Mortgages
Hard times ahead after rise in rates
Published: 12 May 2007
Homeowners hit by interest rate rise
Published: 10 May 2007
The Bank of England raised interest rates to their highest in six years.
The Mortgage Clinic: How to invest smoothly overseas
Published: 09 May 2007
I am planning to buy an investment property abroad. I've just started looking around and want to know if it's best to get a mortgage overseas or whether I should remortgage my property in London to pay for it. Also, if I get an overseas mortgage, how much would I be able to borrow?
RF, by email
Is there a catch if a lender offers to drop the charges?
Published: 06 May 2007
The Mortgage Clinic: 'How much of my salary should I spend?'
Published: 02 May 2007
Q. 'I'm about to buy my first home, and feeling the temptation to borrow as much as I possibly can. I've seen, too, that some people are getting loans of up to nine times their salary. What I'd really like to know is what proportion of my monthly income I should put into my mortgage and how much I should hold back for the rest of my outgoings' CB by email
Mortgages: Interest rates may be rising but don't get 'fixated on a fix'
Published: 29 April 2007
With predictions of an imminent rise in the base rate being shouted from the rooftops, many borrowers have been scrambling to get their hands on a cheap fixed-rate home loan.
The Mortgage Clinic: 'Why can't I have the fixed rate I was offered?'
Published: 25 April 2007
Q. 'I've made an offer on a flat, and thought I had the finances in place. But my mortgage broker says that the fixed-rate loan he recommended has been withdrawn, and that the lender is not doing any fixed-rates at the moment. Where do I stand? I'm worried that I'll either have to pay through the nose for a different mortgage, or lose the flat' BR, Liverpool
Wealth Check: Sixteen years to wipe out the home loan and retire debt-free
Published: 22 April 2007
The problem: A race against time to secure his future
The Mortgage Clinic: 'How can I buy a bigger share of my flat?'
Published: 18 April 2007
'I bought a 40 per cent share of a housing association flat in 2003, and I pay rent on the rest. I'm allowed to buy additional chunks, 20 per cent at a time, but I can't find a mortgage company that will lend me the money. I'd like to buy more, and I need to find a solution fast, as it's getting hard to afford the the extra portions as house prices go up.'
The Big Question: Is the housing market still booming - and could it be heading for a crash?
Published: 13 April 2007
Why are we asking this question now?
The Mortgage Clinic: 'How should we free up our equity?'
Published: 11 April 2007
We now own our house outright, and my husband is keen on an equity release scheme - but I'm worried that we'll end up no longer owning our home. What are the hidden catches?
Should mortgage hunters worry about deals done behind closed doors?
Published: 08 April 2007
The Mortgage Clinic: 'Should I get a rate that's fixed for life?'
Published: 04 April 2007
Q. 'I'm on a tracker mortgage now and have felt the pain of recent interest-rate increases. I've seen that I can now have a mortgage fixed for as long as 25 years. Is that a good idea? It would be reassuring to know that there is no way my mortgage payments could rise any further, but have I missed an important snag?'
Think of '82 and then imagine life on a 25-year, fixed-rate mortgage
Published: 01 April 2007
The US wobbles and UK housing falls down: is it all just a bad dream?
Published: 01 April 2007
"Not necessarily, no, and certainly not outside the United States."
The Mortgage Clinic: How can my parents help me buy a home?
Published: 28 March 2007
Q. I have a bad credit history and two county court judgments against me but I now have a reasonable salary and good career prospects. I've recently separated from my husband, and he'll pay maintenance - my parents have offered to help me, too. I would like to get a mortgage on my own on our former marital home. Will lenders take maintenance payments into consideration? AW, West Midlands
Dust off your finances and save £5,000
Published: 25 March 2007
It's not our homes we should be spring cleaning but our finances, according to research from the price comparison service Moneysupermarket.com.
The Mortgage Clinic: 'How can I avoid paying a large exit fee?'
Published: 21 March 2007
Q. 'I'm coming to the end of my fixed-rate deal and am shopping around. I've read that mortgage companies have been ordered to charge lower exit fees to people who are switching to their rivals. How can I make sure I don't pay too much when I take my business elsewhere? Also, can I get back the exit fee I was charged two years ago, when I last switched?' JP, London
Lenders cut the cost of fixed deals despite predicted interest-rate hike
Published: 17 March 2007
Eight leading mortgage lenders have cut the cost of their fixed-rate home loans over the past two weeks, despite expectations that the Bank of England will raise interest rates one more time this year.
The Mortgage Clinic: 'How will divorce affect my home?'
Published: 14 March 2007
Eight years after my husband left, I am divorced and living in the house we jointly own. There is £40,000 to pay on the interest-only mortgage. My husband used to contribute but he no longer can. He has requested a change to the deeds to 'tenancy in common'. What does this mean? If I have to sell the property, will I have to split the profit after paying off the mortgage? CG, by email
Brown urged to relax the tax that slams the door on homebuyers
Published: 11 March 2007
Stamp duty is proving a huge obstacle to first-time buyers struggling to get a foot on the housing ladder, as well as to those trying to move up the rungs.
Bashed the banks? Now claim from your lender
Published: 10 March 2007
The Mortgage Clinic: 'Can they charge £15,000 for early repayment?'
Published: 07 March 2007
Q. Almost three years ago, my wife took out a fixed-rate mortgage, but we have now had to sell our home. Our lender says there will be an early repayment charge of more than £15,000, even though the fixed period ends in a few months' time. I don't see how their costs could be higher than the two repayments of £1,500 we would make if we were staying where we are.
The Mortgage Clinic: 'Is a two-year, fixed-rate the best option?'
Published: 28 February 2007
You're not doomed to soaring costs if a cheap mortgage dies
Published: 25 February 2007
