News & Insights - First time buyer

First time buyers will be able to benefit from discounted new homes under a new ‘First Homes’ scheme proposed by the Government.

Data produced by HM Land Registry in December revealed staggering differences between the cheapest and most expensive properties sold.

Homebuyers with only a 5% deposit to put down now have a wider choice of mortgage options to choose from following the launch of a new range of fixed rate mortgages.

Spring is usually considered the best time to sell a property, but in fact there’s no time like the present, according to new research.

Despite recent reports that self-employed people often believe they’d struggle to get a mortgage, being your own boss won’t necessarily make it harder to get on the property ladder.

Figures reveal a growing number of mortgages being taken over terms of 35 years or more. Find out about the pros and cons of longer mortgage terms.

The amount first-time buyers are saving for a deposit has risen by 12% over the past year to reach an average of £30,989.

One in five (22%) first-time buyers is hoping their parents will cough up more than half the funds they need to get onto the property ladder, according to new research.

Landlords should be incentivised to sell to tenants at a discount under a new scheme proposed by conservative think-tank the Centre for Policy Studies.

First-time buyers who are currently renting could find it easier to get onto the property ladder now that rental payment information will be included on their credit reports.

First-time buyer numbers in August reached their highest level since June last year, with a total of 35,500 mortgages completed.

The number of self-employed people in the UK continues to grow, but getting a mortgage if you work for yourself isn’t always straightforward.

Growing numbers of lenders are launching Help to Buy mortgages, increasing the options available to buyers of new build properties.

This year’s Gas Safety Week, which runs from September 17-23, aims to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly maintained gas appliances, which can cause fires, explosions, gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Gross mortgage lending reached £24.6bn in July, according to latest figures from trade body UK Finance, its highest level since March 2016.

Despite changes to stamp duty designed to help those struggling to get onto the property ladder, more than 2m first-time buyers aren’t sure whether they will benefit from the new rules.

Clydesdale Bank has become the latest lender to introduce a new range of mortgages specifically for professionals.

Homeowners with only a limited amount of equity now have a greater choice of remortgage options, with lenders including Virgin Money, Tesco and Atom Bank improving their offerings at this end of the market.

First-time buyers who manage to get onto the property ladder could save an average of more than £2,200 a year compared to renting, with buying now cheaper than renting in all areas of the UK.

More than 40,000 homeowners remortgaged in April, according to latest figures from trade body UK Finance, up 36% compared to the same month last year.

Falling numbers of first-time buyers will benefit from stamp duty relief over the next decade, with rising property prices meaning around 4m homes across England may no longer qualify.

Saving for a deposit is often the biggest challenge first-time buyers face but increasing numbers of lenders are introducing new mortgage deals which only require a 5% deposit.

More than half of millennials – those aged between 18 and 35 - are considering buying a home with friends or family to achieve their aim of getting on the property ladder.

First-time buyers are increasingly taking out mortgages with terms much longer than the usual 25 years to help make their monthly payments more affordable.

Haggling on the property price can be tricky. Some sellers will be happy to negotiate, whereas others may be determined not to drop below the asking price, so it’s not always easy to know how far you can push it.