Mortgages & me
Bringing both explanation and humour (yes, it is possible) to an often perceived realm of boredom
Mortgages. Let’s not kid ourselves here. If you had the choice of having one or not then there would be no choice. However, the vast majority of us, Russian billionaires excluded, need them to fuel that much loved British tradition – homeownership. So, if we all accept that we need them, you may as well do something positive and get the best one for you. It is staggering how many people make sure they get value for money from every day items but do not manage their home loan properly - the savings far outweigh the difference between the best baked beans and the value ones.
So, this blog will attempt to look at the world of mortgages and the housing market and try to bring both explanation and humour (yes, it is possible), and spark some comment, to an oft perceived realm of boredom. Here goes…
Drew Wotherspoon
25/09/2008 by
Anyone trying to choose a mortgage at the moment may well feel like their head is spinning, with rates yo-yoing and even the experts finding it hard to predict what news the next days and weeks might bring. While many people...
Categories: Mortgages, Interest rates, Tracker mortgages, Fixed rate mortgages
27/08/2008 by
Another of my not so mortgage savvy friends was wondering where on earth he should start his home ownership career when it comes to knowing what his mortgage options were. Like the good friend he is, he didn’t think that I would...
Categories: Mortgages, Interest rates, First time buyers
26/08/2008 by
One of the keenest debates over recent years in the mortgage market has been over buy to let mortgages. Some see them as an excellent market; others see them as a bubble waiting to burst. Buy to let mortgages really have divided...
Categories: Buy to let, Mortgages, Interest rates
21/08/2008 by
Even though I work in mortgages, unlike my erstwhile colleague Ray Boulger, it is not my passion. Music takes that title. Someone who knows me well asked if I had ever investigated the use of the word mortgage in music and I...
Categories: Mortgages
21/08/2008 by
News from the Council of Mortgage Lenders that lending activity picked up very slightly in July, with £24.8 billion advanced to borrowers. This is up a modest 5% from June, but still down 27% year on year. ...
Categories: Mortgages, Interest rates, Mortgage Lenders
20/08/2008 by
When people find out that you work in mortgages, the first question they invariably ask is "what’s the best mortgage?" A fair question I think. After all, it’s like asking a chef what the best pudding is. However, unlike the...
Categories: Mortgages, Interest rates
19/08/2008 by
More good news for the mortgage market with the announcement from Lloyds TSB that it is cutting its mortgage rates for the second time in two weeks amid signs that real levels of competition are returning to the market. The...
Categories: Mortgages, Interest rates, Tracker mortgages, Fixed rate mortgages
14/08/2008 by
Having just returned from two weeks in France, some of which was spent (thankfully) with non-mortgage types, I learned a valuable lesson. The UK mortgage buyer is confused. Just what is the best way to get the best mortgage for...
Categories: Mortgages, Media, Interest rates
14/08/2008 by
To say the mortgage market has been an enigma of late would be an understatement of epic proportions. With news, most of it negative, emanating on a daily basis, borrowers could be forgiven for not knowing whether to fix, track,...
Categories: Mortgages, Interest rates, Tracker mortgages, Fixed rate mortgages
13/08/2008 by
I am reliably informed that one of the most popular mortgage search terms for mortgages on www.google.co.uk is for cheap mortgages; after all, everyone likes a bargain. ...
Categories: Mortgages, Interest rates, Fixed rate mortgages, Tracker mortgages
The blog postings on this site solely reflect the personal views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views, positions, strategies or opinions of John Charcol. All comments are made in good faith, and neither John Charcol nor Drew Wotherspoon will accept liability for them.