Mortgage Strategy
3 March 2008

  • Exclusive self-cert deal launched

    3 Mar 2008

    3mc has launched a prime self-cert deal available exclusively to Association of Mortgage Packagers and Distributors members. The two-year fixed rate deal has an initial rate of 5.99% and has been launched in partnership with The Mortgage Business.

  • Y3S offers faster applications

    3 Mar 2008

    Y3S loans has launched DoxReady, an IT system for the secured loan market designed to cut application times.

  • 100% + Mortgages (2)

    7 Mar 2008

    What a surprise - the government has wasted no time in withdrawing Northern Rocks much-maligned but very popular Together product.To be honest I don't blame them but it's another kick in the teeth for First-Time Buyers and dear Mr Darling could not really be seen to be supportive of such a product given his recent comments.The bets are on for who is next to withdraw such a product with so few now remaining ...

  • 100% + Mortgages (3)

    7 Mar 2008

    That's it then...the end of an era as BM and Mortgage Express pull their 100% plus range of mortgage products. I think that just leave Dunfermline Building Society in Scotland and Scottish Widows on a professional basis that offers something similar.

  • 5,000 brokers use Trigold online seminars

    4 Mar 2008

    Trigold says nearly 5,000 brokers have made use of its online interactive training system.

  • Abbey guarantees product accuracy on Trigold

    3 Mar 2008

    Abbey for Intermediaries has pledged to automatically verify all its products on Trigold's sourcing system to ensure brokers are receiving up-to-date and accurate information.

  • Abbey withdraws key account exclusives

    7 Mar 2008

    Abbey for Intermediaries has pulled all of its exclusive products with its 27 key accounts.

  • Advantage sale rumours denied

    3 Mar 2008

    Morgan Stanley has publicly denied rumours that Credit Suisse has submitted an offer to snap up the shell of Advantage, its defunct UK lending arm. But a source inside the US investment firm has confirmed it is considering offers for the business. Advantage ceased trading on February 13 following the withdrawal of its HomeBuy and Flexishare products in December. At the time of the closure, a spokeswoman for Morgan Stanley said it also planned to scale back its US residential business. ...

  • Advantage's fall no sign of US retreat

    3 Mar 2008

    There was more bad news for the mortgage market recently when US investment giant Morgan Stanley decided to close Advantage.

  • Amber axes new lending

    4 Mar 2008

    Amber Homeloans has withdrawn from new lending and will focus only on its current portfolio of loans.

  • Amber says up to 27 jobs at risk

    5 Mar 2008

    Amber Homeloans says up to 27 members of staff have been placed on a 30-day consultation period as a result of the firm’s withdrawl from the new lending market.

  • AMI urges chancellor to launch mortgage industry budget

    6 Mar 2008

    The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries has today called on the chancellor to introduce a budget for the mortgage market.

  • Are small firms prepared for the regulator's treating customers fairly deadline on march 31?

    3 Mar 2008

    Although small brokers have struggled to implement TCF in the past, our experts think they are on course for the FSA's first deadline this year

  • Astra to deal with all N&P broker business

    3 Mar 2008

    Astra Mortgages has been repositioned as Norwich and Peterborough's intermediary brand.

  • AToM guarantees 48 hour payment of proc fees

    5 Mar 2008

    All Types of Mortgages has guaranteed that it will continue to instruct payment of proc fees within 48 hours of confirmation of legal completion.

  • AToM guarantees 48 hour proc fee payment

    3 Mar 2008

    All Types of Mortgages has guaranteed proc fee payment within 48 hours of confirming a completed deal.

  • B2L lending soared in 2007

    3 Mar 2008

    Buy-to-let lending boomed by £2.9bn in the second half of 2007.

  • B2L market difficult to tap for new investors

    5 Mar 2008

    Prospective buy-to-let investors are finding it increasingly difficult to tap the rental market says the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

  • Bank of England Base Rate Held

    7 Mar 2008

    It's a shame that the Bank of England decided to hold interest rates at 5.25%, but this time the Monetary Policy Committee found itself in a no-win situation.

