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.
Recent research has found that half of UK homes increased in value last year. According to Zoopla, 15.2 million properties gained value by an average of £9,900 in 2025. Within this group, 3.1 million homes saw particularly strong growth, rising by more than £20,000. In contrast, 9.1 million households saw a decrease in value by […]
The mortgage market is facing uncertainty due to ongoing developments in the Middle East. Affordability challenges had been easing slightly in recent months – mortgage rates were slowly coming down due to cuts to Bank Rate. In January 2026, the average monthly mortgage payment was 7% lower than the previous year. However, the recent outbreak […]
Many hopeful homeowners could be closer to getting on the property than they realise, but they are underinformed about their mortgage options. A survey by the Building Societies Association (BSA) has found that nearly half (47%) of people who want to buy a home have never spoken to a lender or mortgage broker. This means […]
Research from Rightmove has identified the UK towns that recorded the strongest house price growth last year. The list was largely dominated by towns in Scotland and the north of England. Hawick in the Scottish Borders saw the biggest annual rise, with prices increasing by 18% in 2025. Durham followed with a 15% increase, while […]
End of year statistics for 2025 offer some reasons to be optimistic about the housing market. According to Zoopla, house sales for 2025 hit 1.2 million, the highest level for three years. First-time buyers showed growing confidence as they accounted for 39% of transactions last year. Meanwhile, house prices lagged last year, with the average […]
Last year saw significant housing reforms for renters and homebuyers – here’s a recap of what you need to know. Change to renters’ rights: The Renters’ Rights Act received Royal Assent in October 2025 and will come into force in three phrases this year. The initial phase of the rollout in May will include the […]
Data from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) indicates that more borrowers are opting for ultra-long mortgages in an effort to manage rising housing costs. According to the analysis, in 2024 there were 116,276 mortgages taken out with repayment periods of 35 years or more. This is over three times the number sold in 2020, highlighting […]
Research suggests that landlords may be forced to raise rents to account for tax hikes announced in the Autumn Budget. From April 2027, landlords will face a 2% tax increase on their rental income – the basic rate of property income tax will rise from 20% to 22%, while the higher rate will increase from […]
Hoping to move or remortgage this year? Here’s how to get mortgage-ready in 2026. Review your finances Now that the busy festive period is over, why not take this opportunity to organise your finances. Go through your bank statements and identify where you can reduce your spending – not only will this help you […]
The start of a new year often prompts people to review their plans and for many, that might include a resolution to move home. As market conditions continue to evolve, prospective buyers and sellers might be wondering what will happen with property prices in 2026 and beyond. The latest five-year outlook from Savills provides a […]
Savills has published its latest five-year outlook for the UK housing market, including predictions for house price growth between now and 2030. The report predicts that house price growth will be subdued in the short term, with the average home expected to rise in value by just 1.0% in 2025 and 2.0% in 2026. This […]
A survey from LRG has revealed the three most influential factors when buying a property, excluding price and location. Updated kitchens and bathrooms were the important features, with 77% of respondents citing these as key influencers. Meanwhile, an attractive garden (55%) was more favourable than exterior presentation (23%), suggesting that kerb appeal is currently less […]
Data from the Bank of England shows that UK borrowers are currently favouring two-year fixed-rate deals. In Q2 of this year, half of new mortgages were two-year deals, with only 35% opting for five-year terms. Borrowers are probably hoping to remortgage to a cheaper deal if Bank Rate keeps falling over the next two years. […]
Millions of UK homeowners are choosing to renovate their existing home instead of moving. In England and Wales, about 1.7 million homes (one in 15 properties) have undergone significant renovation work. These homes are marked with ‘official improvement indicators’, showing that they have had major structural changes, such as an extension or loft conversion. Legally, […]
Research has revealed the best UK commuter towns, offering lower house prices whilst being in proximity to major cities. Remote working became the ‘new normal’ during the pandemic, but now three-quarters (76%) of employees are back working in the office at least three days a week. Many people can’t afford to live in London, where […]
