Areas of the country have seen soaring house prices in the last couple of years, partly due to the demand from Landlords looking for property investment, fuelled by demand from the private rental sector. Properties at the bottom end of the housing ladder have been snapped up by these landlords, at the expense of First Time Buyers.
The Government has launched an “Own your Home Campaign” offering various initiatives to help people onto the property ladder.
1st December 2015 sees the launch of the government’s Help to Buy ISA scheme for first-time buyers.
Although it doesn’t help anyone buying today, Help to Buy ISAs are a no-brainer if you're saving your deposit for your first home. It's basically a tax-free savings account, in which the Government adds another 25% on top of whatever you've saved. Free money from the Government!! And if there are two of you buying together, both qualify! You can save up to £1,200 in the first month, then up to £200, or whatever you can afford a month after that. (The government’s bonus is sent to your solicitor when you buy your home). Most of the banks and building societies will be offering H2B ISA'S, so it’s a good idea to shop around for the best rate.
Help to Buy ISA can be used for any property costing under £250,000 (£450,000 in London), and unlike other recent schemes, doesn’t have to be used to buy a “new build” home.
It became clear that the government has decided to attack the problem from both sides, when the chancellor announced changes to stamp duty on Buy to Let properties in his autumn statement.
For more information speak to a mortgage adviser on 01628 507477.
Homebuying reform to cut homebuying times by around four weeks, and save first-time buyers around £650, says the government.
Buying your first home is a huge milestone, but it can also be a complex process. There are several factors a first-time buyer should consider before making an offer on a property, including understanding the difference between leasehold and freehold and checking council tax bands.
We’ve detailed some questions you can ask your estate agent to help you make an informed decision.
Yesterday
Here are the lowest fixed mortgage rates of the week, available to first-time buyers, home movers, buy-to-let, and those remortgaging.
Call us for more information: 01628 507477 or email: team@mortgagerequired.com.
3 days ago
Remortgaging means switching to a new mortgage deal. This will either be with your current lender or a new one.
Getting advice and moving to a new deal when the time is right can mean lower monthly mortgage payments, better interest rates, or releasing equity from your property.
Here are some signs it may be time to remortgage.
According to Nationwide Building Society’s latest House Price Index, house prices dropped 0.6% month on month in May – the first monthly decline this year.
19 May 2026
Research from Lloyds identifies the most affordable areas in the UK for first-time buyers to be able to get onto the property ladder.
On Wednesday, 13th May, King Charles delivered his speech at the House of Lords, outlining the government’s plans for the upcoming year.
Here is a summary of the housing and energy/environment points.
From 18th May 2026, Halifax (part of Lloyds Banking Group) is launching a ‘£5k Deposit mortgage’ to help first-time buyers get onto the property ladder sooner.