Home values news

'Very good offers available' on UK mortgages

There are some great deals available on UK mortgages at the moment, according to one expert who has suggested that now could be a good time for people to remortgage. Catherine Hearnden, director at MyMortgageDirect, noted that there has there been an increase in the number of people looking to remortgage, which she attributed to recent rumours about interest rates rising. ...

15th Jun 2012

Increased competition 'could lead to mortgage rate cuts'

Increased competition in the mortgage market could result in lenders cutting rates in the months ahead, it has been suggested. Ben Wilkie, editor at What Mortgage, said that many financial institutions are "happy to lend" at the moment, which makes things much easier for prospective homeowners and could alter the market. He explained: "What might change ...

14th Jun 2012

Minor property improvements 'can make a big difference'

People can make a significant difference to their property and considerably boost its value by making some minor improvements, it has been claimed. According to Andrew Leech, director at the National Home Improvement Council, the roof is the first thing that householders should address. From making sure there are no slipping tiles to sorting out broken flashings around the ...

7th Jun 2012

Prime London property prices rise again

The price of prime London property continued to rise in May, according to the latest figures, which show values are now at a record high. Data published by Knight Frank show that prices rose 0.7 per cent in May, contributing to annual growth of 10.7 per cent, with values having risen by 47.3 per cent since their post-credit-crunch low in March 2009. Values in the ...

6th Jun 2012

Property prices 'have been very resilient'

House prices in the UK have been "staggeringly resilient", according to one expert who said that any major fluctuations in the coming months are unlikely. Paul Holmes, chief executive officer at the mortgage advice organisation Firstrung, said there is still a lot of "puff and air" being blown into the market and hype from certain analysts about what ...

31st 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

3 in 4 Brits 'may use property to fund retirement'

Three-quarters of Brits would consider using their property to fund their retirement finances, a new poll by the Equity Release Council has revealed. Overall, 73 per cent of people would consider using housing equity in later life, with 257,168 retirees considering downsizing by 2017 and 59,347 looking into equity release. Furthermore, the research suggests ...

28th May 2012

Olympic infrastructure 'could drive the property market'

There is a strong chance that the Olympics could drive the east London property market, according to one sector analyst. Liam Bailey, head of residential research at Knight Frank, said that he does not expect the Olympics itself to have an impact, but the fact that there will be improved infrastructure will help the area. "Once the Olympics are finished and you can ...

24th May 2012

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

Residential land values remain unchanged

Residential land values in the UK remained unchanged in the first three months of 2012, following a 1.3 per cent rise in 2011, according to the latest analysis by Knight Frank. A new report from the organisation shows that prices remained stable across the UK in the first three months of the year, which reflects the wider movement in house prices, which have also remained ...

15th May 2012

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