and How to Get One
A Debt Management Plan is a mechanism by which you can have a third party negotiate with the people to whom you owe money and set out a plan by which you will make a single, affordable mont[...]
The Government’s Mortgage Guarantee Scheme Explained
The Budget of 2021 saw the UK Treasury announcing another state-funded scheme aimed at helping to keep the UK housing market fluid. Known as The Mortgage Guarantee Scheme, the newly announced initiat[...]
What Does Virtual Freehold Mean?
It’s a little known fact that pretty much all land and property owned in the UK is actually the property of the Crown. Really! But don’t worry, in practical terms, if you own the freehold interest in[...]
Can I Remortgage my property to buy a Second Home?
Yes. Probably. Equity release is simply a way to realise some of the value in your existing home by increasing and/or extending the existing loan on your existing home and using that loan capital [...]
The New 2021 Help to Buy Scheme Explained
The UK Government’s new ‘Help to Buy’ equity loan scheme allows first-time buyers to purchase a new-build property with just a 5% deposit. The lender will lend up to 75% Loan to Value (LTV) and the G[...]
What You Need to Know About Remortgaging
First of all, what is remortgaging? Well, it’s when someone that already owns a home with a mortgage, decides that they want to take advantage of more favourable terms, such as a lower interest rate [...]
Tips on Buying a Property with a Tenant in Occupation
There are a few reasons why you might be buying a property with a tenant still in occupation (a sitting tenant). Usually, it’s because you are buying what is known as a ‘Buy to Let’ investment. In th[...]
How does a Gifted Deposit Affect a Mortgage?
If you’re looking to buy a new home, it’s likely that you’ll need to put down a deposit. These days, the minimum deposit is usually equivalent to 5% of the value of the property. A 5% deposit will me[...]
What is a Property Chain and How Does it Work?
If you’re new to buying a home, you may hear lots of familiar phrases that you don’t fully understand. One of these phrases commonly used is ‘the property chain’. If you’re unsure what this is and wh[...]
What is a Second Charge Mortgage?
Most of us know that a mortgage is simply a secured loan, usually secured on a property such as a house or flat. If you fail to keep payments or don’t keep to the terms of the mortgage you [...]
How To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
With energy prices likely to rise in the long term, it makes sense to consider how you can make your home more efficient. Especially as, under the Government Green Homes Grant scheme, hundreds of tho[...]
Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) Explained
SMI or Support for Mortgage Interest is a loan paid by the government to your mortgage lender in order to help qualifying applicants to pay all or part of the interest accruing on their mor[...]
Documents Needed When Selling Your Property
It’s easy to assume that once you’ve agreed to sell your home, it’s just a matter of your solicitor or conveyancer ‘doing the legal stuff’ and that’s that. Unfortunately, your job is still only partl[...]
How to Speed Up Your Buy to Let Mortgage Application
Buying to let requires a specific mortgage product designed for the purpose. But in large part the process is very similar. Mortgage lenders will tend to concentrate on things like the rental income [...]
How To Get a Mortgage on a Zero Hour Contract
Many people believe that it’s impossible to obtain a mortgage if your sole income is derived from employment on a zero hours contract. Whilst this is a more precarious type of employment an[...]
Negotiating Tips When Buying a Property
Surveys have shown that the group of buyers least likely to offer less than the asking price or to enter into negotiations when buying their home are first-time buyers. This is hardly surprising give[...]
Government’s New Green Homes Grant
The government’s new Green Homes Grant is part of the Government’s £3 Billion ‘Green Investment’ package which was announced by Rishi Sunak in the 2020 summer statement. The £3 Billion inve[...]
Stamp Duty Holiday – Stamp Duty Scrapped On Houses Under £500,000
The chancellor has announced a temporary holiday on stamp duty up to £500,000 as part of a number of measures to help stimulate the economy. We have listed below the key facts following this announce[...]
Budget 2016 – Key Points For You
Insurance Premium Tax The standard rate of Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) will be increased from 9.5% to 10%. This ensures that the impact of the rate increase is spread broadly across the entire general[...]