  • Base withdraws from adverse market

    6 Mar 2008

    Base Commercial Mortgages is withdrawing its adverse lending facilities immediately.

  • BDS partners Viva to boost AR numbers

    3 Mar 2008

    BDS Mortgage Group's network has partnered with overseas lender Viva Costa International Mortgages to help boost its appointed representative numbers by 25% in 2008.

  • Britons have 3.2% less disposible income, says ASDA

    3 Mar 2008

    The average household in middle Britain had 3.2% less disposable income in January than in the same time last year.

  • Brits waste two years worrying about debt

    5 Mar 2008

    The average Briton wastes about two years or 16,848 hours of their lifetime worrying about debt, research out from The Co-operative Bank claims.

  • Brokers called on to revisit clients

    7 Mar 2008

    Simon Cocker, head of business development at the Dunfermline, is calling on brokers to follow lenders and instigate a full recontact programme with clients.

  • Brokers failing to follow up client cases

    3 Mar 2008

    A shocking 40% of HBOS' remortgage business is submitted by brokers who did not place the original deals.

  • Brokers must show they will survive

    3 Mar 2008

    Consumers want to be reassured their brokers will still be around in the future should problems arise so small firms must look at how to prove their financial stability, says Rob Clifford

  • Brokers play fast-track and loose

    3 Mar 2008

    Kevin Paterson takes a weekly look at the latest developments in the market and brings you what's hot and what's not in the world of mortgages

  • Brokers urged to review business model or risk RDR

    7 Mar 2008

    Brokers have been urged to review their current business model to ensure dealings with clients are transparent and fair or risk attracting the attentions of the Financial Services Authority's Retail Distribution Review.

  • CAB will offer advice by podcast

    3 Mar 2008

    Citizens Advice Bureau and YouthNet have joined forces to provide money advice to 16 to 25 year olds online and via podcasts, audio content and mobile phones.

  • Cfirst cuts processing times by 43%, says Commercial First

    3 Mar 2008

    Commercial First has revealed its cfirst system has cut processing times for remortgage cases by 43% over the first eight months of its operation, compared with the twelve months prior to its introduction.

  • Charcol says January was slow

    5 Mar 2008

    The January mortgage market was dominated by subdued mortgage activity, low LTVs and low income multiples, says John Charcol.

  • Charity calls for new form of PPI

    5 Mar 2008

    A leading charity has proposed a new form of mortgage payment insurance to help the growing number of borrowers at risk of repossession.

  • Cobalt & Cavendish

    7 Mar 2008

    Good news here in that we have finally completed the acquisition of Cavendish Mortgages.

  • Complete launches The Complete Deal

    3 Mar 2008

    Complete Mortgage and Loan Services has launched The Complete Deal with LMS Conveyancing.

  • Confidence in economy falls

    3 Mar 2008

    Britons' confidence in the UK economy is at its lowest level since 1994, research by GfK NOP shows. Its confidence data has fallen four points to minus 17.

  • Consultancy appointment

    3 Mar 2008

    Dale Knight has been made business development director of consultancy Think Strategically.

  • Consumers don't understand why deals aren't attractive

    3 Mar 2008

    We are going through one of the worst periods the mortgage market has seen in recent years as a result of the liquidity crisis.

  • Coventry's net mortgage lending rockets 97%

    4 Mar 2008

    Coventry's net mortgage lending surged 97% in 2007 - a record achievement for the mutual.

  • Credit crisis moves into the courtroom

    3 Mar 2008

    The decision by Germany's HSH Nordbank to sue Swiss bank UBS for failing to manage assets according to prudent investment objectives is an interesting move and represents the next stage of the ongoing credit crisis.

  • CurriculumVitae: Colin Blears

    3 Mar 2008

    "The attendant explained I looked too young and they thought I had stolen the car"

  • Cut-price online conveyancers may breach legal code

    5 Mar 2008

    MTA Solicitors has hit out at cut-price conveyancers, arguing that many are in breach of the Law Society's Code of Conduct.

