
Black & White names Owen as NED
Black & White Bridging has appointed Robert Owen to its board of directors as a non-executive director. Owen comes from United Trust Bank where he worked for seven years. He was recruited from United Trust Bank to create a new division specializing in home loans for the bank, becoming managing director of the mortgage and …

Accord adds range of mortgages for underserved borrowers
Accord Mortgages has launched a new range of products for those who have already been refused a mortgage. The intermediary-only lender says the new Cascade Score products were designed to provide an alternative option for brokers whose clients do not meet Accord’s higher LTV scorecard, but meet its standard scorecard. For cases that would previously …

MFS lowers BTL and bridging loan rates
MFS (Market Financial Solutions) has lowered rates on its range of BTL (buy-to-let) mortgages and bridging loan products. Rates on MFS’ BTL mortgage range, which launched in January this year, will now start at 3.29%, down from 3.79% previously. The changes will also allow cumulative monthly payments of up to nine months instead of the …

Call a specialist | Mortgage strategy
Shutterstock/ FFIKRETOW The Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc not only on our way of life but, for many people, on their finances as well. Companies that were strong one day fell apart the next, while others had to find innovative ways of working. Vacations, reduced hours and increased debt have become a feature of many …

Precise Mortgages launches range for low credit customers
Precise Mortgages launched a line of residential mortgage products for customers with poor credit profiles, including those with county court judgments, defaults and active debt management plans. The lender says the maximum loan-to-value ratio for customers with lower recent adverse credit levels will increase to 85%. It will reintroduce its broadest acceptable level five junk …

The Conveyancing Foundation launches an appeal for Ukraine
The Conveyancing Foundation has made an appeal for Ukraine by opening its monthly Charity Lotto to members of the public for the first time. Convey Law launched the appeal with an initial donation of £15,000. The Foundation said all funds donated will go directly to the official DEC Ukraine appeal. This brings together 15 of …

FOS targets a 7% improvement in annual productivity
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is targeting a 7% year-over-year improvement in underlying productivity. This targeted increase was announced in its plan and budget for 2022/23 published on March 30. The FOS is going through a process of restructuring through an action plan and hopes that the changes will further improve productivity. FOS has set …
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Real estate group Du Val says its mortgage fund ads are not misleading
Business March 31, 2022 04:262 minute read Du Val is challenging last year’s order from the Financial Markets Authority to remove ads that the FMA said were likely to mislead mortgage fund investors. Photo / Georges Novak A lawyer for local property company Du Val Group told the High Court that its social media adverts …

Flexi-retirement increasingly common: Abrdn | Mortgage strategy
Flexible retirement is becoming more common as more retirees choose to work part-time in the gig economy. According to a new report from Abrn, two-thirds of people retiring in 2022 do not plan to give up their jobs completely. That compares to just over half of those who retired in 2021 and a third of …

Mortgage Business Accelerator: Duncan Kreeger, TAB
I have always been enterprising. I started my first business when I was 17. Since then I have built and sold a £120m valuation business, managed over £400m in private equity, closed over £2bn in secured loans and managed a team of over of 100 people. Overall improvement I founded TAB in 2018. In my …

The private rental sector will age over the next decade: Paragon
The number of private rental households headed by someone over the age of 45 will increase by 1.4 million by 2035, according to a study commissioned by Paragon Bank. According to a new study by the Social Market Foundation (SMF), the private rental sector will age over the next decade, as the proportion of young …

New Product Standard to Save Equity Release Customers Millions
The Equity Release Council has made partial loan repayments without penalty a prerequisite for all equity release plans for new customers starting today (March 28). The decision is expected to save equity customers nearly £100 million in interest charges over the next 20 years. The move will help clients lessen the effects of compound interest, …

Strong increase in the number of BTL green mortgages
The past year has seen an increase in the number of “green mortgages” offered to rental owners. Data from broker BTL Mortgages for Business shows that at the start of March this year, 353 green products were now available. This compares to just four products available to owners 12 months prior. The number of products …

Blog: Delivering Value to Homebuyers in Financial Struggle
The Chancellor’s spring statement served to further reiterate the dire financial difficulties many are facing as their money is stretched harder than ever. At a time when absolutely every penny counts, there is a real need for advisors to help their clients make the best decisions possible for them. In the space of just a …

One to One: Charles Roe, Director of Mortgages, UK Finance
What is the main focus of your role as UK Mortgage Manager? I lead our mortgage team, which works with and on behalf of all lenders in the sector (banks, building societies and specialists), whatever their size, whether they are general public or more bespoke. We strive to represent them and promote sustainable housing finance …

