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Rising mortgage costs driving house sellers to cut asking prices

Vendors are increasingly willing to accept a sizeable discount from the asking price in order to secure a sale, research has found.

Its latest research, property portal Zoopla found that nearly half (42%) of sellers are accepting discounts of at least 5% from the asking price, the highest level seen since 2018. Meanwhile, 15% were accepting discounts of at least 10% from the asking price.

Zoopla pointed to rising mortgage costs for this trend, noting that mortgage rates moving above 5% had meant a hit of up to 20% in the buying power of those looking to purchase using a mortgage.

The higher mortgage costs are leading to a drop in demand, with Zoopla data showing there were 14% fewer buyers active in the market over the last four weeks compared with the same period a year ago.

However, supply is growing, with 18% more homes listed for sale in the last four weeks compared with the five-year average.

The study also found that annual house price growth has slowed to 1.2% now, with Zoopla suggesting “a return to modest quarterly house price falls” over the second half of the year as a result of rising mortgage rates and continued cost of living pressures.

House price growth was highest in Wales at 2.5%, and weakest in Northern Ireland where prices dropped 0.8%.

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Region watch

Looking at regional differences, market activity was found to be holding up better in Scotland, the North East and London. Southern England and the Midlands have performed the worst, with Zoopla noting these were places where house prices grew the most during the pandemic.

It suggested that house prices will fall by up to 5% this year, though over the longer-term house price growth will be “ a lot weaker” due to a realignment of house prices and household incomes.

Read about the UK Housing Market via our Specialist Residential & Buy to Let Division

Mortgage rates testing homebuyers

Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, said the resilience of the market and particularly homebuyers is being tested by rising mortgage rates.

He continued: “Modest price falls will resume in the second half of 2023 as the supply of homes increases giving buyers more choice and room for negotiation on price. We still expect house prices to be 5% lower over 2023 and there is a very substantial equity buffer to absorb price falls which are likely to be concentrated across southern England.

“Demand for homes remains but those households looking to move home in 2023 need to be very realistic on pricing and get the view of agents on where to pitch their asking price to secure a sale.”

By John Fitzsimons

Source: Your Money

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Skipton launches deposit-free mortgage aimed at renters

A deposit-free mortgage specifically aimed at people currently renting has been launched by a UK building society.

While a handful of other no-deposit deals are available, they all need the financial backing of family or friends.

Skipton Building Society says while its deal requires 12 months of on-time rental payments and a good credit history, it does not need a guarantor.

However, at 5.49% the interest rate is more expensive than the average five-year fix of 5%.

Generation Rent, which campaigns on behalf of private renters, says the shortage of affordable properties within the budget of first-time buyers is still the main stumbling block for those struggling to get on the property ladder.

“It’s not necessarily going to help all the people who are looking to buy a first-time home if there aren’t more houses available to buy,” says Will Barber Taylor from Generation Rent.

Currently there are 15 other zero-deposit products on the market, according to financial data firm Moneyfacts, accounting for just under 0.3% of the UK market.

First-time buyers are facing an uphill battle. Rapidly rising rents have made saving for a deposit increasingly difficult, at the same time that the government’s flagship Help to Buy scheme, aimed at helping first-time buyers, is no longer open.

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The Skipton, which is the UK’s fourth biggest building society, says it recognised a “gap in the market”.

Stuart Haire, the society’s chief executive, told the BBC that “until now there has been no solution for them [renters] to buy a property due to a lack of savings or access to family wealth”.

David is renting with his partner and new baby in North Yorkshire. “It’s getting that deposit together that’s really difficult with rent prices,” admits David.

“If I can prove I’ve been paying rent for the last 10 years of my life why can’t I have a mortgage.”

Read about the UK Housing Market via our Specialist Residential & Buy to Let Division

The government’s Help to Buy scheme saw the Treasury lending homebuyers between 5% and 20% of the cost of a newly-built home, and up to 40% in London.

The scheme closed to new applicants in October 2022, but there are rumours that something along similar lines could be re-introduced.

But a rise in zero-deposit mortgages may not be welcomed by everyone, as riskier mortgages with a high loan to value were a root cause of the 2008 financial crash.