  • Dear Delia...

    3 Mar 2008

    Dear Delia, My clients have found a property that they want to purchase as a buy-to-let investment. The problem is that it requires extensive refurbishment and is not suitable for immediate occupancy. Also, the vendor wants to complete as soon as possible - in three weeks at the latest. How can they buy the property in a way that minimises the deposit required and complete the deal in the timescale involved?

  • Don't get carried away by Property Prices

    7 Mar 2008

    Nationwide have just released their latest house price report showing that prices have fallen for the fourth month in a row.

  • Don't let the crunch take us back to the bad old days

    3 Mar 2008

    My old friend Colin Snowdon, chief executive officer of Wave, has been running an interesting series of advertorials in the trade press recently, provoking debate on a range of mortgage-related issues.

  • E-conveyancing cut backs are market opportunities

    7 Mar 2008

    Xit2 says the Land Registry decision to shelve plans for some elements of e-conveyancing and in particular the Chain Matrix provides a tremendous opportunity for the market to focus on other priorities.

  • Eco-town shortlist imminent

    3 Mar 2008

    Housing minister Caroline Flint is due to release a shortlist of eco-town sites in the next few weeks. The zero-carbon towns were proposed last year and over 50 plans have been considered by the government. Flint says the shortlist will be considered before being whittled down to a final list.

  • Elephant has loan extended

    7 Mar 2008

    Elephant Loans and Mortgage has had its loan terms extended by Trafalgar Capital Specialised Investment Fund.

  • Enterprise launches expansion websites

    6 Mar 2008

    Enterprise Group is launching four websites in the coming weeks to mark its expansion as a technology based loan and mortgage distributor.

  • February house prices down 0.1%, says Halifax

    6 Mar 2008

    Property prices fell by 0.3% in February Halifax has revealed in its latest house price index.

  • Finance Finder joins Promise proposition

    6 Mar 2008

    Finance Finder has signed up to the Promise Solutions sourcing and underwriting proposition.

  • First Time Buyer Mortgages

    7 Mar 2008

    Some interesting research by Abbey has shown that "British parents have collectively forked out more than £27 billion to help their children buy first homes" which averages out at £5,874. Also around 1 in 16 borrow money from parents with an average loan of just under £20,000.

  • Former Paymentshield boss takes role at 3XD

    3 Mar 2008

    Rick Riding has joined fellow ex-Paymentshield directors at 3XD, where he has been appointed non-executive chairman.

  • Founder of PMPA retires from board

    3 Mar 2008

    Ian Nelson has resigned from the Professional Mortgage Packagers Alliance's board to concentrate on his retirement.

  • FSA faces formal assessment

    7 Mar 2008

    The Financial Services Authority faces a formal assessment by the National Consumer Council to ensure that it is fit for purpose.

  • FSA says it will stick to principles

    3 Mar 2008

    Financial Services Authority chief executive Hector Sants says that the recent market turbulence and problems at Northern Rock will not affect its commitment to principles-based regulation.

  • FSA threatens TCF fines

    3 Mar 2008

    The Financial Service Authority says it will increase penalties to achieve its Treating Customers Fairly goals. It also says its TCF deadlines will remain in place despite difficult market conditions. Clive Briault, managing director of retail markets at the FSA, insisted that TCF deadlines are not negotiable in a speech at its Retail Firms Division Conference last week.

  • FSA to spearhead debt advice pilot

    3 Mar 2008

    The Financial Services Authority will launch a free debt advice pilot scheme based on the recommendations of the Thoresen Review of Generic Financial Advice.

  • FSA's support for finance academy is misjudged

    3 Mar 2008

    I was interested to read that the Fin-ancial Services Authority is backing a financial services academy for disadvantaged youngsters (Mortgage Strategy February 25).

  • Future launches secured loan range

    6 Mar 2008

    Future Mortgages has unveiled secured loan products in anticipation of changes to the Consumer Credit Act 2006.