Hodge expands its residential offering | Mortgage strategy
Hodge is expanding its residential development offering, incorporating lending across the alternative residential asset class, including student housing and retirement residences. The provider says the change comes in response to demand from its clients and brokers seeking funding in this asset class. After focusing more on pure residential development over the past two years, Hodge …

More prime borrowers are taking second-tier loans: Evolution
According to Evolution Money’s quarterly tracker, more prime borrowers are taking out second mortgages. It says the split of second-load proceeds by mortgage volume is 73% for traditional debt consolidation borrowers, compared to 27% for primary borrowers in the three months to the end of February. By value, the spill was 63% of debt from …

Blog: Alleviating Client Pain
As we begin to see the effects of the global pandemic wane, we face a new challenge that will affect us all again: the rising cost of living. And brokers now have a real opportunity to demonstrate the value of advice. The term “advice” has never been more widely used than it is today, but …

Habito Launches BTL Longer Fixed Rates
Online mortgage company Habito is now offering longer-term fixed rates for homeowners at seven and 10 years. The company says these fixed rate terms would be offered at both 80% LTV and 85% LTV. And a new product at 85% across the full range of terms has launched for properties with an Energy Performance Certificate …

Spring Statement: Sunak raises NI threshold by £3,000
The threshold was supposed to increase by £300, but it will increase by £3,000 instead. This is a £6 billion tax cut for 13 million people, or £330 a year. “This is the biggest tax cut in a decade,” Sunak said. He added that 70% of workers will see their taxes reduced by more than …

Spring Statement: Industry Response | Mortgage strategy
Today’s spring statement was a low-key affair on housing policy, but Chancellor Rishi Sunk announced a zero VAT cut for energy efficiency improvements. Industry figures were quick to make their views known. Keystone Property Finance managing director Elise Coole is pleased with the news but has some reservations. She says: “While this is a step …

OSB Group Creates High Net Worth Team
OSB Group is set to create a high net worth client management team across its lending brands. Simon Cockerill, head of intermediate sales development, will lead the team that will work on all of the group’s brands; Precise Mortgages, Kent Reliance for Intermediaries and InterBay. Marc Callaghan, who left OSB Group to join Shawbrook in …

Landbay joins White Rose lender panel
Buy-to-let (BTL) lender Landbay has joined White Rose’s panel of lenders, giving White Rose representatives access to Landbay’s range of BTL mortgage products. White Rose is a Yorkshire-based finance broker that offers investors and new owners a ‘complete route’ to BTL products. Its members will now have access to Landbay’s product lines, including its green …

MAB adopts a full range of LV= Flexible Protection products
The Mortgage Advisory Bureau (MAB) is integrating the full range of LV= Flexible Protection Plan products into its Protection Panel from April. MAB Advisors previously had access to LV= Income Protection Plans, but will soon be able to select LV= Life Insurance and the LV= Life and Critical Illness Combination Coverage range individually or as …

BuildLoan launches self-build range with Darlington Building Society
BuildLoan has launched a new range of products with the Darlington Building Society, offering mortgages of up to £1.5m on self-built homes. The bespoke mortgage distributor says the partnership will offer clients who want to build their own property, either independently or on one of the many self-build sites, up to 85% of their project …

Business intelligence: trust is growing
Trying to come up with market forecasts over the past two years has been a bit of a guessing game. However, with almost all restrictions lifted and after 12 months of strong loans in the specialist financial market in 2021, I think we can feel a little more confident for 2022. Although gross lending in …

Elliot Advisers acquires majority stake in Enra Specialist Finance
The UK branch of investment fund Elliot Advisers has taken a majority stake in specialist lender Enra Specialist Finance for an undisclosed sum. Elliott acquired its share of the business from management of the lender and Exponent Private Equity, which has owned Enra for five years but will now exit the business altogether. The lender …

Advisors wonder about the (likely) rise in interest rates tomorrow
Tomorrow (March 17), the Bank of England (BoE) is expected to raise rates again to curb continuing rising inflation. It will be the second rate hike in two months since the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee voted 5-4 in favor of raising the interest rate from 0.25% to 0.50 %. With another hike expected tomorrow, …

Rising cost of living could deter potential buyers
Eight in 10 consumers are worried about the rising cost of living over the next six months, according to a new YouGov poll. This national survey found that 39% were ‘very worried’ about the cost of living squeeze, with a further 45% describing themselves as ‘quite worried’. The findings come ahead of the Chancellor’s spring …

