Knowledge & Resources
In this section you will find a wealth of topical information on the mortgage and property markets. From Ray Boulger’s blog, to a wide selection of news articles which are constantly updated, this area of the website is packed full of interesting comment.
Ask the Mortgage experts
First Time Buyers and Stamp Duty Land Tax
02/02/2012
My husband and I have separated and I want to buy my own home. Will I qualify for not having to pay stamp duty if we had a joint mortgage on our marital home?
Conversion Finance
30/01/2012
We purchased a large u shaped steading in Aberdeen several years ago. One side of the u was unconverted and we have recently obtained planning permission to convert this side in to a 4 bed house ( no restrictions), using existing entrances but also creating one new one.
Our mortgage lender Nationwide refuse to lend the money as they say it is a commercial venture/seperate development to our house and we cant have 2 mortgages on one property. They are unable to lend on commercial developments. The Halifax however would take over our current Nationwide mortgage and lend the full amount for the unconverted side of the house as part of a single new mortgage! Our problem is we will have to pay £6.000 to the Nationwide to 'buy out' of our current mortgage. This is galling given their unhelpfulness. How can two major lenders see things so differently. We do not wish to split the deeds fo a number of reasons. What do you advise?
Mortgages & me
Life. It's worth covering...
05/01/2012 by
It’s that moment when you’ve secured what you wanted, but then the adviser/salesperson begins their scripted spiel on the virtues of their insurance, and why you should have it. As usual we listen politely, before declining....
It's all going wrong; isn't it?
09/12/2011 by
Guest Blog, Alistair Hargreaves, Mortgage Consultant.
Is everything really going wrong? Looking at the response to the budget, especially around housing and you would certainly think so. Don’t get me wrong; it’s tough out there...
Ray Boulger's blog
The Vickers Report and the Mortgage Market
12/09/2011 by
There is naturally a major focus in the media today on the Vickers Report but it is important to recognise that the proposals, which the Chancellor has already accepted, don’t have to be fully implemented until 2019, the same...
Eurozone Sovereign debt default gets closer
05/09/2011 by
With new evidence of problems in global economy emerging almost every day now from somewhere in the world (figures from the UK service sector today were much worse than expected by economists, many of whom seem to be pretty...