  • GMAC launches e-newsletter

    3 Mar 2008

    GMAC-RFC has launched an online newsletter for brokers. Called E-news, it will be issued every month and will aim to keep brokers informed about industry news and forthcoming events.

  • Godiva enters equity release

    3 Mar 2008

    Brokers have heralded the dawn of an equity release remortgage market following the launch of early repayment charge-free lifetime deals by Godiva Mortgages.

  • Goldsmith data bucks trend

    3 Mar 2008

    Goldsmith Williams figures published last week reveal a 20% increase in completions.

  • Goldsmith Williams partners with Berkeley James

    3 Mar 2008

    Goldsmith Williams has partnered with mortgage packager Berkeley James.

  • Grass up Arthur Daley types to FSA

    3 Mar 2008

    If you haven't seen the spoof sales pitch of a US broker on Videojug.com (www.videojug.com/ film/how-to-buy-a-home-with-no-money-down), I urge you to because it's hilarious.

  • Handling big risks in a harsh climate

    3 Mar 2008

    The FSA's Financial risk outlook investigates the biggest risks facing the mortgage industry and discusses how firms can cope with the prevailing market conditions, says Bill Warren

  • HIPs trials reveal 72% consumer satisfaction

    6 Mar 2008

    The publication of the Housing Ministry's Home Information Pack area trials results reveal 72% of consumers are fairly or very satisfied with HIPs.

  • House prices may plummet

    3 Mar 2008

    House prices are set to tumble by 6% this year and continue to fall into 2009.

  • House prices rose 0.9% in January

    3 Mar 2008

    House prices in England and Wales rose by 0.9% in January, according to the Land Registry. This takes the average house price in England and Wales to £186,045. London saw annual house price growth of 13.1% with an average price of £357,976.

  • HSBC reports 10% increase in pre-tax profit

    3 Mar 2008

    HSBC has reported a 10% in pre-tax profit for 2007 despite its significant exposure to the US credit crunch.

  • Hurrah for legal judgement against FOS

    3 Mar 2008

    Sense prevails, but how long will it last and how widespread will the ramifications be? I refer to the little reported but sagacious decision of a County Court judge in Trowbridge who ruled against the Financial Ombudsman Service.

  • Immigrants may boost brokers' B2L business

    3 Mar 2008

    A number of recent re-ports have highlighted the fact that buy-to-let is now a mature sector and should perform relatively well in 2008, de-spite the expected economic downturn.

  • InterBay Commercial revamps product range

    7 Mar 2008

    InterBay Commercial has revamped its product range as part of its plan to reduce business volumes.

  • InterBay plans to axe up to 25 jobs

    3 Mar 2008

    InterBay is to axe up to 25 jobs despite record levels of business over the past month. The specialist commercial lender says that worsening market conditions have led to its decision. The cuts will be made across the company and all departments are expected to be hit.

  • Interest rate freeze will hurt borrowers

    6 Mar 2008

    The Bank of England's decision to freeze interest rates at 5.25% will deal another blow to borrowers, claim firms across the mortgage industry.

  • It pays for valuers to do home inspections promptly

    3 Mar 2008

    Andrew Botte's recent letter (Mortgage Strategy February 18) outlines some frustrating circumstances with which I have some sympathy.

  • It's wise to call clients home owners

    3 Mar 2008

    About a week ago I conducted a telephone interview with Toni Moss in the US. Moss, who prefers to describe herself as a Texan rather than an American, is the driving force behind a pan-European conference on mortgage servicing called EuropeServicing. It will take place on April 28 and 29 at the British Film Institute in London.

  • Job cuts likely at London Scottish

    3 Mar 2008

    Jobs are under threat at London Scottish Mortgages following its parent company's decision to wind up its lending arms.

  • Kensington appoints new head

    4 Mar 2008

    Keith Street has been appointed as the new head of Kensington and will effectively replace the role of outgoing chief executive Alison Hutchinson.

  • Kensington keeps Complete service

    3 Mar 2008

    Complete Mortgage and Loan Services has been retained on Kensington's packager panel.

