First time buyers use stamp duty savings to cut mortgage costs
Low mortgage rates, high levels of employment and government schemes, such as Help to Buy, are all helping first-time buyers enter the housing market. The recent abolition of Stamp Duty for a majority of first-time buyers looks set to provide additional help by reducing the upfront costs associated with making a first home purchase. STAMP […]
Five personal finance habits we should all adopt
While most of us think we’re pretty good with our money, we can all benefit from giving our finances a regular health check. If you’re looking to get to grips with your finances and develop better habits, then setting yourself some financial goals and drawing up a budget is a good way to get motivated. […]
More homeowners climbing the ladder
There’s some better news for those who are looking to make their move up the housing ladder. Second-steppers, as they are often referred to, are mostly couples and young families seeking to move on from their first home to somewhere bigger. Figures from Lloyds Bank1 show that more than 370,000 homeowners were able to step […]
The hidden cost of retirement properties
In the glossy brochures often used to promote them, retirement complexes can look very attractive. With rising life expectancy meaning that many more of us are likely to live well into our 90s and beyond, they can be an appealing proposition, especially for those who don’t have immediate family to look after them. THE ADVANTAGES […]
Borrowing age elevated by extra-long mortgages
The traditional 25-year mortgage may soon be a thing of the past as many firsttime buyers are choosing loan terms of 30, 35 or even 40 years. Data from estate agents Countrywide1, shows more than one third of mortgages taken out in 2017 are unlikely to be repaid until after the borrower has turned 65. […]
A game of endurance as disposable incomes hit six year low
The average household in Britain is currently enduring the lengthiest dip in disposable income for six years. Cash-strapped consumers are struggling with the combination of lacklustre growth in their wages, which is providing modest support to disposable incomes, and inflation, which is taking its toll on the pound in their pocket as the cost of […]
How to add value with a home renovation
The continuing rise in property prices has also fuelled a sharp increase in homeowners extending their properties with a view to adding value. In the year to June 2017, 197,000 people in England obtained planning permission to improve their homes, with a further 23,700 adding extensions under permitted development rights1. The figures suggest that, on […]
Addressing your personal finance weak spots
No matter what age you are it’s likely you have a financial weak spot. In fact, it’s pretty much inevitable, no one’s financial armour is infallible. What steps can you take to shore up your defences? MONEY’S TOO TIGHT TO MENTION Younger people are often struggling to save, let alone contribute towards a pension, whilst […]
Protecting your family’s future
When making their Wills, many parents appoint relations and close friends who would act as the guardians of their children in the event of their deaths. Although anyone nominated to fulfil this important role would be gratified to be thought of as worthy of carrying it out, it’s important to remember that there could be […]
Do we need targets to help us save more for retirement
The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) has come up with a suggestion to help people keep their pension plans on track. It has called for savings targets to be put in place to help individuals save enough for a good pension for their retirement years. According to their research1, 13 million people haven’t made […]