First Mortgage News

With consumer confidence at an all time high, the buy-to-let market in the UK is looking exceptionally healthy. Around 17,700 buy-to-let loans were handed out in November 2014, totalling £2.4bn, according to figures released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). Recent surveys have also claimed nearly half of UK homeowners have their sights on […]

Since its launch, the Help to Buy initiative began much stronger than had been anticipated, with a total of 4,100 homes have been bought in the last 15 months. The scheme aims to rejuvenate the house-building industry, helping first time buyers and current owners purchase a new-build home through a shared equity agreement. With Help […]

The mortgage market over past months has been subject to competition on an unprecedented level, with many brokers predicting it will continue past the forthcoming general election. With lenders now extending their product ranges and giving greater choice to the consumer, it could not be a more exciting time to gain a foothold on the […]

Encouraging Signs for the Market in 2015 2014 was another year of growth in the Scottish property market. In the third quarter, there were 7,500 first time buyer loans, an increase of 15% on the same quarter in 2013. Figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) also revealed that during this period, first time […]

The purchase of a new property rarely goes according to plan, with home buyers regularly encountering obstacles that cause delays and at times, even bring the whole process to an abrupt conclusion. With increasing competition for homes in the UK and the falling number of available properties, many property sales are contested by a number […]

The Scottish Government has announced revised rates for residential properties under the new Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT). This replaces the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) in relation to residential property transactions in Scotland and comes into force from 1 April 2015. Just after three months of presenting the LBTT, the Scottish Government has […]