July 2011 Archive

Mortgage approvals beat analysts' expectations

Mortgage approvals increase marginally, but remain at record low levels.

Santander overhauls mortgage range

Santander reduces the cost of many of its mortgages

Spanish bank Santander has overhauled its UK mortgages range - cutting rates on many of its key products.

House prices increase despite worrying economic outlook

House prices increase as the market maintains its stability

House prices have risen by 0.2 per cent but the property sector outlook remains uncertain.

Land Registry data shows UK house prices fell by 2.5% in past year

The Land Registry House Price Index shows no change in house prices from May to June 2011

The latest Land Registry House Price Index shows that there has been no change in house prices from May to June but a 2.5 per cent fall in the last 12 months.

Chelsea BS launch lowest ever five-year fixed rate mortgage at 3.39%

Chelsea Building society has launched a new five-year fixed rate mortgage deal at 3.39%

Chelsea Building Society has launched a new range of mortgage products that includes the lowest five-year fixed rate mortgage deal on the market

Skipton launches new two-year fixed mortgage deal

Skipton Building Society's new two-year fixed rate is 2.48 per cent

Skipton Building Society has launched a new two-year fixed rate mortgage at 2.48 per cent.

Low GDP growth means that interest rate hike is less likely

Low GDP growth means the Bank of England is likely to hold off raising interest rates

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released today show that the UK economy grew by just 0.2 per cent in the last three months which means that the Bank of England is unlikely to raise base rate until mid 2012.

Mortgage lending 'down 11%'

Housing market activity continues to be weak, a new report has said

New figures from the British Bankers' Association have shown year-on-year mortgage lending down in June.

Coventry Intermediaries launches Flexx Fixed mortgage range

Coventry Intermediaries is launching a new Flexx Fixed range of fixed-rate mortgage products

Coventry Intermediaries is launching its new Flexx Fixed range of fixed-rate mortgage products tomorrow (July 26th) under its Godiva Mortgages brand.

Yorkshire Building Society acquires Egg savings and mortgages

Yorkshire Building Society has acquired the savings and mortgage business of Egg Banking.

Yorkshire Building Society launches five year fixed rate mortgage at 3.49%

Yorkshire Building Society has dropped its fixed mortgage rates

Yorkshire Building Society has dropped the interest rates on its two-year and five-year fixed rate mortgages.

Santander launches new three-year fixed mortgage

Santander is offering a new three-year fixed mortgage deal

Santander has launched a new three-year fixed mortgage deal.

Nationwide cuts fixed mortgage rates

Nationwide is dropping its fixed mortgage rates

Nationwide is reducing all of its two and three-year fixed mortgage rates by up to 0.3 per cent for new applications from today (July 21st).

Recession hits lowest skilled workers and widens north-south divide

The recession has hit lower-skilled workers hardest, according to new figures

The recession is widening north-south divide and affecting low-skilled workers more than their high-skilled counterparts, official statistics have shown.

Mortgage lending down in June, report reveals

Figures from the CML have shown a dip in mortgage activity over the last year

New figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders have revealed a dip in mortgage lending in June compared with last year.

B of E MPC minutes show that rate rise is further away

The Bank of England's MPC voted 7-2 to keep interest rates at 0.5 per cent

The latest minutes of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) reveal that a rise in interest rates is looking increasingly likely to be pushed back to the second half of 2012.

Top tips for buy-to-let landlords

The buy-to-let mortgage market is buoyant but there are lots of things a potential landlord has to remember

The buy-to-let market is booming as the inability of first-time buyers to get on the property ladder adds to the demand for rental property. We focus on what landlords need to remember.

To track or not to track?

Deciding whether to switch to a tracker mortgage is a big decision at present

Choosing a fixed-rate deal or a tracker mortgage linked to the base rate of interest is a huge decision at the moment for many borrowers, as lenders are offering great fixed deals.

70% of homes put up for sale in 2011 remain unsold

Demand for property sales has fallen sharply in 2011, according to Rightmove

Property website Rightmove has revealed that July asking prices for homes for sale have fallen by 1.6 per cent and there is a big discrepancy in asking prices and sale prices.

Rental costs hit £700pm to reach record high

Rental costs have reached a new record in June

A lack of supply of rental properties and the difficulties facing potential first-time-buyers in getting on the housing market has led to the average rental cost exceeding £700 per month.

Britons fear reporting crimes will deter homebuyers

A quarter of Britons would not report crime if they felt the value of their home would suffer

Online crime maps are making Britons afraid to report crimes, a new study has shown.

House prices 'will not recover until 2020'

UK house prices could take the best part of a decade to recover, new analysis has suggested

House prices in the UK will not return to pre-recession levels in real terms for the best part of ten years, it has been predicted.

Halifax drops mortgage interest charges

Halifax has cut the interest rates on its fixed mortgage deals

Halifax has reduced its fixed rate mortgages charges for both homebuyers and people looking to remortgage.

House sales and new mortgages up slightly in May, says CML

Mortgage lending increased in May, says the CML

The latest data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) reveals that house sales and re-mortgaging levels increased in May from April but are still lower than this time last year.