Mortgage expert Andrew Montlake says then lenders were just interested in volume rather than quality.

“The world is very different now,” he says, and adds that his opinion has changed over the past 15 years, as long as the 100% loan value mortgages are “underwritten sensibly”.

By Colletta Smith & Nicky Hudson

Source: BBC News

Mortgage lenders 5% deposit mortgage scheme Bank of England Mortgage payment holidays house prices Investors
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Mortgage lenders prepare to launch new low deposit mortgages

Mortgage lenders in the UK are preparing to launch a wave of ultralow deposit deals on to the market.

Several big high street names have already confirmed their intention to participate in a new UK government-backed five per cent deposit scheme, which was unveiled by the Chancellor in the recent Budget.

Lenders who are participating in the new scheme include Lloyds, Natwest, Santander, Barclays, HSBC UK and Virgin Money.

Some lenders are expected to reveal further details about what they will have to offer in the coming days, The Scotsman reports.

The new mortgage guarantee scheme aims to increase the appetite of lenders across the UK for high loan-to-value lending (LTV) to creditworthy customers.

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It will be available to current homeowners as well as first-time buyers looking for a property for up to £600,000. Borrowers will still need to pass the usual affordability checks.

On the whole, the scheme can be used for new or existing properties and it will be open for applications from later this month until December 31 next year.

The initiative will work by allowing lenders to purchase a Government guarantee that would compensate them for a portion of their losses in the event of foreclosure.

The new scheme will mirror a “tried and tested” initiative which reinvigorated the mortgage market in the recent past.

In 2013, the government launched the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme in response to a similar shortage of low-deposit mortgages following the 2008 financial crisis. The programme helped more than 100,000 households to buy their own home across the UK.

The previous Help to Buy scheme also had the effect of boosting competition in the 5 per cent deposit bracket among lenders who were not part of the scheme.

Read about the UK Housing Market via our Specialist Residential & Buy to Let Division

They ramped up their low-deposit ranges in order to compete with lenders taking part in the initiative.

Lloyds Banking Group confirmed that its new deals will be available across its brands, Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, and direct from Halifax, as well as through Halifax Intermediaries.

The bank said that two-year and five-year product options will be made available.

A Santander spokeswoman said: “We’re pleased to be supporting the Government’s 95% mortgage guarantee scheme and look forward to sharing full details of the products available shortly.”

A spokesman for Virgin Money said: “We will be an active participant in the Government’s mortgage guarantee scheme and we are due to announce our proposition next month.”

Source: Scottish Construction Now

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Mortgage Lenders Show Confidence, A Research By MoneyFacts Has Found

There are now more mortgage deals available than since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic began impacting the UK economy last March, MoneyFacts has reported.

Its latest UK Mortgage Trends Treasury Report, found that there are currently 3,215 mortgage deals available, the highest number yet since March. Then there were 5,222 deals in the market.

The biggest rise in deals over the last few months is in 90 per cent loan to value deals.

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While average mortgage interest rates have risen across all LTVs, the average for two and five year 90 per cent LTV fixed mortgages fell month-on-month from 3.65 per cent and 3.79 per cent in January to 3.56 per cent and 3.72 per cent in February respectively.

‘Those with 10 per cent deposit or equity might be especially pleased to note that this tier has, for a second month, seen the largest uplift in availability. With products at this level often favoured by first-time buyers and traditionally being seen as higher risk for providers, willingness to extend lending in this risk bracket could be an indication that mortgage lenders have confidence in the sector, despite ongoing, wider economic uncertainty’, said Moneyfacts’ Eleanor Williams.

Read about the UK Housing Market via our Specialist Residential & Buy to Let Division

‘This is echoed by the average two and five year fixed rates at 90 per cent LTV seeing the largest fall of all the lending tiers, reducing by 0.09 per cent and 0.07 per cent’.

Source: Landlord Knowledge

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Mortgage lenders back possessions moratorium

Mortgage lenders have backed the Financial Conduct Authority’s extension to the moratorium on possessions to 1 April 2021.

