Something To Talk About

There has been a welcome shift in the mortgage market this week, competition between lenders is beginning to intensify. Several major lenders have announced fresh mortgage rate cuts, including Nationwide, Virgin Money, BM Solutions and Halifax. Nationwide is cutting selected fixed-rate mortgages by up to 0.19%, while other lenders are also trimming rates across parts of their ranges. This does not mean mortgages are suddenly cheap again. Borrowing costs remain a very importan

Every so often, a policy idea comes along that may not affect the property market immediately, but is still worth paying attention to. The latest discussion surrounds possible property tax reform under Andy Burnham, should he become Prime Minister. Reports over recent days have suggested that he may be sympathetic to replacing the current council tax system — and possibly stamp duty — with a new form of annual property tax linked more directly to property values. At this stag

The Bank of England has voted to keep the base rate at 3.75%, a decision that was widely expected but still significant for anyone thinking of buying, selling, remortgaging or simply trying to understand where the property market may be heading next. The Monetary Policy Committee voted by a majority of 7 to 2 to hold rates, with two members voting for a rise. That split tells us something important: while there is no immediate increase, the Bank is still keeping a very close

I spent last weekend at the Le Mans 24 Hour race, and while it may seem an odd comparison, there is a genuine link between endurance racing and selling a property. And no, I’m not talking about the comfort of a proper bed in your new home compared with a tent and a sleeping bag. Le Mans is the greatest motorsport endurance race. Although in modern racing it is increasingly a race of outright speed as well as stamina. The cars are incredibly advanced, the teams are hugely prof