News
Council of Mortgage Lenders calls for NewBuy to be extended until 2015
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) this week called for the Chancellor to extend the Government’s NewBuy scheme in his forthcoming Budget. Read more »
Halifax – house prices up 0.5 per cent in February
According to the Halifax, house prices rose 0.5% in February. This means the average cost of a home in the UK has gone up from £162,844 to £163,600 – a rise of £756. Read more »
More news about critical illness claims
A serious illness, such as cancer or heart attack, affects one-in-four women and one-in-five men before retirement age. Yet few people have critical illness insurance, which is designed to ease financial pressures by paying a tax-free lump sum should you become seriously ill or totally disabled. Read more »
Royal Bank of Scotland gross mortgage lending up in 2012
More good news on the financial front as the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) announced that they increased their gross mortgage lending by 9.6% to £16bn in 2012 with nearly 20% of its lending to first-time buyers, Read more »
NewBuy completions rise to 1,522
By the end of 2012, 1,522 home purchases had been completed under the Government’s NewBuy Guarantee scheme in England. Read more »
The number of 95 per cent loan to value loans has increased
it looks like 95% loan to value (LTV) products are becoming increasingly popular again. According to the Building Societies Association, in early summer last year there were about 64 such products available on the market but this has now increased to 87 products available for first time buyers. Read more »
New stats prove protection providers do pay out
News comes to us this week from insurer Bright Grey that protection providers do actually pay out. Read more »
Fixed rate mortgages at lowest levels
According to Moneyfacts, mortgage rates have fallen to their lowest ever since the introduction of Funding for Lending almost 24 years ago. Read more »
Leeds Building Society increases lending
We learn that the Leeds Building Society was the latest organisation that increased its lending last year, with nearly one third going to first time buyers. Read more »
First time buyers are back!
A report by the Council of Mortgage lenders indicates that first-time buyer numbers reached their highest yearly total in five years in 2012. Read more »