This followed the government’s extension of the moratorium on private tenant evictions until 21 February 2021 in England. Wales and Scotland have banned rental evictions until 31 March 2021.

Eric Leenders, managing director of personal finance at UK Finance, said: “The banking and finance industry is committed to providing ongoing support to those facing financial difficulty as a result of the pandemic.

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“The industry is fully supportive of a moratorium on possessions remaining in place until 1 April 2021 to ensure customers do not lose their home at this difficult time.

“This is part of a package of support provided by lenders for those who need it, including payment deferrals and tailored assistance.

“It is vital that customers who are concerned about their finances go online or contact their lender to understand what options and support are available to them.”

Read about the UK Housing Market via our Specialist Residential & Buy to Let Division

Under the extension, members of UK Finance and the Building Societies Association will agree not to seek, or enforce, a warrant for possession before 1 April 2021, unless there are exceptional circumstances such as a customer requesting proceedings to continue or when the property is in vacant measures.

This latest extension means the measures will have been in effect for 12 months by its end date.

BY RYAN BEMBRIDGE

Source: Property Wire

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Broker satisfaction with lenders has increases to 82.7% despite COVID-19.

Broker satisfaction with mortgage lenders increased to 82.7% despite COVID-19 with Halifax being the UK’s highest-rated bank and Metro Bank its the lowest rated, according to the fourth edition of the Mortgage Lender Benchmark.

The six-monthly assessment of the service and propositions offered by lenders found that overall broker satisfaction with the lenders they do business with was up from 81.1% in H2 2019 (December).

Across all case types, satisfaction with product transfers has soared to 86.2%, up from 83.2% in H2 2019. And while banks and specialist lenders have seen the greatest increase in overall satisfaction, building societies remain the highest rated sector, and four of the five highest rated buy to let lenders are now building societies.

Broker satisfaction across lifetime lenders is largely flat, although brokers reported finding it harder to determine the maximum loan amount and product eligibility across this group of lenders.

The ease of determining product eligibility for lifetime lenders fell to 77.7%, down from 82.5% in H2 2019.

Michael Fotis, managing director of Smart Money People said, “Overall brokers are more satisfied with the performance of relationship managers, customer service and the speed offered by lenders in particular.

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“And while broker satisfaction with mortgage lenders has jumped to the highest levels seen since our tracking commenced in December 2018, COVID-19 had an impact on a number of themes.

“Brokers talked more negatively about product range, communication and the clarity of criteria in this edition.”

Halifax remains the UK’s highest rated bank with ease of application and speed remaining key strengths. Godiva Mortgages, Coventry Building Society’s buy to let brand sees its overall satisfaction increase by 11%, and is now the highest rated lender in its category.

more 2 life remains the UK’s highest rated lifetime lender and is some 9% above its nearest competitor. Metro Bank is the UK’s poorest rated bank with underwriting and a lack of flexibility reported by brokers as the biggest pain points.

The NPS of lenders, a measure of loyalty, ranges from +73.1 to -40.0, with the average across all lenders increasing to +30.8.

This research is carried out by Smart Money People.

By Ryan Fowler

Source: Mortgage Introducer

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Lenders pledge ongoing support for those affected by Covid

Mortgage lenders are committed to supporting borrowers who are reaching the end of a three-month payment holiday to choose the next steps that best suit their needs, according to UK Finance.

This comes after HM Treasury confirmed last week (May 22) that mortgage customers, who were struggling to pay due to the coronavirus, can extend their payment holiday for an additional three months or begin to make reduced payments.

Figures from UK Finance showed that an equivalent of one in six mortgages are currently covered by a payment holiday, with more than 1.82m payment holidays having been issued as of May 20.

The industry body said it was “important that customers receive the support that is right for them” and for those who had already taken a payment holiday, an extension “may be appropriate in some circumstances”.

It encouraged borrowers who are concerned about their ability to pay to contact their lender and consider the “full set of options available to them”.

These include reduced payments, a move to interest-only payments for a period, extending the term of the mortgage to reduce payments, taking a payment holiday if the customer has not already done so or a further extension of the payment holiday.