Increased use of equity release to fund vacations
According to the latest data, the number of elderly owners using the release of equity to finance their holidays has tripled. Data from Legal and General Home Finance shows that 20% of withdrawing customers used these funds to travel in the first two months of 2022. This compares to just 7% in the same period …

Molo enters the residential market with a partnership with Rothesay
Molo Finance enters the residential mortgage market after securing a financing agreement with pension insurer Rothesay. The digital mortgage platform has been offering buy-to-let (BTL) products since 2018, with the new deal allowing the company to enter the residential market. Molo does this with its “FlexLife Mortgage” range, with fixed interest rates available over terms …

LiveMore sets up in Scotland | Mortgage strategy
Specialist lender LiveMore has expanded its operations in Scotland. The lender offers borrowers over the age of 50 retirement interest-only and term interest-only products on terms ranging from five to 30 years and up to 75% LTV. He says the Scottish market is “largely underserved” by big banks and his move to Scotland will open …

Abolish new council tax to raise £10bn: NRLA
Removing stamp duty on the purchase of new homes for rent could create a £10 billion benefit for the government, according to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA). The NRLA bases its call to action on research it commissioned from Capital Economics. This work predicts that removing the 3% tax would mean that nearly 900,000 …

Housing Watch: demand explodes
We entered 2021 with high hopes for a much better year than 2020. After another 12 turbulent months, however, we welcomed 2022 with cautious optimism, particularly in the housing market, which has seen unprecedented activity due to of the pandemic. A relatively slow January with a return to pre-Covid transaction levels was fleeting. February saw …

Wage losses throughout the pandemic strain FTBs
The financial consequences of Covid may have pushed back the average age of a first time buyer (FTB) by nearly two years, according to calculations by GetAgent.co.uk. The firm argues that with an average gross salary standing at just over £31,000, anyone who joined the government furlough scheme during Covid will have retained an income …

Lender Ratings: The Best in Buy-to-Lease
Panel members Jeni Browne, Sales Manager, Commercial MortgagesSteve Walker, buy-to-let and residential specialist at The Buy To Let BrokerGreg Cunnington, Director of Lender Relations and New Homes, Alexander HallTony Field, Sales Manager, DynamoMark Pattanshetti, Associate Director, Largemortgageloans.comDavid HollingworthAssociate Director of Communications, London & CountryMatt Tilbury, Senior Mortgage and Protection Advisor, Just MortgagesAaron Strutt, Chief Product …

Mortgage & Surveying Services acquires stake in Connect
Real estate group Mortgage & Surveying Services has announced that it has purchased “a significant stake” in specialist mortgage network Connect IFA for an undisclosed amount. Connect says the investment will strengthen its “financial strength and give it the ability to make further developments to its proposition as it continues to grow its presence in …

The bridging goes from strength to strength
Shutterstock / IR Stone Every real estate market has its winners and losers, and as housing shortages continue to prevail, the transitional sector finds itself in an advantageous position. Whether buyers are looking to restore a broken real estate chain or do a quick renovation, many are using bridging to gain the upper hand. “It’s …

The cladding costs of the lessor BTL must be borne: the deputies
Buy-to-let landlords must be included in government plans to make housing companies and their suppliers pay for the removal of hazardous coatings, MPs say. “The Secretary of State [for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove] said the government would protect leaseholders from remediation costs, but too many tenants will fall through the cracks of …

Pepper Money Launches Limited Edition Resist Products at Reduced Fees
Pepper Money has launched a range of limited edition home mortgages with reduced fees and £500 cash back. The specialty lender says loans are available on its Pepper 48 and Pepper 48 Light Residential range for purchase and remortgage. The range is suitable for customers who do not have hannounces a county court judgment ohra …

Buckinghamshire BS launches new mortgage product
The Buckinghamshire Building Society has launched a new five-year fixed rate remortgage contract. The product offers borrowers the opportunity to consolidate debt, raise capital for home renovations, or simply remortgage their existing home loan. The product charges a rate of 2.05% until May 31, 2027, with a product fee of £495. It is available up …

News analysis: FPC publishes consultation on affordability testing
In late February, the Bank of England’s (BoE) Financial Policy Committee (FPC) released its promised consultation on plans to scrap the mortgage affordability test, one of two recommendations first introduced. in 2014. These recommendations include the loan-income stream limit (LTI), which limits the number of mortgages that can be loaned at an LTI ratio greater …

