Finance is “still quite hard to come by” despite the current low level of interest rates, it has been noted. David Amstell, founder of property website Briffy.com, said that the housing sector remains slow due to a lack of mortgage…

There has been high demand for shared ownership property schemes but the market is being held back by a lack of bank finance, it has been claimed. A representative from the National Housing Federation (NHF) noted that many people are…

An improvement in the number of people seeking mortgages is a positive development for the sector, it has been stated. Alexander Hall chief operating officer Andy Pratt said that there are signs that the market is beginning to pick up…

Homeowners have been urged to fix their mortgage repayments now while rates remain low. The debt management advice was offered by Alliance & Leicester mortgage director Nici Audhlam-Gardiner, who said that many people may be “reluctant” to commit to a…

Those seeking debt advice have been warned that the “true cost” of loans must be considered when taking out such a financial product. According to Britannia Building Society, consumers need to consider valuations and arrangement fees when borrowing money to…

The total amount of money freed up by homeowners through equity release schemes was £245.01 million in the first quarter of 2009, new figures have shown. Data unveiled by Safe Home Income Plans (Ship) revealed that the average value generated…

Average house values dropped by 0.4 per cent in April, new figures have shown, which may be unwelcome news for those facing the prospect of negative equity. Data from Nationwide revealed that the decline took the price of a typical…

Home loan approvals were “marginally weaker” in March than in February, while consumer credit levels remained relatively unchanged, according to new data. Figures from the British Bankers’ Association (BBA) have revealed that gross mortgage lending reached £8.9 billion last month,…