Rising mortgage rates have pushed homeowners to take out longer mortgages, with a fifth of first-time buyers (FTBs) in 2023 opting for mortgages with terms of 35 years or more

Recent reports have highlighted that there is a general lack of knowledge when it comes to critical illness cover.

Prior to the Spring Budget, there was speculation that the government may introduce a 1% mortgage deposit scheme. That did not come to fruition; however, a leading mortgage lender has recently introduced a new product which offers first-time buyers (FTBs) a £5k deposit on homes up to £500,000 – effectively a 99% loan to value (LTV) mortgage.

The first few months of 2024 showed some promise for a housing market which is stabilising following a challenging period for buyers and sellers alike. So, with spring well under way, how is the property market faring at the moment?

A recent survey suggests that there are currently 7.5 million adults in the UK who hope to own a home, but 3.9 million do not think that dream will ever become a reality.

Eager home sellers got the year off to a good start before it had even begun, with over 10,000 properties put up for sale on Boxing Day 2023 – the highest number of new listings in one day since 20111. This momentum carried over into the new year as estate agents received a record number of requests for in-person home valuations in January.