Zoopla bets on house envy as Brits snoop on neighbours’ property prices Property Zoopla, the UK’s second-largest property portal, has cashed in on Brits’ house envy as it pivots towards serving existing homeowners who want to snoop on the value of other people’s homes. New chief executive Paul Whitehead has pushed the property site away from an emphasis on transactions, instead hoping to woo homeowners who use the [...]
Mortgage rate hikes cost London homebuyers £35,000 Property The surging mortgage rates caused by the Iran war have forced the average London homebuyer to fork out an extra £35,500 for their deposit. The rising cost of borrowing caused by the Middle East conflict has meant that the average deposit in the UK is £18,400 higher than in January – though costs have risen [...]
Help to buy scheme had ‘limited impact on social mobility’ Property Previous help-to-buy schemes did little to improve social mobility and mainly benefited high earners, the government has been warned, as it mulls reviving the programme. Help-to-buy, which offered equity loans to first-time buyers, had a “limited impact on social mobility,” the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said. The government is reportedly considering revising help-to-buy, [...]
‘Mortgage mayhem’: Banks’ rates soar past 5.5 per cent amid Iran war volatility March 25, 2026 The UK mortgage market has been flipped upside down with Brits facing higher prices to borrow in the short-term as the Iran war rattles the economy. The average five-year fixed deal for a homeowner has spiked to 5.54 per cent this morning, up from 4.95 per cent at the start of March, according to financial [...]
How likely are property tax reforms in the Autumn budget? September 3, 2025 Rumours have been swirling in Westminster about a variety of property tax changes Rachel Reeves might introduce in this Autumn’s budget – or further down the line – in an attempt to plug a £40bn gap in the nation’s finances while overhauling a complex system of levies and charges. The Treasury is reportedly looking into [...]
Rachel Reeves eyes boost for first-time buyers with mortgage reforms July 15, 2025 Rachel Reeves will today unveil a fleet of reforms in a bid to boost home ownership as she plans to slash ‘financial red tape’. Speaking in Leeds ahead of her Mansion House address, the Chancellor will announce plans for the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) to increase high loan-to-income mortgages (over 4.5 times a buyer’s income) [...]
Rachel Reeves warned cash ISA reforms will hike mortgage costs July 7, 2025 Rachel Reeves’ plans to cut the cash ISA limit have been blasted by the bosses of Britain’s top building societies over fears they will hike borrowing costs. The Chancellor has been warned her proposals to slash savers’ annual cash ISA allowance from the existing tax-free threshold will drive up costs for homeowners and businesses. Concerns [...]
London gets even worse for first-time buyers as UK cities ranked September 2, 2024 London has become an even worse city for first-time buyers, according to new figures, but the situation has now stopped people flocking to the capital for the social and career opportunities. The capital has moved down one place to 44th out of 50 in the latest ranking from mortgage provider Aldermore. The study compared cities [...]
Price of the average London home on the rise as UK demand rockets August 28, 2024 The ‘average’ London home will now set you back more than £530,000 after house prices in the capital increased for the first time since April 2023, according to figures released today. Data from Zoopla’s latest house price index revealed that London property prices were up 0.2 per cent year on year in the first seven [...]
London homeowners saving less money as gap between renting and buying narrows March 27, 2024 In London, the monthly difference between renting and buying is just one per cent. Buyers in the capital save £12 a month compared to their lodging counterparts.