Quantum Mortgages Details Green Mortgage Plans
Quantum Mortgages, which confirmed its launch plans late last year, has released details of its green mortgages. The buy-to-let (BTL) specialist says that for properties with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A or B, borrowers will benefit from a reduced completion fee and pay rate. Additionally, the maximum LTV will be increased by …

Mortgage rates have been rising rapidly since October: L&C
Mortgage rates have risen rapidly since bottoming out in October last year, according to analysis by L&C. The study shows that the average of the 2-year fixed rate products of the 10 major lenders has climbed by 1% since October and the 5-year rates by 0.92%. The same two-year mortgage would cost more than £800 …

News analysis: Diversity – A work in progress
Pam Brown, the managing partner of Pam Brown Mortgages, recalls attending an event in Santander for the UK’s top mortgage brokers 20 years ago, where the organizer shook hands with his husband and said, “Thank you for your business. Since then, the mortgage industry has made great strides toward diversity, according to Brown, although at …

The number of FTBs doubles in 2021: Barclays
The number of first-time buyers (FTB) in the UK doubled in 2021, with volumes up 98% on 2020, according to Barclays Mortgages’ first-time buyers index. According to the index, FTBs paid an average of £281,000 in 2021 to access the property ladder, a decrease of £12,600 from 2020, although this figure is higher than the …

Newcastle Intermediaries launches product range for new independents
Newcastle Intermediaries, the brokerage business of Newcastle Building Society, is launching a range of mortgage products for self-employed customers with at least one year of financial accounts. To access the products, borrowers must have been trading for a maximum of two years and have at least one year of available financial records. Two-year 2.55% fixed …

Swansea BS launches ‘green’ mortgage
Swansea Building Society has launched a new ‘green’ mortgage, available only on properties that have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A or B. The Company says it wants to reward homeowners who buy more energy-efficient homes, with a lower interest rate than its line of standard residential mortgages. There are a range of …

Kensington Mortgages doubles funding line to £2.6bn
Kensington Mortgages has doubled its secured funding lines to £2.6billion, which it says will support its owner-occupied property lending and buy-to-let business. The specialist lender has secured funding from Lloyds Bank, BNP Paribas, National Australia Bank and Bank of America, boosting its resources by £1.3bn. The new cash consists of an £800million increase to its …

Vacancies are falling, but rents are falling: Goodlord
Vacancies fell across England in February according to Goodlord, although this increase in rental activity has yet to boost rents which have fallen throughout the month. Real estate technology firm Goodlord attributed the drop in vacancies to continued strong demand for rental properties. This has yet to produce a price increase, with rents falling by …

LMS mortgage index reaches second highest peak
The LMS Remortgage Healthcheck Index hit its second-highest reading for the fourth quarter of 2021, after rising 2.6 points on faster growth in average approval values. The index, produced in partnership with CEBR, shows that the overall health check index reached 70.1. This was mainly due to a 5.7 point increase in the borrowing costs …

Govt Accelerates Bill To Stop Property Money Laundering
Foreign owners of UK property will be required to register their real identities in the new economic crime bill which the government has fast-tracked following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The aim is to prevent foreign owners from laundering “dirty money” through British ownership and to increase the number of Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs) issued …

More than a quarter of self-employed people consider quitting: Bluestone Mortgages
According to research by Bluestone Mortgages, more than a quarter of self-employed people in the UK are considering quitting and returning to regular employment. More than a third (37%) of self-employed people admitted that their situation had deteriorated since the pandemic, with 28% considering giving up self-employment. People between the ages of 18 and 34 …

Pepper Money will provide free EPCs to customers
Pepper Money is now offering its customers free advice on energy efficiency. This consists of carrying out an energy efficiency study on the client’s property, providing an energy performance certificate (EPC) and detailing an action plan to make their property more energy efficient. Pepper says that if the action plan requires funding for improvements, the …

January sees a rise in mortgage borrowing: BoE
Net mortgage borrowing has fallen from £4bn in December 2021 to £5.9bn in January this year, according to new figures from the Bank of England (BoE). This figure, according to the BoE, is higher than the pre-pandemic average of £4.3 billion in the 12 months to February 2020. Gross lending also increased from £22bn to …

Searches for advisors for subprime borrowers increased by 157% in January
According to Legal & General Mortgage Club (L&G MC), advisor searches for lenders willing to accept borrowers in default increased 157% in January, as did options suitable for arrears and missed mortgage payments, which respectively increased 77% and 90%. The findings come as the UK’s cost of living crisis continues to bite. Searches for customers …

