The countries that saw the biggest house price rises in 2020

Revealed: The 11 countries where house prices grew more than in Britain last year – including one where values are up a THIRD despite the pandemic The UK placed 12th in Knight Frank’s global index of house price increases Countries such as New Zealand, the US and Canada saw prices rise more Emerging market Turkey … Read more

5% deposit mortgages are back from Yorkshire Building Society

Yorkshire Building Society has become the first lender to bring a range of mortgages with 5 per cent deposits back to the market, potentially heralding a price war that could benefit first-time buyers. Accord Mortgages, the intermediary arm of the building society, is launching the mortgages tomorrow with a five-year fixed rate of 3.99 per … Read more

Burglary bounce predicted for 2021: Here are 14 ways to turn your home into a fortress

Britons are being urged to secure their homes against a potential surge of burglaries when lockdown ends. There was a 20 per cent drop in house burglaries last year compared to 2019, according to analysis of government crime figures by the home insurance company Hiro. Criminals’ overall takings were down by £103million in 2020 as … Read more

House asking prices edge up in March amid ‘best sellers’ market in a decade’

The average asking price for a home in Britain increased in the first two weeks of March, as the number of people enquiring about available properties broke the all-time record. Asking prices have increased by £2,484 or 0.8 per cent in March so far, reaching £321,064,  according to property website Rightmove.  This amounted to a … Read more

Renters are pouring back into cities ahead of lockdown easing. Should you move now for a cheap deal?

Demand for city centre living is on the rise, with renters now looking to take advantage of discounted rents as the nation prepares to exit lockdown. With an end to restrictions in sight, rental enquiries have been surging in some city centres according to new analysis by Rightmove. The research looked at the uplift in … Read more

Self-employed mortgage struggle for seven in 10

This is Money spoke to two freelancers about their struggles getting on the housing ladder.  Daniel Mitchell, professional musician and tutor from Greater Manchester  Daniel Mitchell, a musician, says he feels ‘lucky’ to have secured a mortgage during the pandemic as a self-employed person I have been a full-time freelancer since the start of 2019. … Read more

Metro Bank launches mortgages for those with low credit scores, missed payments and repossessions

Metro Bank launches ‘near prime’ mortgages for borrowers with low credit scores, missed payments and even repossessions on their record New mortgages will have less strict credit checks than standard home loans  Those who have missed mortgage or loan payments, declared bankruptcy and even had a home repossessed will be eligible under certain circumstances They … Read more

What has happened to mortgage and saving rates since the base rate cut?

Easy-access savings rates have fallen by seven tenths, but many mortgage borrowers have barely benefited since the Bank of England cut its base rate to an all-time low last year, data suggests.  Savings rates have plummeted but some of Britain’s biggest lenders have failed to pass on the full 0.65 percentage point cut since last … Read more

Rics: House prices rising but shortage of homes coming to market

A shortfall in the number of homes coming up for sale remains a major stumbling block for the housing market, economists at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors have warned. While the Chancellor’s Budget measures, including the extension of the stamp duty holiday until the end of June, will give the sector a boost, stock … Read more