Mortgages
RICS: BBA April mortgage approvals
Commenting on the BBA mortgage approvals data released today, which showed a rise of 4% in mortgage approvals for new house purchases in April, RICS senior economist Brigid O'Leary said: "The rise in mortgage approvals for new house purchases in April reverses some of March's fall however mortgage lending continues to be stuck at very low levels.
Mortgage lending remains low
The high street banks' net mortgage lending of £2.7bn has not been as low for some eight years and consequently, the trend edged lower, according to the British Bankers Association (BBA).
Homeowners take advantage of low interest rates
Savvy home-owners are taking advantage of today's low interest rates to pay off their mortgages in record time.
first direct launches new range of fixed rate offset mortgages
first direct has launched a new range of market beating fix rate offset mortgages. All the new mortgages are available to new and existing customers for both house purchases and re-mortgages.
Yorkshire's Offset Plus mortgage proving popular with parents
Yorkshire Building Society's Offset Plus account is proving to be very popular with parents wanting to help out their children with mortgage payments whilst giving the parent full access to their savings.
Is now the time for the return of the first time buyer?
Recent developments in the first time buyer mortgage market suggest that the market is picking up, and that now might be the time for the return of the first time buyer.
Mortgage lending fell in April
Gross mortgage lending declined to an estimated £10.4 billion in April, down 9% from £11.4 billion in March and 60% from £26.1 billion in April 2008, according to new data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
Lesser spotted first time buyer more common than you think
Confidence started returning to first time buyers (FTBs) at the beginning of this year according to the John Charcol Index, the new monthly mortgage activity monitor from John Charcol, the UK's leading independent mortgage adviser.
moneysupermarket.com: Lloyds TSB First Time Buyer mortgage
Commenting on the new Lloyds TSB First Time Buyer mortgage, Clare Francis, site editor at moneysupermarket.com, said: "This is a great product to help first time buyers get on the housing ladder.
Lloyds TSB first time buyer mortgage should be applauded
Andrew Hagger of Moneynet.co.uk comments on the new First Time Buyer (FTB), ‘Lend a hand' scheme launched today.
Mortgage broker market will shrink further in 2009
The numbers of brokers operating in the intermediary mortgage market has further to shrink according to the latest member survey from IMLA.
Lloyds TSB launches first time buyer mortgage
The three year product, called ‘Lend a Hand', offers first time buyers a 95% loan to value (LTV) mortgage at 4.39% by taking a legal charge on a savings account belonging to their parents.
Mortgage borrowers unaware of their lenders' SVR
It's a clear case of buyer beware as four out of ten people (42 per cent) will come off a fixed rate mortgage this year and risk falling prey to inflated Standard Variable Rates (SVR) being offered by the majority of mortgage lenders.
The only way is up for interest rates, so should people fix?
Since falling from five per cent in September last year, interest rates have now remained at 0.5 per cent for two months, suggesting that they have hit rock bottom.
Paragon urges Government to support specialist lenders
Paragon Mortgages has announced its interim results for the six months ending 31 March 2009. The results confirm Paragon's business is stable, profitable and cash generative, but the Group urges more Government support to help non-bank lenders commence new lending.