BuildLoan and Nottingham launch three self-built mortgages
BuildLoan and Nottingham Building Society (BS) have launched three ‘cost-based’ mortgage products for people building their own homes. The products offer up to £600,000 and 80% of a client’s construction costs, with interest payments taking effect once construction has started. The first product has an initial rate of 3.8% for two years and a completion …

Brokers struggle to find loans for first-time homeowners: Mercantile Trust
Most brokers struggle to find loans for new homeowners, according to data from Mercantile Trust. Broker buy-to-let and bridge lender says 55% of intermediaries regularly experience difficulties when trying to find financing for new BTL customers, following an online survey. He adds that half of advisors had similar problems obtaining loans for BTL clients with …

Underserved customers fail to apply for home loans: Bluestone
According to Bluestone Mortgages, about 42% of people generally underserved by lenders don’t even apply for a mortgage, despite describing their situation as financially secure. The report finds that among those often underserved in the mortgage market – the self-employed, those with poor credit history or none – around 26% have not tried buying a …

Just Mortgages enters the equity release space
Just Mortgages has entered the equity release advice market. The broker has trained 13 qualified and licensed independent advisers to offer advice on stock release products. The new proposal follows a successful trial, and Just Mortgages will offer an intensive academy for independent brokers who wish to advise on equity release. The training was also …

Foundation Home Loans launches exclusive BTL range for expats
Foundation Home Loans has launched an exclusive buy-to-let range for expatriate homeowners. The broker-only lender says its Foundation’s Expat products are available to non-sspecial purpose vehicle sole proprietors who are UK nationals living as expatriates, as well as borrowers from limited liability companies. The range covers standard BTL, short-term rentals, multi-occupancy homes and green options …
New Silver Launches DeFi Securitized Mortgage Fund for Investing in Real-World Assets
WEST HARTFORD, CT /ACCESSWIRE/February 23, 2022/ new money, a leading technology company that provides rapid funding to real estate investors, today announced the launch of its new Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Securitized Mortgage Fund (“Fund”). The Fund will enable accredited investors in the United States, as well as across the world, to gain exposure to a …

LiveMore secures £275m funding line from NatWest Markets
Over 50-year-old mortgage lender LiveMore Capital has secured a £275m funding line with NatWest Markets. The funding will facilitate the growth of LiveMore’s portfolio and the origination of loans for interest-only mortgage products. The lender says it is now able to reinvent end-of-life mortgages and “mobilize the entire financial services industry towards fairer and more …

NRLA slams government for excluding owners from liner repair
The government’s plans to solve the siding scandal penalize small rental landlords and are based on “lazy and false assumptions” according to critics from the National Residential Landlords Association. The reprimand follows comments by Housing Secretary Michael Gove to the Select Committee on Upgrading, Housing and Communities. Gove has confirmed that landlords who let more …

Suffolk BS releases new 95% LTV patches
The Suffolk Building Society has launched new two and five year 95% LTV patches. The products, aimed primarily at the first-time buyer market, will also include independent candidates and those looking to buy a new home. The rate on the two-year contract is 3.25%, fixed until April 30, 2024. After this period, the rate reverts …

Feature: Landlord exodus predictions could turn out to be wrong
Shutterstock/Photobank.Kiev.UA Many buy-to-let (BTL) professionals are optimistic about the market outlook after a strong 2021. Mortgage strategy cited good mortgage availability, easing criteria and low rates as reasons for their optimistic outlook. This positivity is despite tougher tax conditions for homeowners and the threat of additional costs to improve the energy efficiency of homes, which, …

Buoyant real estate market sees largest monthly rise in asking prices
February saw the largest monthly increase in house prices – in cash terms – according to the latest Rightmove property index. According to this property index, asking prices in February hit a record high of £348,804, an increase of £7,785, or 2.3% from the previous month. Asking prices are now 9.4% higher than a year …

Mortgages to older borrowers totaled £28.1bn in 2021
The highest annual volume and value of mortgage loans to borrowers aged over 55 since 2014 occurred last year, according to UK Finance’s latest quarterly end-of-life mortgage report. The report says there were 187,120 new mortgages to borrowers aged 55 and over taken out in 2021, totaling £28.1bn over the year. This represents an 11% …

