Home values news
Latest Home values news
30-year mortgage terms 'could be impossible'
It could be almost impossible for lenders to offer a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage deal with attractive terms in the current marketplace, according to one industry expert. Ray Boulger, senior technical manager at UK independent mortgage adviser John Charcol, said this is probably not a feasible option at the moment. His comments followed a speech by housing minister Grant ...
24th Oct 2011
Boosting energy efficiency 'is easy'
It is easy for householders to boost their energy efficiency without having to take drastic measures, such as moving houses, one expert and TV personality has suggested. Eco warrior Philippa Forrester, a former presenter of Tomorrow's World and other TV shows, said people can start with really basic things like draught excluders and gathering wood for the wood burner, ...
12th Oct 2011
Home values news archive
CML: UK remortgaging on the rise
Both house purchase lending and remortgaging are on the rise in the UK, according to the latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The data showed that remortgaging continued to increase in August, as 34,100 loans were taken out worth £4.2 billion, with both the volume and value more than 30 per cent higher than August 2010. It noted that house ...
11th Oct 2011
Conservatories 'create plenty of extra space'
Despite the belief that conservatories can only add minimal amounts to house prices and do not significantly increase value, this is not necessarily the case, one specialist has noted. Graham Lock, a property expert, said that with the current state of the market as it is, it is becoming more popular to add a conservatory because this effectively gives people an extra room. ...
7th Oct 2011
Second home buyers 'can create ghost villages'
The increasing number of rural properties being bought as second homes is forcing young people away from some areas and resulting in the creation of "ghost villages", it has been claimed. That is the opinion of a spokesman for the Campaign to Protect Rural England, who pointed to a new Halifax report showing that property prices in the countryside are an average ...
5th Oct 2011
Buy to let outlook 'is positive'
The outlook for buy to let homeowners in the UK is currently very positive, according to one specialist who has noted how the practice has increased in popularity significantly in recent years. Buy to let property expert Roger Southam made the comments after the coming of the phrase 'buy to let' reached its 15th anniversary in September 2011, and the expert said ...
3rd Oct 2011
Over-50s 'will use property as equity'
Over a third of people aged over 50 in the UK are planning to use their home as equity, a new report has revealed. Research by LV= today reveals that 31 per cent of over-50s, or two million people, are set to use the equity in their home to help supplement their retirement income in the future. This is up from 1.5 million people in 2010, with 36 per cent of this demographic ...
28th Sep 2011
Fixed-rate mortgages 'may be a good idea'
Property buyers looking at the range of finance options open to them may be a wise to go for a fixed-rate mortgage if they can commit to the term, two experts have claimed. Speaking on the BBC Money Box programme, Jane King, mortgage advisor from Ash-Ridge Asset Management, said it is fair to say five-year deals have become more competitive in the last few months. "If ...
27th Sep 2011
Best opportunities for FTBs 'in the north'
Some of the finest opportunities for first-time buyers (FTBs) in the UK are in the north of England, according to a new UK property reports carried out by Halifax. The study shows that, while the average age of a first-time buyer in the UK is 29, there is almost a decade's difference between some areas of the country. It shows that the youngest first-time buyers are in ...
26th Sep 2011
People struggling with mortgages 'should consult lenders'
In the present economic climate, many UK property owners may be struggling to keep up with their mortgage repayments, and for these people it could be advisable top speak to their lender, one expert has suggested. According to Catherine Hearnden, director at MyMortgageDirect, there are many options open to people in this situation, from slightly altering the terms of the ...
22nd Sep 2011