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Features

A favourable wind

Guy Garrard compares the South African World Cup team with the buy-to-let market, and suggests that hope is the key to success for both

Thanks a million

Melanie Bien offers some insight into finding your way around the million-pound property market

Market Watch: House prices

According to Rightmove, last month saw a jump of 56% in new property listings across the UK, which helped to curb house price growth to just 0.3% in June. With the abolition of Home Information Packs (HIPs) and the rise in Capital Gains Tax helping to drive seller activity, is the UK property market’s recovery over for now and when will activity pick up again?

News

FSA: honest brokers have nothing to fear from AP register

The FSA’s extension of the Approved Persons (AP) regime has been welcomed by mortgage brokers as a way to boost the credibility of the industry, stamp on mortgage fraud and protect consumers.

Final rules out on arrears and SARB

The rules governing the SARB (Sale and Rent Back) industry and lender treatment of customers in arrears has emerged as part of the Mortgage Market Review.

CGT will prevent speculative investors

The long-predicted rise in Capital Gains Tax (CGT) from 18% to 28% will not hamper the buy-to-let market, despite the Chancellor ruling out taper relief as too complex and costly, say commentators.

Lenders try to wean borrowers from interest-only loans

In a bid to assuage FSA concerns on interest-only loans, network Openwork has forged a distribution link with several key lenders to encourage interest-only borrowers to switch to capital and repayment.

Banks slapped with £2m levy

Chancellor George Osborne hit the UK banking industry with a tax on all larger banks and building societies, saying that banks needed to pay for industry failure in the Emergency Budget last week.

IMLA: Mortgage securitization is key

Tony Ward, deputy chairman and director of IMLA said more needs to be done to encourage foreign investors to invest in UK mortgage backed issues.

Industry Budget response muted

The market has given a mixed response to the emergency Budget, predicting that the housing market could be boosted by the general economic effects, but dangers still lie ahead.

Sants: Business as usual at FSA

FSA chief executive Hector Sants has pledged that its major policy initiatives and intensive supervisory approach will continue in the new regulatory structure, despite challenges posed by increasing European Union powers.

Cost of housing falls by 6%

The average annual cost of owning and running a home has dropped by 6% in the last two years to just over £9000, driven by falling mortgage payments, according to Halifax.