With over 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry, Ste Froom has dedicated his career to helping people navigate the often complex journey of securing the right mortgage.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported UK house prices increased by an average of £10,000 in the year to October 2024. The report showed the value of a typical home to be an estimated £292,000, an annual increase of 3.4% compared to £282,000 recorded in October 2023. In England the average house price increased […]
Have first-time buyers left it too late to pay lower Stamp Duty? It would appear so. At present, first-time buyers pay no Stamp Duty when buying a home worth £425,000. However, from 1 April, Stamp Duty thresholds will return to pre-2022 levels, meaning the tax-free threshold for first-time buyers drops from £425,000 to £300,000, resulting […]
UK mortgage rates in the spotlight as economic factors suggest rates could rise again. Hopes that the Bank of England would significantly lower interest rates in 2025, leading to cheaper mortgages, now seem less likely, thanks to global bond market sell-offs and Labour’s Budget leading to a surge in borrowing costs. These factors have unsettled […]
Bank of England (BoE) Governor Andrew Bailey is confident inflation will fade in 2025, which could mean as many as four interest rate cuts over the year. Bailey told the Financial Times in December that despite recent higher points, he still expected inflation to return to the Bank’s 2.0% target, creating headroom for four 0.25% […]
House prices are expected to stay on a positive trajectory over the course of 2025*. House prices returned to growth in 2024, with prices increasing by 1.5% in the 12 months to October – an improvement on -1.2% the year before. The average UK house price is £267,000 and is expected to rise by 2.5% […]
Research* indicates that homebuying affordability has slightly improved in relation to income. In the summer of 2022, the house price to earnings ratio reached a record high of 7.24. Since then, affordability has been slowly easing; in 2024, the average house price to earnings ratio went down to 6.55, compared to 6.62 in 2023. Over […]
Last October, mortgage approvals exceeded expectations and reached the highest level since August 2022*. Liz Truss’ ‘mini budget’ in September 2022 caused mortgage approvals to plummet. Since then, the housing and mortgage markets have been slowly recovering, with the Bank of England tentatively reducing interest rates in recent months. Statistics from October 2024 were promising, […]
2024 was a significant year for the UK property market; Labour’s landslide general election win ended 14 years of Conservative rule in Britain, plus the Bank of England reduced interest rates in August after being held at 5.25% for a year. Here’s a roundup of the housing and mortgage markets at the end of 2024. […]
Many first-time buyers (FTBs) are not aware of affordable homeownership schemes that could help them get on the property ladder, research* has found.
Almost half (49%) of prospective buyers are looking for a ‘freshen-upper’ property, according to research*. A ‘freshen-upper’ – a home that only requires small scale improvements – was found to be the most desirable property type. Meanwhile, a move-in ready property is popular among 22% of home movers due to its energy efficiency. Only 16% […]
Property experts predict a surge in transactions early in 2025 ahead of Stamp Duty changes in April. In the 2022 mini-budget Stamp Duty thresholds were increased, so in the last two years homebuyers have paid a reduced amount of tax. However, in the Autumn Budget 2024, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that the thresholds will revert […]
