Share Sounds related to Property & Mortgages

Life is tough for first-time buyers. House prices were already expensive before the coronavirus lockdowns and defying all logic a mini-boom has sent the average house price up £20,000 further over the past year. At the same time mortgage lenders have indulged in a flight to safety, canning the vast majority of 95% loan-to-value mortgages and bumping up the gap between rates on 90 per cent mortgages and those for borrowers with more equity. 'Once more into the breach' has stepped the Government, with taxpayer aid for banks and building societies to offer more 5% deposit mortgages. But is this a wise move? Should we stop meddling in the mortgage and property market, as short-term assistance ends up meaning long-term pain as more credit is extended and house prices climb ever higher? And could it be that while the 95% mortgage push is the wrong move at the national economic level, on a personal level taking one might prove a good move for some, who could end up paying less than they do in rent? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss the 95% mortgages, the rise in house prices and whether buy-to-let is still a good investment. Also this week, the lowdown on the Barclaycard customer service meltdown as long-standing customers see their credit limits slashed. And finally, you want a shed-office (aka a shoffice) to work in down the bottom of the garden, but can you power it with solar panels?

Adam Cox is joined by Christian Armstrong from rental property pioneers Get Living, to discuss how Brits’ attitudes towards renting have changed over the last few years, and why build-to-rent properties have become so popular. They look at the benefits of build-to-rent schemes and how the pandemic has changed the needs and demands of the renter market.

Britain is in the grip of a mysterious property mini-boom. Talk of a property market more buoyant than it’s been in years, of viewings and offers flooding in and family homes in hot demand, doesn’t seem to just be the usual estate agent puff. Evidence from mortgage reports, surveyors and data on estate agent activity, appears to bear this out. The stamp duty holiday and lockdown itchy feet have combine to make parts of the market a sellers’ one, so as a buyer what can you do to get a decent offer accepted and avoid overpaying? On this week’s podcast, Simon Lambert, Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce talk buying homes. They discuss what’s going on, whether all parts of the market are flying (not quite), why some homes go to above asking price offers but others linger, and how as a buyer you can get a good deal, while as a seller you can also try to go under offer swiftly at a decent price. Also, on this week’s show, the team discuss the rise of the lockdown trader and why more people – and younger ones at that – are buying shares. They look at inflation and how many savings account beat it. And finally, why has the Royal Mint said it probably won’t need to make anymore 2p pieces or £2 coins for a very long time?

Adam Cox speaks to Wayne Bennet from Home Reach, discussing the affordability of housing and how shared ownership is increasing in popularity to enable millennials to get on the property ladder. Wayne shares a few tips about how to get a new home, and why savings that may have been dipped into to deal with the Coronavirus doesn’t mean that dreams of buying a house are out of reach.

As of 13th May 2020 in England, Government guidelines have enabled the housing market to re-open for business. In this episode of Inside Property, Richard Blanco is joined by broker Jay Rooney; Lawrence Bowles from Savills Research; and Arla Propertymark board member, Rachel Hanniquet-Brooking. They look at how agents and customers are coping with the new procedures and discuss the ongoing mortgage holiday, rent holiday challenge facing many landlords and tenants. How is the mortgage landscape evolving, and what are the prospects for house prices and sales and lettings activity moving forward?

There is a burgeoning offer of residential, buy to let and short term finance available and arguably the market has never been so competitive. But lending criteria and mortgage regulation can make getting the right finance quite a feat. Richard Blanco is joined by brokers Morgan Stewart from GPS Financial, Nick Blunt from One and All Financial Services and Scott Hendry from lender, Together Money to guide you through the mortgage maze.

Richard Blanco is joined by Meera Chindooroy from the National Landlords Association, Lawrence Bowles from Savills and Richard Bowser from Property Investor News to analyse some of the factors driving the property market as we near the end of 2019. We discuss the latest sales and rental trends, the UK and global economy, housing politics, regulatory changes and landlord and developer sentiment. This programme was recorded just before the announcement of the December 2019 election.

More and more of us are renting for longer – not by choice, but by necessity. In cities especially, more people are renting into their thirties, forties and beyond, sometimes raising children in rented flats with no long-term security. Rents are sky high. Saving for a deposit can take a decade or longer. And for many people, property ownership seems unachievable. But what if we could do something about it? Could rent controls be the answer? To help answer this question, Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Hanna Wheatley, researcher at the New Economics Foundation and co-author of a NEF report on rent controls, and Eva Freeman, private renter and member of the London Renters Union.

Adam Cox is joined by Steven Hiltermann – UK General Manger at room and roommate finder, Badi. Together they discuss the pros and cons of renting, and how finding your ideal flatmates could be the answer to the ever-increasing demand for living space in big cities across the globe.

Architect Richard Ganeshmoorthy and expert landlord developers MaryAnn Richmond-Coggan and Karen Gregory join Richard Blanco to discuss the joys and challenges of refurbishment. From finding the perfect wreck to managing your tradespeople, pushing through the difficult bit in the middle and charming your way through the snagging, we share our best tips and anecdotes.