Mortgage News: March 2005
House
prices rise after eight months in doldrums
Published: 29 Mar 2005 (telegraph.co.uk)
The housing market is showing the first signs of recovery in nearly
a year, an independent research group said yesterday.
Mortgages
and bills left vulnerable by life insurance gap
Published: 23 Mar 2005 (myfinances.co.uk)
Britons are putting loved ones at risk by not taking out enough life
insurance or income protection, either for their mortgages or to cover
the cost of living.
Self-certified
mortgages ‘fuel debt and misery’
Published: 22 Mar 2005 (creditman.biz)
An insolvency specialist has called for curbs on self-certified mortgages
which allow home buyers to take out mortgages far bigger than they can
afford to repay.
Right-to-buy
tenants to get option of Islamic mortgages
Published: 15 Mar 2005 (guardian.co.uk)
The government is to consult on allowing council tenants the right-to-buy
their homes using mortgages which comply with Islamic law, it emerged
yesterday.
Consumer
confidence jumps
Published: 14 Mar 2005 (in2perspective.com)
With the Bank of England freezing interest rates, consumers' confidence
in the housing market has increased for the second time this year with
a jump of 5% in February, say the Woolwich - the largest monthly increase
recorded for a February since it started tracking confidence in 1988.
The
best ways to pay off your mortgage early
Published: 13 Mar 2005 (business.timesonline.co.uk)
More borrowers are clearing their home loans younger than ever. Clare
Francis explains how you can join them.
Borrowers
still feel the pinch
Published: 12 Mar 2005 (business.timesonline.co.uk)
HUNDREDS of thousands of homeowners are facing increased mortgage repayments
despite the Bank of England’s decision not to raise interest rates
this week.
A
nation of shopkeepers
Published: 11 Mar 2005 (news.ft.com)
Falling yields in the residential lettings market are attracting growing
numbers of private investors to commercial property, lured by the generous
tax breaks and the higher rents.
Banks
offering "raw deal" on mortgages
Published: 09 Mar 2005 (myfinances.co.uk)
Banks are offering mortgage holders a "raw deal", Nationwide
has said.
Changing
the shape of city building society
Published: 08 Mar 2005 (peterboroughtoday.co.uk)
CITY-BASED Norwich and Peterborough Building Society has recorded its
highest ever mortgage lending with new mortgage advances increased by
30 per cent from £659 million to £854 million last year.
Silver
lining turns up in endowment mortgages
Published: 08 Mar 2005 (icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk)
Years of hostile publicity and regular "red" letters warning
homeowners of possible shortfalls running into thousands when their
mortgage expires, have turned with-profits mortgage endowments into
the investment most people wish they had never made.
Parts
of Merseyside plan to be mortgage-free zones
Published: 07 Mar 2005 (iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk)
HESWALL today emerges as the place in Merseyside where most people have
paid off their mortgage and own their home outright.
Welsh
'pay off mortgages earlier'
Published: 07 Mar 2005 (news.bbc.co.uk)
Wales has the highest proportion of people who own their homes outright
in the UK, according to new figures.
Mortgages
paid off at a lower age
Published: 07 Mar 2005 (telegraph.co.uk)
Britain's home owners are paying off their mortgages at a younger age
than at any time over the last 25 years, a survey has found.
Equity
release mortgages exceed expectations
Published: 02 Mar 2005 (myfinances.co.uk)
Three times as many equity release mortgages were sold in 2004 than
was anticipated, it has emerged today.
Buyers
beware as property price gap widens
Published: 02 Mar 2005 (myfinances.co.uk)
Sellers are far more optimistic about house prices than buyers, leading
to a stand-off in property sales, propertyfinder.com has found.
Archived news: