News & insights - Moving home

New homes and planning reforms have been pledged by the government in a bid to “build better homes where people want to live” and boost the UK’s economic recovery post-coronavirus.

Homeowners with leasehold properties could find it easier to buy the freehold or extend their leases, under changes to the leasehold system proposed by the Law Commission.

Homebuyers throughout the UK will now benefit from lower stamp duty costs, with Scottish and Welsh governments both confirming temporary tax cuts.

On 8th July Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a major tax cut for home buyers, with a temporary waiver of Stamp Duty Land Tax for all properties valued up to £500,000.

Nationwide, Britain’s biggest building society, has reduced the maximum amount it will lend so that it can “continue to lend responsibly”.

Homeowners who have taken mortgage payment holidays to help them weather the financial impact of coronavirus may be able to extend their breaks by three months, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has confirmed.

The Bank of England is reviewing whether to cut interest rates to less than zero to help stimulate an economic recovery, but has said it won’t act until it has fully assessed the impact of doing so.

Some mortgage lenders have announced changes to their affordability criteria to give more clarity for those who have been furloughed due to coronavirus, or those who receive a variable income which includes bonuses.

Home-movers are being advised by the Government to put their plans on hold wherever possible whilst measures are in place to fight coronavirus.

Nationwide, the UK’s largest building society, will soon re-enter the interest-only mortgage market - but only high earners will be eligible.

Paying off your mortgage early is a pretty appealing prospect for most people, so it’s little wonder that many of us plough any cash we don’t have an immediate need for back into our homes.

Buyers will now be responsible for finding out whether the property they're purchasing has been invaded by Japanese knotweed if the current owner isn’t sure.

We explain everything you need to know about mortgages and the impact having children can have on your ability to borrow.

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

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we take a look at the practical considerations you’ll want to think about before you make the big commitment of living together.

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.

After all that festive spending, the New Year is the ideal time to review your finances and look at ways you might be able to save money in 2020.

More than half of first-time buyers (57%) believe they’d be able to borrow up to 10 times’ their income when they take out a mortgage, 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.

Most mortgage applications go without a hitch, but there are times when applications are refused, leaving buyers or homeowners wondering which way to turn. The good news is that once you know the reasons why a mortgage might be declined you can work on boosting your chances of being accepted.

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.

You might be surprised to find out that more people Google ‘How to buy a house in Skyrim’ than ‘How to buy a house in London’ Paris, or even New York.