23 Jun 2016 Author: Stephen Breen A new UK price index that has been created by the Land Registry will help you find out the average house prices for the area you’re buying or selling in. Until now, finding average house prices for a particular area has been difficult, with no less than six national […]
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How To Sell Your Home
Whether you’re selling a home for the first time or you’ve already climbed a few rungs on the housing ladder, here’s how to get the best price with the least possible fuss. Price realistically Surveying asking prices in the local area will give you an unrealistic picture of the market condition. To see what’s selling […]
First Time Buyers Get On The Housing Ladder
With the prospect of owning your first property on the horizon, it might be tempting to wait until the election to see if a new government brings with it new incentives aimed at first time buyers. Hesitance right now could be ill-advised, however: whilst some areas have experienced slow growth and others have seen prices […]
Time For Grandparents To Lend A Hand
If you’re thinking of leaving a gift to your grandchildren in your Will, it might be time to reevaluate your goals. With more young people than ever before struggling to get a foot on the housing ladder, an early gift from a grandparent could help your grandchild become a homeowner – and save on inheritance […]
Get A One Year Mortgage
Those struggling to sell their home may find the new range of one-year mortgage deals a helpful way to fund their plans. A number of building societies are offering one year deals, allowing those who have already found a new property to move, before selling their existing one. In the past, the only finance option […]
Inherited ISA Allowance: A Valuable Tax Break
27 Mar 2017 Author: Stephen Breen When a loved one dies, perhaps the last thing on your mind is what happens to their ISA – but there is a useful tax break that is worth knowing about. Since April 2015, spouses and civil partners of ISA holders have been able to inherit an extra ISA […]
Should You Switch From Help to Buy ISA or LISA
23 Mar 2017 Author: Stephen Breen The new Lifetime ISA (LISA) is just around the corner – but those who already opened a Help to Buy ISA might be wondering whether or not to switch. Here are the key similarities and differences between the two types of ISA: Purpose The purpose of a LISA is […]
The Cohabitation Dilemma
27 Feb 2017 Author: Stephen Breen When you and your partner decide to buy your first property together, the last thing on your mind will be a break up. But to think this will never happen to anyone in your situation would be naïve. Purchasing a house together – whether as partners, friends or siblings […]
The Dangers of Driving When the Sun is Low
13 Feb 2017 Author: Stephanie Howard In this article, we look at the steps you can take to avoid the risk of ‘sun glare’, ‘sun dazzle’ or ‘low sun’ and what you should do if you are injured in an accident where this was a factor. When you consider what conditions might contribute to a […]
Planning For The Inevitable
10 May 2016 Author: Stephen Breen 2016 has seen a string of deaths amongst well-loved celebrities including Terry Wogan, David Bowie, Victoria Wood, Paul Daniels, Ronnie Corbett and Prince. Some of these deaths seem untimely – Prince was just 57 for example, while Victoria Wood just 62 and David Bowie just 69. When people we […]
The Brexit Effect On House Prices
9 Jun 2016 Author: Stephen Breen What’s happening to house prices Recent surveys have shown house prices are still on the rise, fuelled by low interest rates, low mortgage rates, rising employment and a lack of supply. However, the last few weeks have seen a decline in price growth, and concerns around Brexit have fuelled […]
Help To Buy Improves The Market
13 Jun 2016 Author: Stephen Breen The Government’s Help to Buy Mortgage Guarantee scheme is due to close its doors on December 31st of this year but the success of the scheme has helped to revive the market for low-deposit mortgages – and this is unlikely to change. The scheme was launched in October 2013 […]
Is it the Right Time To Remortgage?
8 Jul 2016 Author: Stephen Breen The long term effects of the Referendum result will not be clear for some time. Borrowers considering taking a new mortgage – either for a new home or for their existing property – may be wondering which deal would best suit them with the uncertainty that lies ahead. Should […]
How To Buy and Sell Property After the Brexit Vote
4 Jul 2016 Author: Stephen Breen The housing market is rife with uncertainty following the referendum with almost one-in-three house sales falling through between April and June. Although nobody can be sure of the future, there are ways you can take advantage of the market as it is: Negotiating discounts Discounts of 30 or 40 […]
How (Just About) Anyone Can Invest In Property
21 Jul 2016 Author: Stephen Breen Buy-to-let was once an exciting investment prospect, but thanks to a spate of Government measures, it has now become an expensive and risky game. The increase in stamp duty on second homes and the phasing out of mortgage tax relief has meant that some landlords will struggle to make […]
Buying Property for First Time Buyers and Downsizers Post-Brexit
28 Jul 2016 Author: Stephen Breen Although more than a month has passed since the referendum, there is still a huge degree of uncertainty in the housing market. On one hand, PwC has predicted deceleration in house price growth although no major crash – while on the other, the French bank Société Général has estimated […]
Paying For Help At Home: Why You Should Hire Direct
10 Aug 2016 Author: Stephen Breen At some point during your lifetime, you may need to find a carer – either to help you manage in your home, or for an elderly relative. Having a carer help in the home is far cheaper than residential care which can cost as much as £36,556. Of course, […]
Favourable Mortgage Criteria for the Over Sixties
10 Aug 2016 Author: Stephen Breen Historically, the availability of good mortgage deals for the over sixties have been poor. But as lenders wake up to the fact that we’re living longer, older borrowers are seeing more options on the market. In 1980, the average life expectancy in the UK was 73.68 years. By 2012, […]
Quality of Dementia Care: A Postcode Lottery
17 Aug 2016 Author: Stephen Breen The quality of care you will receive for dementia depends where in the country you live, according to official data – with dramatic variations in quality up and down the country. Figures released on Tuesday showed that in some areas, patients can go more than a year without their […]
Fixed Rate or Tracker: The Dilemma
19 Aug 2016 Author: Stephen Breen Since the Bank of England cut its base rate earlier this month, mortgage brokers have seen an increase in borrowers opting for tracker mortgages. The rate of interest on a tracker mortgage follows a particular rate – usually the Bank of England’s base rate. The Bank dropped its base […]
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