The Mortgage Network

31/10/2026

Where you buy can make as much difference to affordability as the mortgage rate you secure. Zoopla has published a breakdown of the most affordable towns across Great Britain for a household income of £53,000, with Scotland and the North East coming out on top at a regional level.

Glasgow tops Tembo’s first-time buyer city index, with average house prices of £174,000, while London requires borrowing of almost nine times the average income. If you are flexible on location, the numbers make for interesting reading.

Did your town make the list?

30/10/2026

Which? has a helpful piece this week on negligible value claims for anyone holding shares in companies that have since gone insolvent.

The four-year rule that applies to most capital gains loss claims does not apply here, meaning losses from worthless shares can potentially still be used to reduce a capital gains bill, including on property sales.

HMRC publishes a list of shares already declared as negligible value if you want to check whether any of your investments qualify.

Every week, we help with your money problems

29/10/2026

The FCA has published research showing around one in seven mortgage contracts in England are in postcodes carrying some level of flood risk.

For homeowners in those areas, the concern is not just insurance premiums but the potential longer-term impact on property values and remortgaging options.

The regulator has been clear this is a broad overview rather than anything property-specific, but it signals growing regulatory attention on how flood risk and mortgage lending interact. Something worth being aware of if you own or are buying in an area with known flood exposure.

The Financial Conduct Authority says understanding geographical patterns could help identify where climate-related risks may have the greatest effect.

28/10/2026

New home registrations in the UK fell 13% in the third quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to the NHBC, which covers over 70% of the new build warranty market.

The affordable housing sector saw an even sharper drop of 23%. With the Your First Home scheme due to be detailed at the Budget this week, the industry is watching closely for the income caps and price thresholds that will determine how useful it actually is for first-time buyers.

The numbers make clear why getting the scheme design right matters.

The government recently unveiled Your First Home, which will give first-time buyers the chance to buy a new build property with a 2.5 per cent deposit

27/10/2026

Storms Austen and Boelo hit hard. If you own your home, it is worth checking what your buildings and contents insurance covers before any damage happens rather than after. Which? has put together a clear guide on what is and is not covered for storm, flood, car and travel disruption.

Insurers paid a record £758m in weather-related home claims in 2025, so it is clearly not a small issue.

Storm Austen and Storm Boelo could bring gusts of up to 80mph, with severe weather warnings issued in several parts of the UK

26/10/2026

If you are thinking about buying a new build, or want to understand how the government’s new Your First Home scheme might work for you, I have covered everything you need to know in this week’s blog.

New builds move quickly once you have reserved, and the mortgage process needs to keep pace.

The full details of the Your First Home scheme are being confirmed at the Budget on Wednesday, so it is a good week to get your head around how it all fits together.

Your First Home scheme putting new builds back in the spotlight, it is a topic that is coming up in conversations more than ever.

24/10/2026

The typical cost of buying and selling a home in England is £17,413 this year, according to reallymoving, down £418 on last year’s record high. Over ten years, though, moving costs have risen 74% after inflation, from £10,016 in 2016.

Stamp duty is the biggest cost for existing homeowners at around £9,500, then estate agent fees at £4,473 and conveyancing at £2,241. This year’s dip is mainly down to lower house prices bringing stamp duty and agent fees down, and removals firms cutting prices by almost 12% to £624 on average.

Homeowners in England are forking out 74% more in moving costs than they were a decade ago, a report by reallymoving has revealed.

23/10/2026

Inflation just hit 3.5% 📈 Here’s what it means for your mortgage.

Bank of England meets 5 November and a quarter point rise is very likely. If so, this is what it means:
🔹 Tracker? Your rate goes up in December
🔹 Variable? Your lender will probably follow
🔹 Fixed? Unaffected until your deal ends
🔹 New fixed rate? Swap rates have already priced in rises, so little change expected.

Fixed rate ending in the next few months? Book a consultation now and plan ahead. Don’t leave it to the last minute.

👉 Questions about your own situation? Message me or hit the link in bio.

23/10/2026

More homeowners are releasing equity from their homes, with lending up 4% to £597 million between April and June and 13,489 people using it, according to the Equity Release Council. Canada Life reports that fewer customers are spending it on holidays and cars, and more are using it to clear existing mortgages or consolidate debts.

Growing numbers of homeowners are unlocking some of the wealth tied up in their homes to boost their finances, but if you’re considering equity release, it’s important to understand how it could affect you both now and in the future.

22/10/2026

Average asking rents outside London have passed £1,400 a month for the first time, reaching £1,418 in the third quarter, according to Rightmove. London hit a record £2,825, up 3.2% on last year, with fewer homes available to rent and more people looking.

Rent growth outside the capital has cooled to 2.4% a year, down from around 10% a year between 2021 and 2023, but a shortage of rental homes keeps pushing prices up. Higher mortgage rates are also putting pressure on landlords whose cheaper fixed deals are ending, and some of the biggest rent rises are now happening within existing tenancies.

The average monthly private advertised rent across Britain, excluding London, has topped £1,400 for the first time, Rightmove said