Earlier this month the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney hinted that interest rates could rise as early as the end of this year.

In his speech Mr Carney said that it didn’t seem unreasonable that once normalisation begins, rates will increase slowly and gradually from their current level of 0.5 per cent to around 2.25 per cent – still way way below the historical average interest rate of 4.5 per cent.

Well Mr Carney, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to me either, I remember the 90’s when rates peaked around 15.5%!

Although the Monetary Policy Committee usually consider economic activity, household debt and core inflation when adjusting interest rates. Throw the cost of oil bringing deflation down, trouble in the Eurozone and the distance between the two main parties here at home into the mix and I am not sure Mr Carney will get the normalisation he is looking for by Christmas.

In the meantime, its business as usual for the country’s major mortgage lenders, who seem to have largely ignored the warning. Fixed rates remain stubbornly low at circa 2% for 2 years and 3% for 5 years. If you are not intending on changing your house or spouse any time soon, I would personally recommend Barclay’s 10 year fixed rate which comes in at an amazing 2.99%!

However, if you are still on a variable rate, you have been warned!!

For more information or to speak to a mortgage advisor contact us on 01628 507477.

Recent posts

The Equity Release Council has revealed that three in five UK homeowners are interested in releasing money from their property later in life.

The average seller’s asking price dropped by 0.4% in July, a bigger drop than we have typically seen. 

We explore the differences between Millennials and Gen Z and what both generations ideally want from a new home.

Should you overpay your mortgage? If you can put extra cash away you need to seriously consider whether you should pay more off on your mortgage or put it into a savings account.

Buying a property, especially in the current climate, is a big decision for first time buyers. We have listed a few tips that can help you buy your first propertyy

Does the time of year make a difference in house purchases? The answer is, yes and no.

The popularity of buying a house can vary depending on various factors such as regional trends, how the economy looks, and of course personal circumstances. 

If you are looking at putting your house on the market, you may want to consider giving your garden some TLC. Small changes can make your outside space a lot more attractive to potential buyers resulting in a faster sale.

Getting on the property ladder is a big milestone in life, and is not something to take lightly. There are several things to take into consideration such as saving up for a deposit, finding your dream home, and finding the best mortgage product to suit you. Here we look at UK first time buyer statistics.