Navigating Mortgage Repayment Challenges: A Four-Step Guide
The current financial landscape, with the Bank of England (BoE) raising its base interest rate to 5.25% as of September 2023 – a peak not seen in 15 years – has left numerous homeowners grappling with their mortgage repayments. If you’re nearing the end of a fixed-rate deal, you might be transitioning from a comfortable […]
Mortgage next steps
As you approach the conclusion of your fixed-rate mortgage term, it’s natural to ponder the next steps, especially in a climate where interest rates have surged following a period of historic lows. The current economic landscape, marked by a cost-of-living crisis and the highest inflation rates in nearly four decades, adds layers of complexity to […]
Decoding the Stress Behind Mortgage Applications
Acquiring a home is a monumental life milestone, and for most, it necessitates navigating the labyrinth of mortgage applications. However, what should ideally be an exciting journey into homeownership often becomes a source of stress and anxiety. In a revealing statistic, two-thirds of mortgage applicants find themselves grappling with stress during the application process. Let’s […]
Is It Still A Seller’s Market?
The introduction of the SDLT (Stamp Duty) holiday sparked a frenzy in the housing market. Realistically, it was only to be expected that the end of the tax break would lead to a slowdown. Just like people, there’s a limit to how long markets can run at maximum speed. The key question, however, is, how […]
Are House Prices Due For A Fall?
House price rises don’t have to be followed by falls. In fact, they don’t necessarily have to be interspersed with plateaux. They cannot, however, simply keep storming ahead in defiance of both logic and affordability criteria. This means the UK housing market is arguably long overdue for a cooling-off period. This raises the question of […]
Should You Prioritise Property Or Your Pension?
Both pensions and property can be good ways of financing your retirement. It is, however, important to think carefully about which you prioritise. Here is a quick guide to what you need to know. The basics of pensions. In the UK, public-sector employees may still have defined-benefits pensions. These are often called final-salary pensions as […]
