Mortgages & home

Buying a property overseas is a life-long dream for many people looking for sun, relaxation - and perhaps a place to retire. Some will plan on basing themselves abroad for a few months of the year while others will want to relocate permanently. Many will pick spots on the Continent though some will venture further afield. Whatever you decide, unless you plan carefully those dreams of owning a place in the sun could soon turn into a nightmare. Here are some of the potential problems and pitfalls you need to be aware of.

Parents helping their children onto the housing ladder are forking out an average of £18,000. But figures from L&G; and the CEBR highlight the big discrepancy in handouts across the country - triggered by major differences in house prices.Sums range from an average £10,800 in Scotland and £12,000 in the North East, to £21,700 in the South East and £30,600 in London

Cambridge is home to the fastest moving property market in the country when it comes to properties on sale for £1million or more, new findings reveal. With buyers facing hefty asking prices, stamp duty charges and other taxes and fees, shifting a home for £1million or more can be tough. But in areas like Cambridge, Edinburgh and Bristol, sellers face less of an uphill struggle.

The modest monthly drop is the third fall in four months, with the average home now valued at £213,618, according to the latest index by Nationwide. The headline figure is actually a bit higher than April's £213,000, but Nationwide uses seasonal adjustments to calculate the monthly rise or fall.

Older borrowers are for the first time being offered mortgages that they can take to the grave. In a move to help retired people stay in their homes, Hodge Lifetime has launched a new interest-only loan for over 55s which lets them keep borrowing until they die. Nationwide, Britain's biggest lender, has also revealed plans to launch an interest-only mortgage that will allow homeowners to borrow into later life - and experts say that more firms will soon follow suit.

With mortgage rates still at an all-time low, securing an affordable home loan should be easy. But many borrowers still face obstacles - from the self-employed, those with poor credit records to first-time buyers. Black marks on a credit record caused by ill health or job loss can also scupper a mortgage application. This prospect faced 43-year-old Louise Forshaw (pictured with husband Gavin Naylor) from Preston, Lancashire. She was diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago which meant Gavin temporarily gave up work as a joiner to care for her.

Lee McIntosh's North London flat was valued at £290,000 in 2015 by Halifax, and in theory since then prices are up 15%. But when he went to remortgage, the bank said it was only worth £278,000. He is one of the increasing number suffering down valuations and as asking prices are cut and big mortgages return are there red lights flashing for the property market?

Challenger bank Aldermore has launched the first deal allowing retired borrowers to remortgage their interest-only loan when it comes to an end. Borrowers aged between 55 and 85 can now apply for an interest-only mortgage - either to release a bit of equity from their property to pass on to kids or grandchildren or, uniquely, to remortgage an existing interest-only debt.

Hundreds of thousands of mortgage borrowers are throwing away £1.15 billion a year because they unwittingly sign up for the wrong deals, a major report has revealed. Some of these homeowners are even shopping around using an independent broker or price comparison website - but still fail to find the cheapest mortgage.

The Fitzgeralds, both 76, have invested many hours redecorating and improving their two-bedroom property to turn it into a quiet retirement haven for themselves and their beloved dog, Millie. But now the couple, who have never missed a mortgage payment, are being taken to court for an eviction hearing by their bank, Santander.

House prices rising faster than wages meant 'housing affordability significantly worsened' in England last year, the ONS said today. The figures emerged in a report that laid bare the effect of two decades of house price inflation on workers' ability to buy a home. An interactive map using house price and local wage data since 1997 allows people to look up what has happened near them.

A loosening of the rules to allow interest-only mortgage lending into retirement will make it easier to tap into a home's value. On one hand it's another element of the disturbing financialisation of our homes, but who would deny someone a more enjoyable retirement, or the chance to help their children buy homes while they can still come round for dinner?

Three years ago I bought my first flat which is a one-bedroom in zone 4 in London. I have just decided to move in with my boyfriend in his flat but want to keep hold of mine. I took a five-year fixed rate when I bought the flat so I have two years left to go. I think I am allowed to get permission from my lender to rent it out though? How do I do this and are there any risks I need to consider?

While there were 23 lenders willing to provide a mortgage to those buying with the aid of a Help to Buy equity loan five years ago, just 10 lenders are prepared to accept a remortgage application from borrowers looking to switch from another lender today. According to research by mortgage broker RateSwitch, this includes major institutions such as Lloyds Bank, Nationwide, NatWest and Santander.

The clock is ticking for homeowners. The Bank of England is expected to hike base rate from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent by December. You can be sure that banks will do everything in their power to pass on these increases to customers who have a mortgage. Here's how to beat them,

Lenders have started to withdraw their cheapest mortgage deals from the market in the past week as expectations of a rise in the base rate grow. It coincides with fresh warnings from the Bank of England that it's set to hike the base rate again, possibly in May, which is pushing market rates up now.

'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' Depending on the evidence you choose, life is either good or bad for Britain's first-time buyers right now.