A third of those over 55 are considering a pension supplement with equity release
According to Canada Life, about one-third of over-55s with private pension plans plan to free up equity in their primary residence to help fund their retirement. The financial services giant says its survey shows 30% of this near-retirement group plan to use their homes to provide cash once they stop working. He adds that over-55s …

Owner overpayments soar to £335m: Santander
Santander says its mortgage customers have overpaid £335million on their mortgages so far this year, or more than £47.5million a week. The bank points out that these overpayments, which are 50% higher than overpayments made at the same time last year, can have “a significant impact” on the interest that owners pay throughout the term. …

Comment: Keep working together | Mortgage strategy
After a frenetic year that consistently exceeded expectations, it’s invigorating to look at 2022 with fresh eyes and assess what the market should be preparing for in the months ahead. Last year was characterized by a surge in sales fueled by the stamp duty holiday and second home buyers. Naturally, this has led to a …

Atom Bank Launches Exclusive Quasi-Prime Offers for Sesame Advisors
Atom Bank has launched several exclusive two-year fixed rate quasi-premium product offers for Sesame Network advisors. The app-only lender indicates that the products are available in different LTV ranges, such as a 75% LTV option with a rate of 2.89% or a 70% LTV product with a rate of 2 .74%. He adds that customers …

Paragon Bank doubles mortgage rate window to six months
Paragon Bank has doubled the period that buy-to-let customers can lock in a mortgage rate from three months to six months. It says it will offer brokers a 0.30% proxy fee for each product change they present to the lender. The company sells a range of two- and five-year fixed rate products aimed at those …

Increase in the number of buyers using the mortgage guarantee system to 95%
A total of 6,535 properties were bought with the new government help to buy a mortgage guarantee scheme between April and September this year. The latest data — covering the period from the launch of the program on April 19 to the end of September — shows that 84% of these mortgages were taken out …

Fleet Mortgages CEO retires
Bob Young, Managing Director of Fleet Mortgages has announced that he will be retiring in April. Young and his management team launched Fleet Mortgages, a buy-to-let specialist, in 2014. He will be replaced by Mike Lane, currently Chief Operating Officer of Fleet. Lane has been with Fleet since 2014 and was part of the management …

Atom Bank raises another £75m as it eyes IPO
Atom Bank has raised over £75m in funding as it plans to float. The funding led by BBVA and Toscafund with co-investors Infinity Investment Partners follows a £40m raise in April 2021 and brings the total raised by the app-based bank in the last 12 months to 115 million pounds. The digital bank says its …

Inflation picks up to 5.5%
Inflation measured by the consumer price index (CPI) increased slightly in January, from 5.4% in December 2021 to 5.5%. This set a record 12-month inflation rate since records began in 1997 for the second consecutive time and, extrapolating backwards from there, it is the highest reading since March 1992, when inflation reached 7.1%. Earlier this …
The 10 rules for choosing the best mortgage fund to boost your income
The cause of renewed investor interest is the search for an alternative to low savings and fixed bank rates, especially among retirees looking for regular, reliable payments that offer a return above inflation. The annual return of an average $100,000 term deposit account is $520 (or 0.5%). The return on the same amount in an …

Majority of mortgages taken in 2021 five-year fixes: LMS
More than half – 52% – of mortgages in 2021 were on a five-year solution, LMS’ annual mortgage report shows. Meanwhile, 37% of mortgages taken out were of the two-year type and only 2% at a 10-year fixed rate. Overall, mortgage activity increased in 2021, “with a steady increase in instruction and completion volumes following …

Affinity Mortgages added to Proportunity broker panel
Affinity Mortgages will now be able to offer Proportunity equity loans to its clients, following the lender’s addition to Proportunity’s panel of brokers. The loans, which help people with limited capital to move up the property ladder, are available to first-time buyers and existing homeowners. Loans are made through brokers only, up to a value …

TML simplifies the resi offer; scrap underwriting cascade
The mortgage lender (TML) reduced the number of tiers for its residential products to four and removed its underwriting cascade for potential borrowers with unsecured arrears. According to the lender, this will make it easier for brokers to place cases for customers with credit issues. In the residential range, up to 75% LTV, rates now …

PEXA enters the UK property market with a mortgage solution
Australian fintech PEXA is launching into the UK property market this year, with a solution originally designed for the country’s mortgage industry. The solution will focus on mortgages in England and Wales and aim to streamline the process for mortgage lenders, solicitors and transfer agents. The company said it was aiming to drastically reduce the …

