Top NewsTime for that self-service mortgage?
Term reduction has become a key aspiration for mortgage holders, with almost three quarters wanting to reduce their mortgage term or increase their payments to reduce the balance over time, according to research featured in Intelligent Finance's 'End of Term' report. - [Read more] |
Mortgages - Cashback with the Co-op
Co-operative Bank has launched a new first time buyer cashback mortgage aimed at helping people onto the property ladder - the 1% cashback designed to cover stamp duty or other fees that FTBs may incur. - [Read more] |
Green finance - A Breath of fresh air? Or hot air?
No matter what you thought of last week's budget, there's one thing you must have noticed - it was coloured green. Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, introduced a number of green measures such as cutting stamp duty on zero-rated carbon homes - even though there aren't any as yet and increasing road tax on 4x4s. He also called on lenders to introduce more green finance. - [Read more] |
Home costs close in on 10K
New figures from property website, Propertyfinder, show the cost of moving home closing in on 10K. In fact, home moving costs have more than tripled to just over £9,400 over the past decade. - [Read more] |
First time buyers scrabbling for higher deposits
First time buyers are putting down ever larger deposits. Robin Amlôt of Moneyextra said, "Our analysis shows the average mortgage deposit being put down by first time buyers in February 2007 is almost 11%higher than a year ago at an eye-watering £37,632." - [Read more] |
Advisers fuel booming buy-to-let market
Mortgage advisers are providing a much needed lifeline to nearly three-quarters of landlords (74%) who seek advice in the buy to let mortgage market, according to research undertaken by BDRC for Alliance & Leicester Mortgages. - [Read more] |
Spanish property - Get your NIE
Many Britons dream of owning a property in the sun and, for many, Spain offers it all. However, when purchasing property in Spain, it's important to make sure that you work with specialists who are aware of all the necessary rules and regulations, says Banco Halifax Hispania. - [Read more] |
Council Tax review now out
The long-awaited review into Council Tax is now out. The review, undertaken by Sir Michael Lyons, Professor of Public Policy at Birmingham University, recommends a number of measures - the bottom line of which could eventually see homeowners being penalised for upgrading their properties. - [Read more] |
Going green - At a price
Following the Government's commitment to make all new homes have zero carbon emissions by 2016, MORE TH>N insurance has unveiled research showing the majority (70%) of homeowners agree that all new builds should be eco-friendly. - [Read more] |
Budget - First rung of ladder no closer
Would-be first-time buyers were left up the creek without a paddle again in this year's budget as Gordon Brown failed to raise the minimum stamp duty threshold of £120,000. Instead, stamp duty exemptions have been confined to an arguably negligible number of people who will buy new-build zero-carbon homes from October this year. - [Read more] |
Budget - 'Greenest' let off stamp duty
Carbon emissions from homes are as much of a blow to the environment as stamp duty is to a homebuyer's bank account. But, in his 11th budget speech delivered to the House of Commons today, Gordon Brown said in six months time, they will start to cancel each other out. - [Read more] |
Budget - Gordon's swansong
It surely can't be 10 years since Gordon 'Uncle Joe' Brown delivered his first Budget can it? Well as they say - a week is long time in politics. But the last 10 years have been inexorably long for many. - [Read more] |
House prices unstoppable?
It would take a major economic decline for house prices to fall in the foreseeable future, which is highly improbable, experts have agreed at the second annual 'Great Housing Debate', organised by financial PR firm, The Wriglesworth Consultancy. - [Read more] |
HIPS - chaotic, costly and potentially damaging?
The Council of Mortgage Lenders, National Association of Estate Agents, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Law Society have written a joint letter to the government warning about the home information packs (HIPs) scheme - [Read more] |
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