News & insights - Moving home

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.

Whilst first-time buyers often rely on the Bank of Mum and Dad to help with their deposits, those planning their next move also depend on their support, according to the latest ‘Second Steppers’ report from Lloyds Bank.

Competition in the mortgage market has been heating up recently, with new figures revealing the ever-shrinking margin between average 2 and 5 year fixed rates.

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.

The Sunday Telegraph reported this weekend on the narrowing gap between 2 and 10 year fixed rates, as lenders compete to attract borrowers looking for longer term peace of mind.

House prices fell by 0.2% in May, according to latest figures from Nationwide, with ongoing pressure on household budgets helping push down prices.

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.

Four in 10 millennials are living in rented private accommodation at the age of the 30, with home ownership seemingly out of reach for many.

The Post Office has introduced a new ‘Family Link’ mortgage aimed at first-time buyers that can afford monthly mortgage payments but who don’t have a deposit to put down.

A new stamp duty system is being introduced in Wales next month, which means many buyers won’t pay the tax when purchasing a property costing up to £180,000.

After several years of steady increases, the number of people working on zero hours contracts has plateaued.

NatWest has launched the ability for brokers to extend the offer period on mortgages for new build homes, which could increase it from six to as much as 12 months. The aim is to enhance its flexibility for the new build market and helps bring it in line with other lenders.

Buyers, including many first timers, who signed up for the government’s Help to Buy equity loan scheme in its early stages will soon start being charged interest on their loans.

Homeowners and buyers could face steeper mortgage rates when the government’s scheme to boost lending finishes at the end of this month.

As household name M&S Bank entered the mortgage market and launched its first product range last week, the Times looked at what they will be offering in terms of criteria.

M&S Bank has launched its first mortgage range, which includes fixed and tracker deals for those moving home or remortgaging, as well as for first-time buyers.

House prices slowed in the year to the end of November, according to Halifax’s latest house price index, rising by 3.9%, down from 4.5% in October.

The Budget introduced a range of measures designed to boost the housing market and improve the supply of new homes in the UK. Here’s our rundown of the changes announced.

Here’s how lenders are reacting to the Bank of England’s decision to cut Base Rate. We’ll keep updating this page as news comes come in.

Tomorrow’s Autumn Budget sees growing speculation that the Chancellor could announce measures to help first-time buyers, as well as plans to build more houses.

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.

Increasing numbers of homeowners are opting to stay put rather than move up the property ladder, according to research by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML).