http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/?service=Rss http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/your-family-is-growing-your-home-is-groaning-but-no-one-wants-to-sell-872168.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/your-family-is-growing-your-home-is-groaning-but-no-one-wants-to-sell-872168.html <p>Even a credit crunch isn't likely to put people off starting or extending a family &ndash; but it's making it harder to trade up to a bigger family home. </p> Mortgages Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/the-mortgage-clinic-how-do-i-escape-from-northern-rocks-svr-868455.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/the-mortgage-clinic-how-do-i-escape-from-northern-rocks-svr-868455.html <p> <b>I bought my flat days before the Northern Rock crisis, on a 4.89 per cent fix with the same bank that ends in October. I have 60 per cent equity in the flat, but my mortgage is seven times my income. However, I am due a pay rise &ndash; would I qualify for Woolwich's lifetime tracker or should I resign myself to the 7.49 per cent Rock SVR? PS, by email</b> </p> Mortgages Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:27 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/brokers-fined-and-banned-in-fsa-crackdown-866268.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/brokers-fined-and-banned-in-fsa-crackdown-866268.html <p>City regulator the Financial Services Authority (FSA) has continued its clean-up of the mortgage advice market. </p> Mortgages Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/from-may-to-may-home-loan-approvals-down-44-per-cent-866269.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/from-may-to-may-home-loan-approvals-down-44-per-cent-866269.html <p>The home loan market continues in its state of torpor, according to the latest survey from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). </p> Mortgages Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/you-run-from-high-rates-but-then-the-charges-whack-you-866273.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/you-run-from-high-rates-but-then-the-charges-whack-you-866273.html <p>The rising cost of mortgage rates has hardly been out of the headlines in recent months but a more punishing measure of inflation for homebuyers and remortgagers has largely escaped the consumer radar: mortgage arrangement fees. </p> Mortgages Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/price-slide-over-in-a-year-866276.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/price-slide-over-in-a-year-866276.html <p>Estate agents are optimistic that the slump in UK property prices will be over by this time next year. </p> Mortgages Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/the-mortgage-clinic-why-cant-i-get-my-lenders-cheaper-fix-862647.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/the-mortgage-clinic-why-cant-i-get-my-lenders-cheaper-fix-862647.html <p> <b>Our building society fixed-rate mortgage ends soon, so I visited its website and saw another two-year fix. On application, I was told it was only open to new customers, and the best on offer was a fix matching their variable rate &ndash; and I'd have to pay for fixing it! As customers of nine years, I feel we're being penalised. Is this normal practice? ATB, London, by email</b> </p> Mortgages Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/ignore-housings-doommongers-ndash-the-sky-isnt-falling-in-860771.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/ignore-housings-doommongers-ndash-the-sky-isnt-falling-in-860771.html <p>Another week, another collective panic. The "Blairs in negative equity" headlines have kicked up more house price fuss as the market slips further. Average estimates from mortgage brokers such as Savills suggest that prices have another 10 to 15 per cent to fall by the end of 2009 &ndash; a return to house values of 2004. And Morgan Stanley suggests that a 20 per cent fall would result in two million people, or one in six borrowers, in negative equity. </p> Mortgages Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/so-much-for-peace-of-mind-borrowers-seek-glimmer-of-hope-as-the-cheap-fixes-end-860774.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/so-much-for-peace-of-mind-borrowers-seek-glimmer-of-hope-as-the-cheap-fixes-end-860774.html <p>July could prove an extremely tough month for borrowers who are about to come to the end of a cheap fixed-rate mortgage. The cost of these deals is soaring, leaving many already overstretched homeowners facing a steep hike in their monthly payments. </p> Mortgages Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/how-to-cash-in-on-the-value-of-your-home-860399.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/how-to-cash-in-on-the-value-of-your-home-860399.html <p> After more than a decade of phenomenal growth, UK house prices have finally started to slide over the past few months, with some parts of the country already recording double-digit falls since the peaks hit in 2006 and 2007. </p> Mortgages Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/mortgage-clinic-should-i-pay-off-my-mortgage-with-savings-858080.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/mortgage-clinic-should-i-pay-off-my-mortgage-with-savings-858080.html <p><b>'We're approaching the end of a five-year fix with Alliance & Leicester and owe &pound;97,000. We have roughly &pound;70,000 in savings; would you suggest paying all this in to the mortgage and leaving us with a &pound;27,000 debt? Or should we pay some off, or none at all? We'd like to move to a larger house in 2010'. CI, Leeds</b></p> Mortgages Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/house-prices-ndash-the-market-collapses-858325.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/house-prices-ndash-the-market-collapses-858325.html <p>House prices fell for an eighth successive month in June and have registered their worst annual rate of decline since December 1992. </p> Mortgages Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/house-and-home/property/property-prices-down-for-eighth-month-in-a-row-857819.html http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/house-and-home/property/property-prices-down-for-eighth-month-in-a-row-857819.html <p> House prices fell for the eighth month in a row during June, while annual growth fell at its fastest rate since the 1990s crash, figures showed today. </p> Property Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:49:48 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/home-loan-approvals-at-record-low-857110.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/home-loan-approvals-at-record-low-857110.html <p> The number of mortgages approved for people buying a house sunk to a new record low during May, figures showed today. </p> Mortgages Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:56:48 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/how-far-will-your-mortgage-take-you-along-the-road-to-an-ecofriendly-future-856439.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/how-far-will-your-mortgage-take-you-along-the-road-to-an-ecofriendly-future-856439.html <p>The reality of climate change is becoming more evident every year &ndash; a fact not lost on the financial services industry, which is busy promoting products such as "green" mortgages. But, setting aside the hype, is it really possible to reduce your carbon footprint through your choice of home loan? Critics claim that, even if such mortgages become mainstream, their limitations and cost to the consumer could far outweigh the environmental benefits.</p> Mortgages Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/sales-down-a-third-as-the-mortgage-market-dries-up-856449.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/sales-down-a-third-as-the-mortgage-market-dries-up-856449.html <p>The number of properties sold in the UK has fallen by 32 per cent this year, says HM Revenue and Customs. </p> Mortgages Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/property-transactions-dive-to-their-lowest-level-since-mid1990s-852882.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/property-transactions-dive-to-their-lowest-level-since-mid1990s-852882.html <p>The number of property transactions made across the UK dived by more than 13 per cent in May &ndash; the biggest monthly fall since November &ndash; as the credit crunch continued to take its toll on the housing and commercial property markets.</p> Business News Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/review-says-sellers-packs-shouldnt-be-compulsory-851843.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/review-says-sellers-packs-shouldnt-be-compulsory-851843.html <p>Sir Bryan Carsberg, the former head of the Office of Fair Trading, has called for the controversial home information packs (HIPs) to be made voluntary. </p> Mortgages Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/mortgage-offsetting-a-balancing-act-that-might-prove-rewarding-851522.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/mortgage-offsetting-a-balancing-act-that-might-prove-rewarding-851522.html <p>Combining your savings, mortgage and even your current account into the same package has never been a concept that's taken off in a big way in the UK. While offsetting &ndash; as it's known in the banking world &ndash; is very popular in countries such as Australia, it still represents a relatively small part of the mortgage market over here.</p> Mortgages Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100