For sale news

Moneyfacts: No. of first-time buyer mortgage deals drops

First-time buyers now have less choice when it comes to picking out a suitable mortgage deal, according to research by Moneyfacts. It found that 12 months ago there were 62 products available to choose from if the homebuyers had a deposit of just five per cent, accounting for 2.7 per cent of the deals available on the market. However, this has now fallen to 54 mortgages - ...

17th Jun 2013

Second steppers in Scotland turn to bank of mum and dad

Second steppers in Scotland will have to turn to the bank of mum and dad if they are to take their next step on the UK property ladder, according to research from the Bank of Scotland. One-in-six are planning on asking their parents for funds in order to plug the gap between the value of their first home and their second one. Almost two-thirds have built up enough savings ...

10th Jun 2013

Make your property more attractive to buyers through DIY

Most people will know that the housing market has been through something of a tough time recently, which has created plenty of challenges for buyers, sellers, estate agents and the authorities alike. One of those is ensuring that a property is in the best shape possible prior to it being put up for sale. Fortunately, with a bit of TLC and a basic level of DIY skills, ...

31st May 2013

UK home prices rise by 0.4% in April

The price of properties for sale across the UK showed a considerable rise again in April as home buyers and sellers alike continue to gain more confidence that the market is returning to a healthy state. According to the latest figures published by the Land Registry, the cost of obtaining a house rose by 0.4 per cent in April over March, a sizeable rise in a single ...

30th May 2013

CML: Home ownership ambitions higher in Wales than rest of Britain

Home ownership appears to be a more important aspiration in Wales than in the rest of Great Britain, according to new figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The findings were based on a survey undertaken by YouGov, and it was revealed that 84 per cent of adults in Wales want to buy their own property in the next ten years, compared to 79 per cent in the rest of ...

29th May 2013

First-time buyer activity hits a four-year high in Feb

The number of first-time buyers making their step onto the first rung of the UK property ladder hit its highest level in four years throughout February, according to newly released data on the state of the market. The Housing Market Activity Report by Connells Survey & Valuation showed that there were a full 13 per cent more buyers throughout February than there were at ...

12th Mar 2013

Buying a home £120 per month cheaper than renting

The cost of buying properties for sale in the UK is now a full £120 less than renting, said a new report, as the prices of residential purchases remain far lower than they were before the fall of the sector in 2008. According to the findings published by Halifax, the cost of a mortgage for a three-bedroom house in December 2012 sat at £621 per month. Meanwhile, ...

18th Feb 2013

Optimism surrounding mortgage market 'rising'

There is a growing optimism within brokers around the mortgage market, according to the latest figures in the Halifax Intermediaries Confidence Tracker. The new study showed that 75 per cent were encouraged about things coming in to 2013. This is on the back of 51 per cent who said that they were confident or fairly confident in the mortgage market during the fourth ...

4th Feb 2013

Second stepper problems affecting first-time buyers

The troubles faced by many second steppers when attempting to purchase their next house for sale are having a knock-on effect to first-time buyers, according to new research. Lloyds TSB has found that low equity levels are continuing to hold back those who are looking to move up the housing ladder. Second steppers' current equity position would account for just seven ...

14th Jan 2013

First-time buyer numbers at their highest since the crash

The number of new buyers coming onto the UK property market are now at their highest levels since the sector saw a crash in 2007 that resulted in falls in house prices and a severe increase in the difficulty levels in achieving a mortgage. According to a newly released report from Halifax, there were somewhere in the region of 216,000 first-time buyers who managed to get ...

31st Dec 2012

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