  • KRS and Ipswich join forces

    3 Mar 2008

    Ipswich and Key Retirement Solutions have launched an equity release partnership. This means all of Ipswich's equity release customers will be introduced to the specialist broker for advice.

  • Landlords Beware

    7 Mar 2008

    I read an entertaining article over the weekend, unfortunately cannot remember where, about the risks that landlords face when they do not keep a proper track of what is happening with their properties.

  • Leadpoint discounts all remortgage lead packets

    3 Mar 2008

    LeadPoint is discounting all remortgage leads through its lead packets service.

  • Lenders doubt 100% market

    7 Mar 2008

    Experts doubt the future of 100% mortgages following the recent exodus from the sector.

  • Lenders move to combat fraud in new-build deals

    3 Mar 2008

    Several lenders have overhauled their new-build strategies as part of an industry campaign designed to combat fraud.

  • Link Lending offers remortgage title insurance

    7 Mar 2008

    Link Lending is offering title insurance for all remortgage cases of up to £1m. The insurance will be supplied by Stewart Title and apply to all new commercial and residential remortgage applications, allowing remortgage cases to be completed within 48 hours of the application being received.

  • Liquidator backs under fire chair

    3 Mar 2008

    Blackandwhite chairman Chris Ollerenshaw has won praise for his handling of the firm's closure.

  • Long Term Fixed Rate Mortgages

    7 Mar 2008

    It is interesting that Mr Darling keeps banging on about long term fixed rates without actually demonstrating a full understanding of the mortgage market and indeed human nature.

  • MAB launches POS system

    3 Mar 2008

    Mortgage Advice Bureau has launched its MIDAS point-of-sale system following a successful pilot. It analyses lead generation sales results and sources mortgages while monitoring case administration and compliance.

  • Market watch 3 March 2008

    3 Mar 2008

    Swaps continued to edge upwards last week, but they seem to play virtually no role in dictating what happens to mortgage rates.

  • Matthew Arena, managing director at Exclusive Connections is in this month’s Hot Seat.

    7 Mar 2008

    What achievement are you most proud of, in or out of the industry?Scoring the winning penalty to take my college football team into the semi final of the cup. I'd missed all five of my practice attempts before the game and it was one of my last games of competitive football.

  • Me and my ipod - 3 March 2008

    3 Mar 2008

    My iPod contains a microcosm of my musical life, from 1980s pop to indie, house, soul and band music. Being an Everton fan, the Theme from Z-Cars is on my list too, says Julian Wells

  • MfB appoints BDM

    5 Mar 2008

    Mortgages for Business has hired Emma Neylon as a business development manager to help expand its B2B proposition.

  • MfB partners with Commercial 1

    7 Mar 2008

    Mortgages for Business has appointed specialist brokerage Commercial 1 its exclusive broker for secured loans and bridging finance.

  • MI adds to secured panel

    3 Mar 2008

    Mortgage Intelligence has added Norton Broker Services, the master broker arm of Norton Finance, to its secured loan panel.

  • MI launches exclusive with TMW

    3 Mar 2008

    Mortgage Intelligence has launched a three-year buy-to-let exclusive fixed at 5.85% from The Mortgage Works.

  • MN calls on brokers to back FSA campaign

    5 Mar 2008

    Mortgage Next is encouraging brokers to back the Financial Services Authority's campaign to increase consumer awareness about the range of financial options available to them.

  • Moneysupermarket.com reports £7.6m pre-tax profit

    3 Mar 2008

    Moneysupermarket.com Group generated £9.4m in pre-tax profit last year.

  • Mortgage Lender Criteria Changes

    7 Mar 2008

    Woolwich has just announced that loans over £1m will be priced individually in a move that has come out of the blue.

  • Mortgage Next to pay proc fees within 24 hours

    6 Mar 2008

    Mortgage Next has reassured brokers that it will pay proc fees within 24 hours of lenders confirming completion has taken place.

  • Mortgage Times appoints Mayfair Bridging to panel

    7 Mar 2008

    Mortgage Times has added Mayfair Bridging to its bridging finance panel.

