Tax Uncertainty Reshapes Buyer Conversations
Housing policy risk is becoming a more visible part of mortgage advice. Berkeley Group has called for stamp-duty reform ahead of the Budget, including a proposed 1% cap for first-time buyers and downsizers and removal of the 5% surcharge on property investors. Separately, Propertymark has warned that proposed Scottish council-tax bands for higher-value homes could […]
Faster Remortgages Need Better Data
Remortgaging demand is holding up despite the seasonal slowdown, while Barclays is reported to be launching a fast-track switching service that could produce an offer within 24 hours and complete in five days. Across the wider market, Project 28 is also seeking to accelerate property transactions by encouraging earlier sharing of property information among lenders, […]
Smarter Sourcing Meets Complex Credit Demand
Mortgage technology is becoming more important as product choice broadens. Gable Mortgages has joined Mortgage Brain’s Sourcing Brain platform, bringing zero-deposit products into broker sourcing workflows. Separately, Tipton & Coseley Building Society has expanded its Credit Plus range with a second tier for borrowers with more complex credit histories. The developments point to an increasingly […]
AI Trust Raises Advice Governance Stakes
The FCA says younger investors are placing substantial trust in AI: 56% of surveyed 18- to 40-year-olds trusted AI tools, while four in five less-experienced investors had used them for investment support. However, the regulator found major misunderstandings around protections: 44% believed AI-generated financial information is regulated, and 32% thought they could receive FSCS or […]
Rate Rises Put Remortgage Clients First
Mortgage pricing moved higher again as major lenders repriced and Moneyfacts reported average two-year and five-year fixed rates at 5.67% and 5.72% respectively. The backdrop is increasingly uncertain: July GDP growth of 0.4%, energy-cost concerns and market expectations of further Bank Rate tightening are all feeding into swap-rate and lender-pricing volatility. For advisers, remortgaging remains […]