Huge mortgage choice makes the market a minefield - and borrowers may need help to avoid expensive mistakes. A good broker can help, especially if there is anything unusual about your situation. We reveal how to make sure they do the best job for you.
'Buy-to-let tax move is a game changer and we're not building enough homes' - TV star Phil Spencer reveals his thoughts on Britain's property market
Phil Spencer is a rock 'n' roll star of property television. He can be found with his sidekick Kirsty Allsopp on Location, Location, Location and riding solo on his Secret Agent show. He talks to This is Money about current problems facing the British housing market/ Does he believe in house price indexes, are we building enough homes and is buy-to-let booming too much?
MORTGAGES & PROPERTY ESSENTIALS
MORTGAGES, HOUSE PRICES & PROPERTY NEWS
Revealed: Top ten UK property hotspots for the next decade - and the tell-tale signs a neighbourhood is 'up-and-coming'
An online estate agent's experts have revealed which parts of the country they think will make the most money for property buyers in the near future - and they're not where you might think. They also listed factors that can help you spot if your area is set to explode, including delis and aspirational street names.
Thinking of taking out equity release? Meet the retired couple who must pay Aviva £135,000 to spend their last years together
After more than 60 years of marriage Roy and Jean Tamplin, from Cardiff, (pictured together today and on their wedding day in 1953) were suddenly faced with a heart-breaking decision. Roy's health was deteriorating quickly. Jean's eyesight was also failing. But when they came to sell their house to move into sheltered accommodation, they were given a devastating ultimatum by insurer Aviva who said the couple must pay a £16,430 fine if they wanted to move out and stay together.
Ever dreamt of owning a home abroad? Here's how to do it - from mortgages, to tax and the legal traps
Owning a property in sunnier climes is a dream realised by thousands of Brits each year - and with keen prices and a strong pound there are bargains to be had. But hurry, because these will not be around forever as economic recovery spreads across Europe. Paul and Caryn Hughes bought a home in Portugal.
MORTGAGES: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Beginning of the end for the cheapest ever mortgage rates? Rock bottom five-year fixes are on the rise as rate rise looms closer
The cheapest five-year fixed rate deals have disappeared ahead of the first interest rate rise in more than six years, but rates remain near highly competitive. Speculation over an upcoming interest rate rise in the UK has heightened, and accordingly the rate-cutting trend seems to have abruptly come to an end.
Want to buy a home with a small deposit? Here's how to get the best mortgage and avoid the traps
If you have got a five per cent deposit and are hoping to buy your first home this autumn, the good news is that there are still plenty of low rate mortgages on offer. The bad news is that first-time buyer deals can be hard to get, so applicants may have to do some fancy financial footwork to ensure their mortgage gets approved. Sarah Drewery and Ryan Fletcher, pictured, got £1,000 cashback.
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PROPERTY: DON'T MISS
- Revealed: Top ten UK property hotspots for the next decade And the tell-tale signs a neighbourhood is 'up-and-coming'
- 'BTL tax move is a game changer and we're not building enough homes' TV star Phil Spencer reveals his thoughts on Britain's property market
- We want to downsize but it's too expensive Older homeowners told to make space for young families are locked out by high prices
- 'I used a lifetime mortgage to improve my home' If you're considering equity release -these are the things you need to know
- How an online estate agent could save you a small fortune But would you be a DIY seller to get a cheaper flat-fee?
- Up to 30k Britons can claim compensation After Spanish government forced to change 'unfair' inheritance tax laws on holiday homes
- The 100-year club The professions where it would take at least a CENTURY to save a home deposit revealed
- Want to buy a home with a small deposit? Here's how to get the best mortgage and avoid the traps
- Britain's first-time buyers face one of the toughest property markets in Europe... But Luxembourg is worse
- The town where families are having to spend £13k just to sell their house... Because the 'bargain' dream homes came with a catch
- As Bank of England hints that interest rates could rise by the end of the year Should borrowers lock into a fixed-rate mortgage now?
- Stamp duty calculator How big a tax bill will your property purchase trigger?
- Ten tips for buy-to-let The essential advice for property investors
Latest: Mortgages & home
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- House price growth slows as sales pick up but lack of homes on the market will push prices higher, say estate agents
- Four in five Europeans say it is becoming 'too difficult' to buy first home and 72% believe property price falls would 'benefit society'
- What next for mortgage rates? The best fixed rates inch up as rate rise chatter increases - so is it time to fix?
- As Britain's housing crisis deepens... Meet the Nimbys who could thwart Osborne's plan to build a million homes
- What next for house prices? House price rises ease but London market is picking up again
- Cost of a typical flat rockets 60% in a decade as supply dwindles and demand soars, Halifax index shows
- As Wokingham is voted the best place to raise a family, we ask: What makes a location family-friendly?