Buy-to-let Watch: Planning is everything
Without wanting to sound like a broken record, 2021 has been another year of uncertainty for all of us, owners included. However, amidst the closures and the alarming rate of inflation, there was something to celebrate for real estate investors! Helped in part by demand initially sparked by the stamp duty holiday, house prices have …

Greener rented homes could cut tenant bills by £844m: Hamptons
Landlords are buying greener properties before the government legislates in this area, meaning tenants can pay lower utility bills than owner-occupiers, saving up to £844m a year, according to Hamptons. The real estate agent says that so far this year, the share of homes bought by investors with an A to C energy performance certificate …

Blog: Covid-19, equity release and vulnerability
With vulnerability on the agenda more than ever – particularly in light of the impact of the pandemic on financial security – advisors across the UK are paying even greater attention to how they identify and manage customer vulnerability. As part of our commitment to supporting the financial advice market, more2life launched its latest annual …

Halifax Intermediaries revamps FTB and moving rates
Halifax Intermediaries will make price changes to select products for first-time buyers and movers, including affordable housing – share shares and condominiums, on Monday, February 14. The broker-only subsidiary says the move will cut rates by up to 34 basis points on certain fixed-rate products from 85-90% to two-year fixed and five-year fixed-rate offerings from …

What is the buy-to-let agenda for 2022?
Shutterstock/Anna evlanova.ru The real estate market exploded last year, including the buy-to-let (BTL) sector. According to UK Finance, BTL buying activity grew to £18 billion in 2021, a colossal 83% increase on activity in 2020. Meanwhile, Shawbrook Bank’s 2021 Buy-to-Let report found that the value of the private rental sector grew by 5.8% in 2021, …

Energize owners for EPC changes
Shutterstock/Kletr April 2025 may seem like a long way off, but this date should stick in the minds of homeowners who own energy-intensive properties. In three years, the government hopes to bid farewell to the multitude of drafty and neglected properties that plague some corners of the private rental sector. It plans to make it …

News Analysis: The New Year Brings a Perfect Storm for Brokers
Rising cost of living, chronic housing shortages and rising inflation were highlighted as key challenges for mortgage brokers in 2022. House prices are at record highs and mortgage affordability is tightening due to inflation and the looming threat of interest rate hikes. Energy price spikes also put overwhelming pressure on the cost of living for …

Pivotal Growth expands its portfolio by acquiring a broker specializing in new construction
Aggregator Pivotal Growth has expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of Barn Protection and Mortgage Services. Barn is a brokerage specializing in new home loans, based in Northampton. He has been in business for 15 years. Pivotal Growth was formed in April last year, as a joint venture between LSL Property Services and Pollen Street …

Mortgage lender cuts BTL rates and launches new product
The mortgage lender cut rates on its buy-to-let range and launched a new product. The company has announced that it has priced its five-year 75% fixed loan to value cash back and fee assisted products, with rates now starting at 3.33% for standard properties and 3.45% for multiple occupancy homes. Both offers come with a …

Are owners ready for the EPC rule changes?
Jon Cooper, Head of Mortgage Distribution, Aldermore Owners are experts at dealing with change. They’ve had a lot of practice over the past 10 years. But the next hurdle is high. Minimum energy efficiency standards are set to tighten considerably in just three years if the government’s proposals come to fruition. And properties that aren’t …

Brightstar Group redeems private equity stake after record year
The Brightstar Group management team has taken over a majority stake in the company, to buy the remaining shares held by private equity in an all-cash transaction for an undisclosed amount. The transaction, which comes after a banner year for the group, means that the management team now owns a 54% stake in the company. …

Danske Bank extends its carbon-neutral mortgage
Danske Bank UK announces that it will extend its range of carbon neutral mortgages in England to flats and flats, including new build, up to a maximum of 85% loan to value. The Bank will now also consider applications where the applicant’s main source of income is from self-employment, up to a maximum of 90% …

Mandate review: Provisum invests in Syntrus Achmea mortgage fund | News
Pensioenfonds Provisum has invested 80 million euros in Achmea Dutch Residential Mortgage Fund from Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance. Provisum manages the C&A Netherlands pension scheme and has over 10,000 members. The fund’s assets are managed by Anthos Fund & Asset Management. The Achmea Dutch Residential Mortgage Fund, established in 1997, manages assets of …

News analysis: Gove’s best tier for housing?
The government has finally published its long-awaited white paper on the ‘upgrading’ agenda, courtesy of the Secretary of State for Upgrading, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove. This 2019 election slogan expresses a desire to smooth the gaps in wealth and opportunity, which are currently concentrated in the Southeast, across the country. The government says it …

