13 Jul

More help needed for renters: Generation Rent

“The campaign group criticised Rishi Sunak for offering restaurant vouchers to encourage people to dine out, while many renters are struggling to afford to cover the basic costs of food and accommodation.” https://www.mortgagestrategy.co.uk/news/more-help-needed-for-tenants-generation-rent/ read more

24 Oct

Does Help to Buy impact affordability?

"The big surprise from this test, however, was the lenders that fell short on affordability. In our tests it was major landers including Barclays, Halifax, Santander (not five-year fixed rate) and TSB that fell short." https://www.financialreporter.co.uk/blogs/mr-affordability-says-how-does-help-to-buy-impact-affordability.html read more

28 Sep

Scottish Government welcomes 15% increase of new housing supply.

This is the sixth consecutive annual increase in the total housing supply with Housing Minister Kevin Stewart adding: “We want to ensure everyone has a warm affordable home and these figures show we are on target to reach delivering 50,000 affordable homes by 2021.” However, Kevin Stewart fears that Brexit could impact future growth. See below. https://www.scottishhousingnews.com/article/scottish-government-welcomes-15-increase-of-new-housing-supply read more

3 Sep

New rules keep residents in the know re wider benefits of new housing.

Housing minister Esther McVey said: “The new rules now in force will allow residents to know how developers are contributing to the local community when they build new homes - whether that’s contributing to building a brand-new school, roads or a doctor’s surgery that the area needs." http://www.infrastructure-intelligence.com/article/sep-2019/new-rules-force-councils-let-public-know-wider-benefits-new-housing?utm_medium=email&utm_source=transactional&utm_campaign=weekly-email read more

18 Sep

Help to buy! Is it really helping???

I have never been a fan of Help to Buy but the article below explain, eloquently, more reasons why it is not a good idea. https://www.mortgagesolutions.co.uk/news/2018/09/18/help-buy-skewed-housing-market-needs-targeted-cochrane/?utm_source=customsell&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ms-house-advert-1809-1537265992 read more

30 Aug

We became homeowners 12000 years ago

This a good article that talks about increased house prices and the need to look way back into our pass https://www.telegraph.co.uk/personal-banking/mortgages/humans-became-homeowners-12000-years-ago-time-return-nomadic/ read more

22 Nov

FTB pay no stamp duty but what about Scotland???

I have just read that the chancellor is eliminating stamp duty for FTB's up to £300,000.00 Read the article. http://www.mortgagesolutions.co.uk/news/2017/11/22/budget-2017-hammond-slashes-stamp-duty-for-first-time-buyers/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=Daily%20SP29%20TML&utm_campaignid=893&utm_cmdid=52561 BUT, what about Scotland?? Will the SNP do the same???? read more