  • Mortgages for Business hires BDM

    5 Mar 2008

    Mortgages for Business is expanding its business to business operation and has hired Emma Neylon as a business development manager.

  • MPC holds base rate at 5.25%

    6 Mar 2008

    The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee has held interest rates at 5.25%.

  • MPLC pulls self-cert for employed

    5 Mar 2008

    Mortgages PLC is withdrawing its self-cert facility for employed applicants.

  • MPs lambast FSA and BoE

    3 Mar 2008

    MPs have launched a sweeping attack on the Bank of England, the Financial Services Authority and credit rating agencies for failing to warn firms over their risk exposure.

  • MTE links up with Ipswich

    3 Mar 2008

    The Mortgage Trading Exchange's 26,000 users can now complete online applications for Ipswich's mortgages regardless of which sourcing or point-of-sale system they use.

  • Nearly half of landlords unaware of deposit responsibilities

    6 Mar 2008

    Research from Business Development Research Consultants has revealed over 40% of landlords are still unaware of their responsibilities under the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.

  • Network appoints father and son

    3 Mar 2008

    FT Partners has made Alan Wheatley its chairman and his son Jon a non-executive director. Alan has served as chairman of Utilico Investment Trust and deputy chairman of Cable and Wireless.

  • New landlords struggle to access BTL sector

    6 Mar 2008

    Access to the buy-to-let market has become harder for new landlords as mortgage deals became scarce, says the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

  • Omnii launches credit checking software

    3 Mar 2008

    Omnii Solutions has launched a software programme to help brokers verify clients' credit records.

  • One in five borrowers expect arrears in 2008, says FSA

    4 Mar 2008

    A survey from the Financial Services Authority has revealed one in five borrowers fear they will not be able to make their mortgage payments over the next year.

  • One in six Britons think UK is in recession

    6 Mar 2008

    One in six Britons believe the UK is already in a recession, reveals a report by consumer finance site Fool.co.uk.

  • Openwork originates over £20bn in 2007

    4 Mar 2008

    Openwork has revealed it originated more than £20bn in mortgage business during 2007, showing a 15% increase on 2006.

  • Optoma apologises to brokers

    5 Mar 2008

    Andrew Seymour, managing director of Optoma has issued a statement apologising to brokers for any inconvenience that it may be experiencing during the current processing changes being undertaken at Optoma.

  • Packagers are being edged out of the value chain

    3 Mar 2008

    The packaging industry saw another casualty recently in the form of LMS Packaging. Staff lose their jobs, brokers lose their money and so it goes on.

  • Packagers can ride the storm

    3 Mar 2008

    Remortgages and the buoyant buy-to-let market will act as lifelines for many packagers this year.

  • Packagers keep faith at Summit

    3 Mar 2008

    Delegates at Mortgage Strategy's Packager Summit last week were upbeat, despite research from The Mortgage Business showing just 8% of senior staff in the sector were confident about the future. The liquidity crisis has hit the market hard but packagers are not giving up without a fight.

  • Packagers that take the pain now willwill win the long-term survival game

    3 Mar 2008

    I agree with many of the points Rob Jupp raises in his recent letter regarding packagers (Mortgage Strategy February 25).

  • Packagers will survive the downturn

    3 Mar 2008

    The recent news that Bill Warren has been made redundant from the Regulatory Alliance of Mortgage Packagers and that Eddie Smith has left the Professional Mortgage Packagers Alliance is a sign of the times.

  • Paradigm adds Banco Halifax Hispania to its lender panel

    7 Mar 2008

    Paradigm Mortgage Services has added Banco Halifax Hispania to its lender panel.

  • Paradigm adds Banco Halifax Hispania to panel

    7 Mar 2008

    Paradigm Mortgage Services, the mortgage partnership proposition, has added Banco Halifax Hispania to its lender panel.

  • Paradigm launches large loan exclusive with Bank of Scotland

    4 Mar 2008

    Paradigm Mortgage Services has launched an exclusive large loan product with the Bank of Scotland.

