Is it worth using a mortgage broker? How to make sure your expert help gets you the best deal

How to make sure a mortgage broker gets you the best deal

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.

Try before you buy: Pensioners encouraged to stay days or weeks at retirement homes before they put down a deposit

Property at  Richmond Villages at Letcombe Regis, near Wantage.

While moving in for a few days before you buy is impractical in most cases - it is not when it comes to retirement homes and sheltered accommodation.

The key to selling a house quickly? Tidy your garden and brush up your manners, poll of buyers reveals

Property sellers hoping to receive a quick offer on their home should brush up on their manners and stick on a fresh pot of coffee, a survey by Sarah Beeny's online estate agent Tepilo found.

If a 66ft crater appeared in your driveway, would you be covered? After St Albans... Sinkhole insurance explained

Sinkhole insurance explained...

Last year saw a record number of sinkholes in Britain following intense rainfall through the winter of 2013-2014, with 24 appearing. Twenty residents of the Hertfordshire town of St Albans had to be evacuated this week after a mammoth 66ft sinkhole opened up overnight in their quiet cul-de-sac.

'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

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?

What next for mortgage rates? The best fixed rates inch up as rate rise chatter increases - so is it time to fix?

What next for mortgage rates?

With interest rates tipped to rise in early 2016, homeowners have been rushing to fix their mortgages. Some of the absolute cheapest mortgage rates have been pulled, as banks look to squeeze a little more from borrowers, but rates remain historically low.

Ten tips for buy-to-let: the essential advice for property investors

Ten tips for buy-to-let

For many buy-to-let looks an attractive income investment in a time of low rates and stock market volatility. Climbing house prices, rising rents and improving mortgage deals are tempting investors - although they will need a big deposit. Read This is Money's top ten buy-to-let tips

Revealed: Top ten UK property hotspots for the next decade - and the tell-tale signs a neighbourhood is 'up-and-coming'

The top 10 property hotspots for the next decade and none are in London

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

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.

Estate agents warn property market is reaching 'crisis point' as number of homes for sale falls to 11-year low

A woman walks past an estate agent's window display on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge in London, England.  
The governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has given his strongest warning yet about the dangers to Britain's economy posed by the booming housing market saying that the market represented the biggest risk to financial stability and the long-term recovery.  

(Photo by Rob Stothard/Getty Images)

On average, the number of properties available per estate agent branch fell from 55 in July to 38 in August, marking a 31 per cent decrease, the National Association for Estate Agents said.

'Let them eat credit': Carney delivers his line on the last decade's boom but can our cheap borrowing cure for a debt crisis work? asks SIMON LAMBERT

'Let them eat credit': Carney delivers his line on the last decade's boom

The Bank of England governor spoke on the history of the credit boom, including the massive increase in UK and US household debt. At the same time, he is presiding over record low interest rates, which help people to take on cheap credit.

How an online estate agent could save you a small fortune: But would you be a DIY seller to get a cheaper flat-fee?

Rocketing property prices are pushing thousands of homeowners to sell through cheap online estate agents, but would you take the low-cost DIY route?

The town where families are having to spend £13,000 just to sell their house... because the 'bargain' dream homes came with a catch

To the shock and fury of residents in Cramlington, Tyne & Wear, the dream homes they thought were a bargain came with a very big catch - in this privately-owned town leasehold homes dominate.

Ever dreamt of owning a home abroad? Here's how to do it - from mortgages, to tax and the legal traps

How to buy a home abroad - from mortgages, to tax and 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.

Flats grow in value faster than all other properties: Average price increase of 60% over ten years is equivalent to £730 a month

A computer generated image of a three-bedroom flats in London. 


Meridian Quay ext.jpg

Over the same period, Halifax said terraced homes have gone up 41 per cent, semi-detacheds have added 32 per cent, bungalows 28 per cent and detached houses 21 per cent.

House prices up £5k in July compared to previous month - but annual growth continues to slow after last summer's boom

House prices in Britain were up 5.2% in July 2015 compared to a year ago, down slightly from the annual growth of 5.7% recorded in June, ONS data shows.

We want to downsize but it's too expensive: Older homeowners told to make space for young families are locked out by high prices

Older homeowners told to downsize are locked out by high house prices

Critics say that if home blockers moved out, it would release properties for younger families who are trapped in small flats, but many who do want to downsize are trapped by the cost. Like many, Susan Sellor cannot find any reasonably priced homes she would like to move to.

Beginning of the end for the cheapest ever mortgage rates? Rock bottom five-year fixes are on the rise as rate rise looms closer

Beginning of the end for the cheapest ever mortgage rates?

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.

Could shared ownership help you on to the property ladder? Scheme brings home purchases into reach for first-time buyers

With shared ownership you first have to pass an income eligibility test. Typically, to qualify you - or you and your partner together - need to earn less than £60,000 a year. Ultan Molloy benefited.

Want to buy a home with a small deposit? Here's how to get the best mortgage and avoid the traps

How to buy a home with a small deposit and get a mortgage

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.

My house is worth millions but my children can't afford starter homes - should I use equity release to help them?

I bought a house in Dulwich in London some decades ago which is worth several million pounds now, but my adult children are struggling to get on the housing ladder.

The 100-year club: The professions where it would take at least a CENTURY to save a home deposit revealed

For many who work in the UK's key occupations getting on to the housing ladder is a pipe dream as it would take literally hundreds of years to save for the deposit.

How mortgages work: Your essential guide to paying for a home

How mortgages work: Your essential guide to paying for a home

Houses are expensive. The average home in the UK costs £268,000, according to the Office of National Statistics. Unless you are very wealthy, you are unlikely to be able to buy a home outright. Instead, you can use a mortgage to fund the bulk of the purchase. We explain the essentials.

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