Irish mortgage lending collapses after govt withdraws tax breaks

Gross mortgage lending in the Republic of Ireland plummeted by almost 70% in the first quarter of 2013 following the withdrawal of government tax reliefs for new borrowers.

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Santander launches zero fee mortgage range

Santander Mortgages is today launching a new range of 2, 3 and 5 year fixed and tracker products with no up-front booking or arrangement fees.
The range has been launched particularly to support first-time buyers and all Zero Fee products will retain the free valuation and £250 cashback featured with other Santander mortgages. The range includes products at 85-90% LTV.

Phil Cliff, Director of Santander Mortgages, said:

"Now is a great time to take advantage of competitive rates available on mortgages up to 90% LTV.  As one of the major mortgage lenders in the UK, we continually review our product offering to help customers in the current tough economic conditions.  It's especially first time buyers that struggle to find the extra money for the fees on a mortgage - so they can be a barrier to FTBs getting a foot on the ladder - so we're doing our bit to help them."

NatWest launches new 90% LTV deals; offers sub-2% fix via brokers

NatWest Intermediary Solutions has launched a number of new mortgage products at 90% LTV and has also reduced its two-year fix to 1.95%.

From tomorrow the lender will offer a two-year fixed rate product at 4.59% and a five-year fixed rate at 4.99%, both with product fees of £995. Six other products will also launch, including a pair of buy-to-let mortgages and two fee-free fixed rates.

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David Cameron forced to defend Help to Buy

Prime Minister David Cameron has been forced to defend the government’s under fire Help to Buy scheme after continued criticism.

He said that the scheme would simply help people get onto the housing ladder and would not encourage reckless lending.

Council of Mortgage Lenders chairman Nigel Terrington added his voice to the criticism of the scheme on Friday, saying the government needed to abandon ‘sound bite' mortgage and housing policies.

"For political reasons over recent years we have seen the rise and fall of many housing and mortgage schemes; in fact, more policies - and more years - than many of us will care to remember," he told an audience in London.

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MPs slam 'horrendous' mortgage guarantee scheme

The government’s Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme could leave it open to high loan-to-value mortgage lending risk for years to come, MPs have warned.

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Only 1 in 3 think Help to Buy scheme will get them on property ladder

The average age UK house hunters estimate they will be able to buy their own home by is 37 years old, according to research by MoneySupermarket.

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Building societies almost double mortgage market share

Building societies now constitute 21.5% of the gross mortgage lending market - nearly double their financial crisis level, according to new analysis by housing investment and shared equity mortgage provider, Castle Trust.
In 2009 their share of gross mortgage lending dwindled to just 12.9% - the lowest in over a decade – as lending was restricted. But lending has now recovered strongly and is close to the 22.6% achieved in 1999.

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