Data shows that the number of people buying a home with a Lifetime ISA (known as LISA) increased in the 2024/25 tax year. According to the statistics, 82,750 account holders withdrew money from their LISA to buy their first home, which is about 30,500 more than in the previous tax year. Also, the average withdrawal […]
New data indicates that first-time buyers (FTBs) are taking out longer mortgages to help them move straight into their ‘forever home’. In August, a third (33.5%) of FTBs bought a semi-detached property, up 1.7% when compared with the same month in 2024. Meanwhile, only 19% purchased a flat, representing a 2.7% annual decline. The most […]
Data from the Office of National Statistics shows that the average monthly mortgage repayment has surpassed £1,000 for the first time on record. In August, the typical monthly payment reached £1,002.27, indicating that, despite some cuts to Bank Rate over the last year, homeowners are still facing affordability challenges due to higher inflation. Less than […]
HMRC has warned buyers to be cautious of tax agents making false claims about Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). Some homeowners have been wrongly advised that properties in need of repair are uninhabitable, so are eligible for non-residential rates of SDLT. Rogue agents are suggesting that, for a fee, they can secure a tax refund […]
Bank Rate may be at its lowest level since March 2023, but mortgage rates seem to be on the rise again. In August, inflation was at 3.8% for the second month in a row, nearly double the Bank of England’s target of 2%. The Monetary Policy Committee therefore voted to keep Bank Rate at 4% […]
A survey of homeowners has highlighted the savvy behaviours of today’s first-time buyers (FTBs). The report found that over half of FTBs are opting to buy a studio flat or a home with one or two bedrooms. Also, 67% said they purchased a property in an area they were unfamiliar with due to affordability challenges […]
In July, the Labour government’s permanent Mortgage Guarantee Scheme became available, after the previous iteration supported over 56,000 mortgage completions. The old scheme, which ran from April 2021 to March 2025, was launched by Boris Johnson’s Conservative government. It helped 56,389 people to access mortgages with smaller deposits, with 3,180 completions in Q1 of this […]
Over 760,000 borrowers will be considering their mortgage options as their fixed-rate deals come to an end this year. Those with five-year deals about to expire may be anticipating sharp rises in their monthly bills; they will have fixed their mortgage in 2020, when interest rates were as low as 1.4%. Since then, rates have […]
Over the last year, house prices have increased 5.3 times faster than the rate of earnings. The average house price has increased by £10,087 to £271,403. However, the typical annual salary has only gone up by £1,921 to £40,334. The East of England and the East Midlands have experienced the most significant disparity, with house […]
If you find it difficult to understand leasehold and freehold, you’re not alone. Research has found that leasehold is the UK’s most confusing property term, with the term generating over 160,000 Google searches in the last year. Freehold was second on the list, accounting for 114,000 searches. Most flats are sold as a leasehold, meaning […]
It was a busy summer of news for the housing market – here’s what you need to know. In August, the Bank of England (BoE) reduced Bank Rate from 4.25% to 4%. This is the lowest level in two years and the fifth cut since August 2024. However, the decision wasn’t straightforward as the Monetary […]
By 2030, more than 104,000 Help to Buy accounts will reach the end of their interest-free period. The Help to Buy scheme ran for ten years, between 2013 and 2023. Buyers of new builds were lent up to 20% (or up to 40% in London) of the property’s value as an equity loan. The loan […]
The housing market seems to be regaining momentum, as sales are being agreed at the fastest rate in four years. The number of sales agreed was up 6% annually in June, which coincided with the stock of new property listings going up by 14%. This indicates that buyers are regaining confidence, with demand rising by […]
Data shows that remortgage activity hit a 15-month high in May. There were 41,500 remortgage approvals, up 6,200 on April and the highest level since February 2024. There was also a rise in new mortgages for the first time since December, with 63,000 approvals. Meanwhile, gross mortgage lending was £20.4bn in May. Jason Tebb, President […]
House prices update: House price growth slowed to 2.1% in June, down 0.8% month-on-month. Performance varies significantly depending on the region, with Northern Ireland seeing the strongest growth of 9.7%. East Anglia was the weakest area, where house prices only increased by 1.1% annually. House prices are increasing at the fastest rate in areas with […]
