For sale news (May 2012)
Latest For sale news
Property buying preferences 'are changing'
There has been a shift in the property buying preferences of people in the UK, with the trend moving away form city centre flats and towards larger homes in the suburbs, one sector body has commented. Steve Turner, head of communications at the Home Builders Federation, said he has observed a shift in the mix of homes over the last few years, which he attributes partly to ...
30th May 2012
Long-term tracker mortgages 'may work out cheaper'
People on the hunt for a new mortgage may want to consider a long-term deal, as these may provide better value, one expert has advised. Ray Boulger, senior technical manager at the independent mortgage adviser John Charcol, said that good cases can be made for either a tracker or a fixed-rate. With people buying new property, the likelihood is that in most cases they are ...
29th May 2012
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Potential property buyers 'waiting for the perfect mortgage'
Many prospective homeowners are currently holding out until they find the perfect mortgage to suit them, one expert on the subject has observed. Ben Wilkie, editor at the advice site What Mortgage, noted that gross mortgage lending fell slightly after the end of the stamp duty holiday in March, and said this is "not surprising". He explained that many people were ...
23rd May 2012
Gross mortgage lending up on last year
Gross mortgage lending in the UK is up on this time last year, according to the latest report from the Council of Mortgage Lenders. The data shows that gross mortgage lending was an estimated £10.2 billion in April, which is two per cent higher than the £10.0 million recorded in the same month last year. Overall, lending in the UK fell by 19 per cent from the ...
21st May 2012
Housing transactions rise in Scotland
The increase in the number of first time buyers in Scotland has led to a significant rise in housing transactions, the latest report reveals. Data published by LSL and Acadametics shows that property transactions rose by 15 per cent in March compared with the previous month, helping to boost the entire country's housing market. The rise was likely caused by first-time ...
16th May 2012
Average 90% LTV rates fall
The average rate of a 90 per cent loan-to-value (LTV) mortgage on a UK property has fallen steadily in recent years, according to the latest report. Research by Moneyfacts shows that the rate now stands at just 5.44 per cent, while the number of 90 per cent deals increased during the same time period, totalling 299 today, after standing at just 76 in May 2009. In May 2008, ...
16th May 2012
High number of LTVs 'means a good time to buy'
The high number of loan-to-value (LTV) mortgages being offered in the UK means that now is a good time to buy property, one expert has suggested. Paul Holmes, chief executive officer at the mortgage advice organisation Firstrung, said there is evidence that lenders will begin to offer more help for first-time buyers in the near future, such as increased numbers of LTV ...
15th May 2012
Mortgage lending and approvals on the rise
Gross mortgage lending by building societies and other mutual lenders is on the rise in the UK, according to the latest report from the Building Societies Association (BSA). According to the report, lending rose by 58 per cent in March 2012 compared to the same month last year, and by 40 per cent over the first quarter of 2012, in comparison to the same period in 2011. ...
4th May 2012
Landlord buying activity surges
There has been a surge in activity among new landlords and existing buy to let property owners in the UK, according to the latest statistics. New independent research commissioned by specialist buy-to-let lender Paragon Mortgages has revealed that, overall, property acquisition activity in the UK remained strong in the first quarter of 2012. Over the last three months, ...
1st May 2012