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First-time buyer activity at its highest level for over a decade

Mon 18 Mar 2019

1st time buyers

 

The number of first-time buyer mortgages has reached its highest level for 13 years, with some 370,000 new first-time buyer mortgages completed in 2018. Official trade body UK Finance has released data which shows that the highest number of first-time buyer mortgages since 2006 was reached last year, underlining the fiscal viability of purchasing a home for first-time buyers.

This consistent increase in the number of first-time buyers entering the property market can be seen as a result of; government schemes, greater mortgage availability and fewer rental properties on the market. Government policy has consistently targeted buyers who are keen to enter the property market primarily through their Help-to-Buy scheme and financial aid to first-time buyers, whilst competition amongst mortgage providers has brought a greater variety of finance options to the market. Amongst these mortgage varieties, we have seen more providers offering the 100% mortgage (or Loan-to-Value) and variations thereof, thereby opening up property to more people than ever before.

Richard Campo, managing director of Rose Capital Partners, said: “Lenders have been making it easy for first-time buyers over the last couple of months, with several providers announcing reduced rates on high loan-to-value mortgages.

“There are currently over 17,000 products available for first-time buyers.”

Twinned with the influx of mortgage varieties, and mortgages demanding a lower deposit value, is the reduced cost of these lower-deposit mortgages. The average two-year fixed rate LTV mortgage has fallen by over half a percent since last August, and big brands are also reflecting the consumer desire for LTV mortgages with Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, NatWest and Santander all cutting their rates.

Yopa chief property analyst Mike Scott agrees: “Since FTBs drive the whole housing market, allowing home movers to find a buyer and take the next step on the ladder, this is good news for the whole market,” he says.

In fact, the Halifax bank has recently found that first-time buyers are now so active in the marketplace that they make up the majority of home purchases bought with a mortgage in the United Kingdom. Based around the same UK Finance statistics, Halifax has found that the average price of a typical first home has jumped by 39%, from £153,030 in 2008 to £212,473 in 2018 with terraced houses and semi-detached remaining the most popular choices for first-time buyers.

"It has truly been a pleasure dealing with your colleagues who assisted in our purchase of 23 Beverley Road and the sale of 39 Brookhurst Road. This customer experience (including when we purchased 39 Brookhurst Court last year) has undoubtedly given us the confidence to approach eHB for our future real estate needs. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Clive, Juliana, Chris and Louise. They were polite and courteous and we were very pleased with the level of professionalism and strong work ethic that they demonstrated at all times. In our experience, we found eHB working to a very high standard of customer care and this, we believe, is the key differentiator that must be maintained by successful companies in a competitive market. Clive, Juliana and Chris invested time in learning about our particular needs and they impressed us with their strong dedication to customer service. Their relaxed and informative style gave us the confidence that our sale and purchases were in safe hands from the outset and, of course, we are totally happy with the outcomes. In particular, they were diligent and meticulous in their approach and we found this to be very reassuring indeed. Your colleagues did an excellent job. We would be grateful if you could convey our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Clive, Juliana, Chris and Louise. Well done! Kind regards Mushy & Laraine "
Mushy & Laraine

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