Top Lender Concerns for 2022
Coming to what is – hopefully – the final round of the Covid pandemic and considering all the changes the past two years have brought to society, the economy and the way we are governed, Mortgage strategy thought it was time to ask a number of lenders what risks they were considering at the start …

FSCS lists mortgage advisers among companies in default
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has named 12 defaulting and bankrupt businesses, including a mortgage adviser. Midland Independent Financial Services, formerly The Mortgage Shop, has been listed as one of 12 companies te FSCS believes that they are unable to respond to complaints themselves. Customers who they owe money to may be able to …

Market Watch: A big hello to 2022
“I don’t know about you, but I’m 22.” Yes, a big hello to 2022 and to all of you from Taylor and I. May I be the first to wish you a very happy new year. What? Is it February already? Either way, welcome to a bright new year and I hope you all had …

Knowledge Bank Adds West One Loans BTL Criteria to Platform
Knowledge Bank has added West One Loans buy-to-let criteria to its search platform. West One revamped its buy-to-let loan credentials last month and they have now been included in Knowledge The Bank’s platform, which includes more than 135,000 individual criteria covering more than 270 lenders. West One’s BTL Managing Director, Andrew Ferguson, said: “As a …

Rightmove sees record demand in January
Rightmove recorded its busiest January ever with buyer demand up 16% from the same month a year ago, adding there were ‘early signs’ that more homes were coming in in the market to ease the pressure on prices. The real estate website, founded in 2000, saw more than 218 million visits to its site and …

Bank of England raises interest rate to 0.5%
The Bank of England again raised the base rate from 0.25% to 0.5%. This latest hike follows an unexpected rate hike in December, when the base rate fell from a historic low of 0.1% to 0.25%. This latest rate hike is in response to increased inflationary pressures in the economy. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) …

Government Reveals Upgrade Plan; housing at the top of the list
The government has announced that it will soon publish its White Paper on Leveling, the overall aim of which is, over a decade, to address and correct the geographical inequality of opportunity and wealth plaguing the UK. “We have one of the largest and fastest growing economies in the world. Ours is the most spoken …

Crystal Wins Investment to Increase War Chest Funding
Crystal Specialist Finance has attracted investment from the private company Pagos Holdings I Limited. Pagos has taken a passive minority stake, providing funds that Crystal says will be used alongside its own capital reserves to make acquisitions, “which serve mortgage brokers and professional introducers,” Crystal says. She adds that she is currently in “advanced negotiations” …

Home hunter demand sets record in 17 years: Propertymark
Housing demand for the whole of 2021 saw an average of 459 registered house hunters per Propertymark member estate agency – the most since 2004, when the 12-month average was 475. However, although January 21 was home to an average of 38 properties per branch – which Propertymark describes as a healthy situation – this …

Skipton offers discounted products for green improvements
Skipton has issued two additional loan products specifically for borrowers who want to make green improvements to their homes. The products come in the form of discounted two-year base rate trackers, one for residential use and one for buy-to-let (BTL). For residential use, the mortgage is available up to 90% LTV and fixed at 1.09% …

Masthaven Bank to leave the UK and sell its mortgage portfolio
Masthaven has announced that he will exit the UK banking market within the next two years. The lender has confirmed that it will sell its mortgage portfolio through a tender process, which is expected to conclude this year. The decision to pull out of the UK was made because the bank was unable to secure …

Virgin Money Announces 10-Year Fixed Rate at 1.89%
Virgin Money has launched three new fixed-rate offers and reduced the price of one of its longer-term mortgages. The three new products are all available at up to 75% LTV, charge a fee of £995, come with £1,000 cashback and consist of: A seven-year fix at 1.89% A 10-year fix at 1.89% A 15-year fix …

Enra Specialist Finance completes £285m securitization
Enra Specialist Finance has completed a £285m public securitization of lease and second-order loans. It says the mortgage portfolio was created under the company’s West One Loans brand, making it its second public securitization. The order book was oversubscribed twice. The company issued its first transaction in November 2020, and said it would then become …

Kensington Mortgages faces break in £1bn sale: Sky
Kensington Mortgages could be split as five companies fight to buy the £1bn valued specialist lender, according to Sky News. It says challenger lender Starling Bank is bidding against Barclays and another high street lender to buy the Kensington platform, while rival investment houses Pimco and M&G Investments are battling to buy the company’s mortgage …