Expensive surveys abandonedThe government has abandoned controversial plans to force people selling their home to include expensive surveys in its new Home Information Packs (HIP) when they are launched next year. Read More...
In the know
There are two main types of plan: lifetime mortgages and home reversion. The lifetime mortgage, is a loan against the value of your home. Read More...
This summer marks the 10th anniversary of the buy-to-let mortgage, the loan that has made landlords of investment bankers, teachers and plumbers alike.
The buy-to-let market is now estimated to be worth more than £73bn and is growing fast. Private rented property has grown into one of the most popular ways to generate income and build a nest-egg for the future. Read More...
Barratt is planning to build hundreds of small "iPad" flats aimed at putting homes in reach of first-time buyers.Britain's second largest developer plans to price the homes at £80,000 to £85,000 in the north and £120,000 to £125,000 in the south to appeal to buyers who are struggling to get on the first rung of the property ladder. Read More...
Questions and answers Home Information Packs (HIPs), sometimes described as sellers' packs, are intended to provide prospective buyers with all the basic information they need about a property before they buy. Read More...
The government has recently launched a new initiative to help key public sector workers and others struggling to get on the property ladder. Read More... 
Remortgaging may be one of the kindest things you can do for your bank account. Not convinced your mortgage is a winner? A remortgage could save you hundreds, if not thousands of pounds. Read More...
Lenders are offering 40-year term home loans to struggling would-be buyers. Growing numbers of first-time buyers desperate to get on the housing ladder but struggling to afford sky-high house prices are being encouraged to tie themselves into mortgages lasting 35, 40 or even 45 years. Read More...
A basic guide to mortgages…considering your options
Mortgages have become increasingly complex in recent years as the market has become more competitive. Borrowers now need to consider at least two things: the type of loan they want and how they are going to repay it. Read More...
Remortgaging…ten things that you need to knowAccording to Charcol, over the past three months half a million homeowners have squandered £369 each by delaying a switch from their lender’s standard variable rate (SVR). Read More...
House prices…bank group revises up forecast
House prices are likely to increase at more than three times the rate previously predicted this year, according to an industry body Read More...
Buying your first home can be a daunting prospectOnce you decide you want to buy a property start saving as hard as you can. Although 100 per cent mortgages are available, you will get a much better deal if you have a deposit. Read More...
Equity markets are making buy-to-lets look attractiveChoppy equity markets are making buy-to-lets look attractive. So is now a good time to become a landlord? Equity investors are experiencing a bumpy ride while life for landlords seems rosy, with rents and yields rising — so investors are being tempted to switch. Read More...
Now fixed-price mortgages are going up, trackers could look like a worthwhile option.Although the Bank of England base rate has stayed at the same level for nearly a year, fixed-rate mortgages have been going up in price. Read More...
New or not so new property…pros and cons
Some people rather enjoy DIY - others can't stand it. Which type of person are you? If you want to move in without having to do anything at all, then you may prefer a new house, or else an older one that has already been refurbished. Read More...
We all want to be there: sand between the toes, wind whistling through the halyards, living by the tidal timetable. It's these impulses, which seem as deep and immutable as the sea itself, that drive us to buy into the seaside property market. Read More...
For young people with no savings, low incomes and debts from student loans and credit cards, nothing makes the heart sink faster than the words property ladder. Read More...
You can typically fix your mortgage rate, and therefore your monthly repayments, for two, three, five, 10 or even 25 years. Read More...
The thrill of buying your first flat and moving into your own home can be dampened by paying hefty service charges for maintenance of communal areas. Read More...
The number of households in Britain is expected to rise by almost a quarter over the next 20 years, according to the government, an increase which is likely to put further strain on the country's limited supply of housing. Read More...
Most buy-to-let mortgages require a minimum of 15% deposit and are usually based on the rental income of the property, not the income of the investor. Read More...
You'd be truly amazed at the number of people who think a potential home is not worth considering simply because they can't see beyond the orange flowery wallpaper. Read More...
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