  • Pink appoints director of finance

    5 Mar 2008

    Pink Home Loans has promoted Lisa Hurley from associate director to be its director of finance.

  • Pink reveals record secured loans completions

    7 Mar 2008

    Pink Home Loans marked a record month of secured loans completions in January, with business volumes increasing by 20% compared to January 2007.

  • Play time

    3 Mar 2008

    The trials and tribulations of the sub-prime mortgage market have provided much fodder for the newspapers.

  • PMPA chair urges lenders to follow TCF

    5 Mar 2008

    Vic Jannels, chairman of the Professional Mortgage Packagers Alliance is appealing to lenders to call a halt to what he sees as two potentially unfair practices that have arisen during the current credit difficulties.

  • PNG to create new mortgage talent

    3 Mar 2008

    Premier Network Group has launched a partnership with The Financial Training Academy to support new entrants into the mortgage advice sector.

  • Police call for regulation of 40,000 UK mortgage brokers

    5 Mar 2008

    A Police report on mortgage fraud has called on the Financial Services Authority to individually register and regulate the estimated 40,000 UK mortgage brokers.

  • Pre-tax profits up 52% at Newcastle

    3 Mar 2008

    A surge in gross lending helped Newcastle record a 52% jump in pre-tax pro-fits for 2007.

  • Propertyfinder.com traffic up 104% in January

    4 Mar 2008

    Propertyfinder.com has noticed a 104% increase in home mover traffic in 2008 with particular interest being shown in rental properties.

  • PT Life:box rolls out Origo Adviserwise to DAs

    7 Mar 2008

    Life:box – Personal Touch’s directly authorised protection proposition - has rolled out the Origo Adviserwise system to its directly authorised brokers.

  • Quotas for packagers good idea, says TMB

    6 Mar 2008

    Nigel Payne, managing director of The Mortgage Business says lenders that pull products at the last minute should consider offering packagers quotas.

  • Rate hikes add to first-timers' woes

    3 Mar 2008

    Nationwide has ramped up the rates on its 75% and 90% LTV deals by 0.2%.

  • RBS IP ups remortgage rate by 0.15%

    7 Mar 2008

    RBS Intermediary Partners is increasing the rate on its First Active five-year fixed remortgage rate from 5.60% to 5.75%.The applies until April 30 2013 and has a £799 arrangement fee.

  • Read small print on long-term deals

    3 Mar 2008

    There are some attractive long-term fixed rate products available but brokers and consumers must not assume that such deals are as portable as they first appear, says Katie Tucker

  • Readers back higher Stamp Duty threshold

    3 Mar 2008

    A massive 86% of Mortgage Strategy Online readers want the chancellor to increase the minimum Stamp Duty threshold in the Budget. First-time buyers need all the help they can get following the demise of 125% LTV deals.

  • Rent-back strives to clean up its act

    3 Mar 2008

    The sale-and-rent-back industry has been in the news recently because it is addressing its negative image.

  • Rumbled

    3 Mar 2008

    Nottingham’s marketing and communications manager Clare Baker got more excitement than she’d bargained for after travelling home to Lincolnshire last Tuesday night.

  • Save FTBs before Jordan gets them

    3 Mar 2008

    In the past I've been adamant that home ownership is a privilege not a right. Not everyone will be able to buy property and if they are not in a financial position to do so, they shouldn't be encouraged to live beyond their means.

  • Scarborough pulls plug on specialist lending arm

    7 Mar 2008

    Scarborough has pulled the plug its specialist Leeds-based lending arm Scarborough Specialist Mortgages.

  • Scotland to be housing hot spot in 2008, says RICS

    7 Mar 2008

    The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is predicting that the Scottish housing market will experience sustained growth in 2008.

  • Scottish trends in spotlight at Expo

    3 Mar 2008

    Kennedy Foster, Scotland policy consultant at the Council of Mortgage Lenders, will chair a seminar on housing market trends in Scotland at the Mortgage Business Expo in Glasgow on Thursday.

