Why the New Stamp Duty Rules Are Great For Borrowers
On Thursday 4th December, the new Stamp Duty rules were announced and there has already been a lot said on the topic. Some have chosen to focus on the political strategy employed by George Osbourne, whilst others have looked at the 2% of buyers who won’t welcome the new rules. For me, my first thought […]
Beware the Curse of Associated Credit
A mortgage client is declined because of their partners associated credit.
Santander Gives with One Hand and Takes with Another
Due to all the recent news about lenders increasing their scrutiny over mortgage affordability, brokers have to be extra careful about how they calculate the maximum loan a client can realistically borrow. With this in mind, I was surprised to discover the paradoxical way in which Santander deals with credit cards that are paid in […]
Packager Firms: What Are They Good For?
If you recall the next line of the famous Edwin Starr song, so often added to any Vietnam War soundtrack, you might think: Absolutely nothin’! I’ve recently noticed a resurgence of packagers in the BTL mortgage market and this is exactly what I thought. However, it is interesting to consider why this re-emergence is taking […]
Why you should see your mortgage broker BEFORE you think about selling.
Why see a mortgage broker early in the process? They say moving house is one of the most stressful times in a person’s life. The reasons are quite evident. You have to open your home – a place you will likely have lovingly styled and improved over the years – to a very critical public. […]
Tools of the Trade
Buying property for investment has a very steep learning curve. Everyone knows the trick is to buy low, sell high and make a good month to month return in the interim. The reality is far more complex. There are many factors which will affect a property’s current and potential value, and different factors that affect […]
Scaremongering in the News
There has been plenty of scaremongering in the news over the past few weeks regarding the new changes to mortgage assessment. As a nation that values home ownership immensely these doom and gloom headlines naturally cause people to worry about the future. I have had plenty of calls regarding these news reports and this article […]