Category Archives: Financial Services

If you’re looking to buy your first home right now, you’ve probably been hearing a lot about rising house prices and interest rates, as well as the cost of living. With so much uncertainty, it’s really important to carefully consider how much you can afford to pay when buying a home, including your mortgage costs. […]

Borrowing to buy property could become easier for many as the Bank of England plans to remove mortgage stress tests this summer after eight years. Since 2014, lenders have been required to carry out a particular set of ‘stress tests’ on each mortgage application as a way of ensuring affordability. The criteria was brought in […]

What is a good EPC rating and how can it affect your mortgage? Here’s everything you need to know. With sustainability playing an increasingly important role in the housing sector, there has been more discussion around whether EPC ratings affect mortgages. An EPC rating measures the energy efficiency of a property and when you are buying or […]

Banks are increasingly aware not all parents can help children buy a property with cash.   Helping loved ones onto the housing ladder with a lump sum of money is a luxury, especially in the midst of the current cost of living crisis. Soaring house prices mean the goalposts of homeownership have moved even further […]

Here are 5 top tips homeowners should consider to help manage an interest rate rise. Explore locking in a fixed rate mortgage Existing borrowers whose mortgages are directly linked to the bank rate may see an increase in monthly repayments. Those who are on lender revert rates or Standard Variable Rates (SVRs) will have to wait and see if their lender will pass on the rate increase in full or […]

The first in our line of ask-the-expert interviews, we’re speaking to Simon Chapman, a Buy-to-Let Mortgage specialist from Direct2Mortgages. Thank you Simon for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to answer a couple of questions on Mortgages. PJ: Firstly, could tell us a little bit about Direct2Mortgages? SC: Direct Mortgages began in […]

  In December 2015, the government launched a new scheme that could help first-time buyers secure their first property. The “Help To Buy ISA” is a newly introduced savings account where for every £200 you transfer into that account, the government will add £50. It subsequently means that if you were to do this every […]