Stephen Jones, UK Finance CEO, said: “Mortgage lenders are committed to providing those borrowers nearing the end of their three-month payment holiday with help and flexibility in choosing the next steps which best suit their needs.

“The industry looks forward to regulatory guidance being finalised swiftly to ensure both borrowers and lenders can plan over the coming weeks.

“Meanwhile those borrowers who have already taken a mortgage payment holiday and can afford to make payments are encouraged to do so, as this will reduce the level of their repayments in the long run.”

In response, Vim Maru, retail director at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “We are already proactively contacting our customers who will be reaching the end of their repayment holidays to support them in restarting their payments.

“For those who may continue to be financially impacted, we will offer a range of support based on their current financial circumstances.”

But Dominik Lipnicki, director at Your Mortgage Decisions, said he would welcome a “more uniformed approach from lenders when it comes to the ease of application [of a payment holiday] and how these borrowers are looked at in the future when remortgaging or buying a new home”.

Research from YouGov for Nationwide found that 21 per cent of homeowners in April were worried about not being able to keep up with mortgage payments, and 14 per cent feared losing their home.

Lenders have also committed to continue suspending involuntary repossessions for residential and buy-to-let customers until October 31, as set out in the Financial Conduct Authority’s draft guidance for lenders published last week (May 22).

On the day the FCA published its draft guidance, Nationwide pledged that none of its mortgage customers, who fell into arrears as a result of Covid-19, would see their home repossessed until the end of May 2021, if they worked with the provider to “get their finances back on track”.

Joe Garner, chief executive at Nationwide, said: “As a mutual, founded to help people into a home of their own, this is what building societies have always been about. We hope this additional support will provide extra flexibility to those who most need it, to help get them back on track.”

Mr Lipnicki added: “The fact that repossessions are on hold is a very welcome relief for affected borrowers and I am sure that more flexibility will need to be applied even after October 31”.

By Chloe Cheung

Source: FT Adviser

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Rise in mortgage products ’cause for optimism’

The number of mortgage products grew by 5.9 per cent in the past week in a sign the market is starting to recuperate, according to technology provider Mortgage Brain.

The number of products available last week stood at 8,044, marking the second consecutive week the number had risen, and up by 488 from the previous week.

The increase was mostly due to the remortgage sector, where product numbers went up by 5.4 per cent, while home mover products increased by 2 per cent, and buy-to-let products fell by 1.9 per cent.

When compared to pre-pandemic levels, the number of mortgage products is still 6,630 – or 45 per cent – lower than the nine week average to March 16, however.

According to Mortgage Brain the latest increase in numbers reflected lenders returning to the market, increasing their LTVs and relaxing some of their criteria.

Last week Nationwide resumed lending up to 85 per cent to new customers. Specialist lender Hodge followed and lifted restrictions on its mortgages, after announcing interim changes to its lending criteria last month.

Mark Lofthouse, CEO of Mortgage Brain, said the rise in product numbers in the past two weeks was “cause for cautious optimism”.

Describing the recent figures as “encouraging”, Mr Lofthouse added that “we could be at the end of the dramatic week on week reductions”.

Kevin Dunn, director at Furnley House, added: “Last week we thankfully saw the return to the market of some higher loan to value deals from some of the bigger lenders. Hopefully this will have a ripple effect to give other lenders the confidence to return more products to the market too.

“A higher increase in remortgage products makes sense, as often these are easier to complete without having to have a physical valuation.

“There are definitely some green shoots to suggest the market is slowly coming back.”

By Chloe Cheung

Source: FT Adviser

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One in nine UK mortgages now subject to a payment holiday

The number of mortgage payment holidays in place more than tripled in the two weeks between March 25 and April 8, UK Finance said.

More than 1.2 million mortgage payment holidays have been provided to home owners whose finances have been hit by coronavirus, according to a trade association.

This equates to around one in nine (11.2%) mortgages across the UK now being subject to a payment holiday, UK Finance said.

For the average mortgage holder, the payment holiday amounts to £260 per month of suspended interest payments.

For a mortgage where chunks of the capital (the amount borrowed) and interest are normally being repaid, the average payment holiday equates to around £775 of deferred payments each month.