  • Scottish Widows Bank pre-tax profit surges 5.3%

    7 Mar 2008

    Scottish Widows Bank has revealed a 5.3% pre-tax profit rise for 2007.

  • SHIP issues home reversion reminder

    3 Mar 2008

    Safe Home Income Plans urges brokers to ensure they have the necessaryhome reversion qualifications in place ahead of its April 2008 deadline.

  • Six in the City - 3 March 2008

    3 Mar 2008

    Whatever happened to Britons maintaining a stiff upper lip, asks a shaky Christine Toner

  • Sourcing system to take on big boys

    3 Mar 2008

    The developer of packager software system Gravity is looking to set up a whole of market sourcing system to rival Mortgage Brain and Trigold.

  • SPML's head of sales joins Evaluate as BDM

    3 Mar 2008

    Evaluate Technologies has poached Southern Pacific Mortgage Limited's head of sales to become its first BDM.

  • Stock Picker

    3 Mar 2008

    Alliance & Leicester and Bradford & Bingley shares rose this week thanks to takeover rumours.

  • Sub-prime slump claims sales jobs at Freedom

    3 Mar 2008

    Freedom Finance has axed 14 em-ployees in response to a downturn in sub-prime lending.

  • That vision thing

    3 Mar 2008

    Mortgage Times has big plans for the year ahead, says director Chris May. It is turning Vision into an IFA network and has developed a software platform to allow brokers to broaden their advice. Matt West reports

  • Third draft for packager code

    3 Mar 2008

    Third draft for packager code The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries' code of conduct for packagers is about to enter its third draft. AMI hopes it will be implemented in April.

  • Three definitions of what's fair are unfair

    3 Mar 2008

    Our industry has some difficult issues to face right now. Liquidity remains sparse and lenders continue to chop and change their products and criteria.

  • TMA in secured loan tie-up

    3 Mar 2008

    The Mortgage Alliance is entering the secured loans market via a strategic partnership with Loanmakers.

  • TMO in management buyout

    6 Mar 2008

    The Mortgage Operation has undergone a management buyout after blaming its private owner for falling short of contractual obligations.

  • Treasury to create MBS gold standard

    5 Mar 2008

    The Treasury is locked in discussions about a gold standard that will accredit mortgage-backed securities in a bid to reopen the wholesale mortgage funding market.

  • Trust's key to win battle for hearts and minds

    3 Mar 2008

    These days consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the companies behind the products they purchase and their buying decisions are influenced by their perceptions of the firms involved.

  • Vertex axes 28 jobs from DB Mortgages account

    7 Mar 2008

    Some 28 employees have been axed from Vertex's DB Mortgages account - its second round of redundancies in just four months.

  • Watch out when implementing TCF

    3 Mar 2008

    Small brokers in particular must ensure the regulator does not uncover significant TCF failings as consumers are likely to see the initiative in a positive light, says Justine Tomlinson

  • We should not have bailed out NR

    3 Mar 2008

    The government's handling of NR has not impressed anyone and perhaps it would have been better for the lender to have been left to the free market, says Sue Read

  • Website adds two to panel

    3 Mar 2008

    Seconds2Seconds.com has added Paragon Personal Finance and Future Mortgages to its lender panel.

  • Weekly Update

    7 Mar 2008

    Rate highlights:Residential

  • Weighty matters

    3 Mar 2008

    Vanessa Blount, director of sales and marketing at eConveyancer, lost a whopping 3lbs last week as part of her training for the London Marathon.

  • Welcome to the world of tomorrow

    3 Mar 2008

    Prophecies made in the 1950s about today's housing were mostly wide of the mark although they got some things right, including microwaves and remote controls, says Simon White

  • Will the end of high LTV deals affect your ability to buy or remortgage?

    3 Mar 2008

    Last week the death knell rang for the 125% LTV mortgage, as Coventry, Northern Rock, Alliance & Leicester and BM Solutions pulled their deals. The withdrawals are bad news for first-time buyers who are now likely to have an even tougher time getting on the property ladder. So, this week Mortgage Strategy asks...

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