Monty’s Mortgage Blog

Tag Archives: First Time Buyers

Valuation Nation

If ever there was a stark reminder needed that the times we are still going through tough times, then the issues that face the Co-op have served as a sharp slap-in-the-face dose of reality. Whilst a rescue plan to tackle their, not insignificant, £1.5 billion hole does not involve tax payers it shows just how far there is still to go before we can all wear our “I lived through the credit crunch” T-shirts.

Although this may serve as a sobering base, confidence overall is still on the up. House price rises, mortgage activity increases and rates incredibly falling even lower have kept those of us who are more optimistic for the year as a whole smiling a little less nervously than last year.

Posted in Coreco, Credit Crunch, Economic Recovery, First Time Buyers, House Prices, Large Mortgage Loans, London, London House Prices, London Property Market, Mortgage Blog, Mortgage Brokers in London, Mortgage Market, Mortgages, Property, Property Market, Surveyors, Valuers | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s A Service Driven Economy, Stupid!

With apologies to James Carville, the title is of course a slight variation of the phrase “The economy, stupid” which he coined as a campaign strategist of Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign against sitting president George H.W. Bush.

A perversion it may be, but it is the one subject that is guaranteed to get a bevy of brokers, (if that is the right collective term), most animated when discussing the market.

Whilst justifying to prospective clients what an independent broker does, apart from the obvious and most important advice part, service is the secondary selling point.

Posted in Best Mortgage Rates, Coreco, First Time Buyers, Independent Mortgage Advice, Large Mortgage Loans, London, London Property Market, Mortgage Blog, Mortgage Brokers in London, Mortgage Lenders, Mortgage Market, Mortgages, Professional Mortgage Brokers, Property Market, Service Standards | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mortgage Fees Rising

Last week was dominated by a report from Moneyfacts that found that Mortgage Fees have risen to their highest level for 25 years, on average standing at £1,522.

In my opinion, lenders have been steadily increasing fees over the past few years in order to counter a reduction in the headline rate, make more profit and remain top of Best Buy Tables.

As a result a growing number of so called Best Buys can be deceiving and can actually end up costing a borrower more over the initial period of the loan, once the fees are taken into account, than a product with a slightly higher rate.

Posted in Best Buy Tables, Best Mortgage Rates, Coreco, First Time Buyers, Independent Mortgage Advice, Mortgage Blog, Mortgage Brokers in London, Mortgage Fees, Mortgage Finance, Mortgage Lenders, Mortgages | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Guest Blog : Shared equity – a shot in the arm of the housing economy

As you know I welcome Guest Blog spots so I am delighted to host Mikkel Bates, Head of Marketing at Castle Trust who has contributed the following :-

Shared equity – a shot in the arm of the housing economy

Regular readers of this blog will have seen the recent response of its editor Andrew Montlake to the government’s Help to Buy Scheme (see the previous post).

The initiative could provide a welcome boost to the housing market, Andrew concluded, but the devil will be in the detail.

Posted in Buying a property, Castle Trust, Coreco, First Time Buyers, Government Housing Schemes, Help To Buy, House Prices, Housing Strategy, Independent Mortgage Advice, Large Mortgage Loans, London House Prices, London Property Market, Mortgage Blog, Mortgage Brokers in London, Mortgage Finance, Mortgage Funding, Mortgages, Professional Mortgage Brokers, Shared Equity, Uncategorised | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Quick Market Update…

There was an interesting report last week that Building societies are now dominating best buy tables with 83 per cent of the most competitively priced products being offered by them rather than the larger lenders.

This is important as Building Societies also tend to operate on the old fashioned principles of understanding the customer and service, unlike the tickbox, factory style approach of many of the larger lenders. Now they have become more competitive once more, this gives consumers some real choice.

Posted in Best Fixed Rates, Best Mortgage Rates, Buying a property, Coreco, First Time Buyers, Independent Mortgage Advice, London, London Property Market, Mortgage Blog, Mortgage Brokers in London, Mortgage Market, Mortgages, Professional Mortgage Brokers | Also tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment
  • Coreco Newsletter

  • Andrew MontlakeAndrew Montlake, Director and Spokesperson for Coreco, gives his honest and forthright views on the mortgage market, economy and all things property related. Monty was voted "Mortgage Personality of the year 2008" and is the current holder of the British Mortgage Awards "Best Press Spokesperson" title. Expect expert analysis, delivered in a down to earth style with a side helping of exuberance.

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