Lenders announced on March 17 that they would support customers facing financial difficulties due to the Covid-19 crisis.

People who are struggling to make their payments, perhaps because they have had a pay cut or their work has temporarily stopped due to Covid-19, can request a mortgage payment holiday of up to three months.

Payment holidays are available to customers who are up-to-date on their mortgage payments. People taking up this option will still owe the money and interest will still accrue.

Home owners applying for a mortgage payment holiday will need to self-certify that their income has been either directly or indirectly impacted by coronavirus.

UK Finance has said firms will make every effort to ensure payment holidays do not negatively impact on credit files.

The number of mortgage payment holidays in place more than tripled in the two weeks between March 25 and April 8, growing from 392,130 to 1,240,680. This is an increase of nearly 850,000 or an average of around 61,000 payment holidays being granted by lenders per day.

Stephen Jones, UK Finance chief executive, said: “Mortgage lenders have been working tirelessly to help home owners get through this challenging period. The industry has pulled out all the stops in recent weeks to give an unprecedented number of customers a payment holiday, and we stand ready to help more over the coming months.

“We understand that the current crisis is having a significant impact on household finances for people across the country. Lenders have a number of options available to help, and payment holidays aren’t always the right solution for everyone. We would therefore encourage any mortgage customers concerned about their financial situation to check with their lender so they can find out more information on the support available and how to apply.”

Robin Fieth, chief executive of the Building Societies Association (BSA), said: “We know that this is a difficult time for many home owners with a mortgage, and building society staff have been working hard to offer individuals the right solution. For almost quarter of a million so far, that has been a three-month payment holiday offering much needed breathing space to families whose household income is under severe pressure during the current crisis.”

UK Finance said telephone lines remain extremely busy so customers who are concerned about making their mortgage payments are advised to look at their lender’s website in the first instance, which will include the latest information on the support available.

Many lenders are offering customers the option to apply for a mortgage payment holiday through an online form on their website.

Lenders are also urging mortgage holders not to cancel their direct debits before a payment holiday has been agreed, as this will be counted as a missed payment and could impact their credit file.

Source: Express & Star

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1.24 million mortgage borrowers given payment holidays by lenders

More than 1.2 million mortgage payment holidays have been granted to households whose finances have been impacted by Covid-19, UK Finance has revealed.

This means that one in nine residential and buy-to-let mortgages (11.2%) in the UK are now subject to a payment holiday.

For the average borrower, the payment holiday amounts to £260 per month of suspended interest payments. This is calculated using the average interest rate of 2.37% on an average loan size of £132,128 in the UK, as of 31 December 2019.

On 17 March, the Government gave the go ahead for mortgage lenders to allow payment holidays and the number has more than tripled in the two weeks between 25 March and 8 April, growing from 392,130 to 1,240,680.

This is an increase of nearly 850,000 or an average of around 61,000 payment holidays being granted by lenders each day.

According to the Building Societies Association, a quarter of a million of the total figure of 1.24 million is mortgage payment holidays granted by building societies.

The UK Finance figures are grossed up from a representative sample and could be revised slightly as firms identify double-counting and other anomalies in previous daily totals.

Stephen Jones, UK Finance CEO, said: “Mortgage lenders have been working tirelessly to help homeowners get through this challenging period. The industry has pulled out all the stops in recent weeks to give an unprecedented number of customers a payment holiday, and we stand ready to help more over the coming months.”

Robin Fieth, Building Societies Association CEO, said: “We know that this is a difficult time for many homeowners with a mortgage and building society staff have been working hard to offer individuals the right solution.

“For almost quarter of a million so far, that has been a three month payment holiday offering a much needed breathing space to families whose household income is under severe pressure during the current crisis.”

Telephone lines remain extremely busy and lenders have been updating their websites with the latest information on the support available to answer customers’ queries. Many lenders are offering customers the option to apply for a mortgage payment holiday through an online form on their website.

Lenders are also urging mortgage holders not to cancel their direct debits before a payment holiday has been agreed, as this will be counted as a missed payment and could impact their credit file.

By Joanne Atkin

Source: Mortgage Finance Gazette