News

Are you over sixty-five and finding it challenging to get a mortgage? You’re certainly not alone, according to recent findings1.  With the number of people in the UK aged over 65 soon expected to surpass those aged 18 and under, just 37% of potential borrowers aged 65 and over are offered the size of loan […]

A growing proportion of house hunters are focusing on energy-efficient considerations when looking to buy a new home. Research1 suggests that rising energy prices and the cost-of-living crisis are having a significant impact on how buyers prioritise various desirable features, with an increasing number focusing on aspects related to energy efficiency. Key features Cavity wall […]

Demand for new builds is on the up due to more people seeking energy efficient homes, but research1 has revealed other factors people wish they had considered before purchasing a new build. Top of the list (36%) is researching the property manager as well as the developer, closely followed (35%) by checking out the parking […]

Getting a foot on the property ladder is an aspiration that dates back generations. Unfortunately, some mortgage myths are just as old. If you’re looking to buy in 2022, it’s important to know fact from fiction. 1. MYTH: You need a perfect credit rating A bad credit history can have a negative impact on your […]

The great bungalow shortage Demand for bungalows has increased over 60% in 20221, while supply has flattened, meaning prices for single storey properties has risen at double the market rate in some areas. Popular because of their large gardens and potential to extend, families are now keen to make offers, debunking the myth that only […]

All equity release plans sold to new customers from 28 March 2022 must feature penalty-free partial loan repayments, enabling customers to reduce their loan size and save money on interest. The new standard introduced by the Equity Release Council (ERC) could save customers millions of pounds. While ERC standards aren’t legally binding, almost 700 firms […]

The pandemic was a tumultuous time for us all – and the property market was not immune. As things begin to normalise, some pre-pandemic patterns are returning to property trends. Double speed Q1 2022 was the fifth busiest quarter since 2007, according to HM Revenue and Customs. Likewise, data1 analysis has found that UK properties […]

Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge, Manchester and Luton have been hailed the best top five cities for landlords to invest in this year, based on analysis of key indicators impacting buy-to-let desirability (including average total rent, the best short-term returns through yield and long-term return through house price growth).1 Investors have been eschewing London, which has slipped […]

Pandemic-related travel restrictions have unleashed huge demand for UK-based rentals among British holidaymakers – with buy-to-let investors scrambling to take advantage. According to figures1, holiday let mortgage availability has trebled since 2020, giving would-be investors ample opportunity to tap into this demand. There are now 231 buy-to let mortgages eligible for holiday lets on the […]

In January this year, a team clearing out the home of a retired antiques dealer and lifelong hoarder found a treasure trove of valuables worth £50,000. Among the piles of bags and boxes stuffed haphazardly into the Victorian town house were eight grandfather clocks worth £1,000, an antique chair worth between £600 and £800, and […]