Conveyancing
Average house price in Northern Ireland continues to increase
11th April 2019
By Lauren Burns The average house price in Northern Ireland increased by 5.5 per cent to £136,669 in the last quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017 according... Read more
120,950 Right to buy house purchases in Northern Ireland since 1982
14th March 2019
By Lauren Burns New figures have been released in respect of the Right to Buy scheme in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, revealing that 120,950 former social housing... Read more
Northern Ireland property price increase higher than rest of UK
14th February 2019
By Lauren Burns House prices increased in Northern Ireland at a higher rate than any other region of the UK in 2018, according to the latest figures in the NI Residential... Read more
Sharp increase in young adults living with parents
8th February 2019
By Lauren Burns A million more young adults are continuing to live with their parents compared to 20 years go according to new research by Civitas. Approximately a quarter of adults aged... Read more
We can help you with your resolutions for 2019
31st December 2018
The first month of the year is usually when we most consider the things we are determined to achieve in the year ahead, and they are usually a list of... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices to rise in 2019
31st December 2018
By Lauren Burns The latest survey carried out by the RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) and Ulster Bank suggests that Northern Ireland will be the only region in the UK... Read more
Confidence of increasing property prices highest in Northern Ireland
13th September 2018
By Lauren Burns Surveyors in Northern Ireland are the most confident in the whole of the UK that property prices are increasing and will continue to grow, according to the latest... Read more
Cohabitation and the law - steps for couples to protect their family
6th September 2018
By Lenore Rice Living together, or cohabiting, is on the increase with approximately 3.3m cohabiting couples in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. That equates to one family in... Read more
A look at the history of the base rate of interest
3rd August 2018
By Lauren Burns The decision of the Monetary Policy Committee to increase the base rate of interest to 0.75 per cent has been reported in dramatic headlines - 'Only the second... Read more
64 per cent of 25-to-45 year olds expect to receive inheritance
26th July 2018
A report by Sanlam UK suggests that 64 per cent of 25-45-year-olds in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK expect to receive an inheritance, and just over a... Read more
Stamp duty explained
18th July 2018
By Lauren Burns Stamp duty has always been difficult to understand, but has become even more complex in the past few years. Changes were introduced in December 2014 so that different... Read more
The 3 most popular misconceptions about the house buying process
16th July 2018
By Lauren Burns Over our many years of doing residential property conveyancing in Northern Ireland we have found that clients regularly have the same misconceptions about the house buying process in... Read more
Northern Ireland property sales and prices expected to increase
12th July 2018
By Lauren Burns Northern Ireland surveyors expect property sale transaction levels and property prices to increase in the coming months, according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and... Read more
Property owners affected by Japanese knotweed win damages
3rd July 2018
By Lauren Burns The Court of Appeal has found in favour of owners of two properties in South Wales affected by Japanese knotweed, in a decision that was awaited with much... Read more
Northern Ireland average property price rises to £136,211
2nd July 2018
By Lauren Burns There was a 2.1 per cent annual increase in property prices in Northern Ireland in the second quarter of this year, with the average house price rising to... Read more
Interest rates held but August increase seeming more likely
21st June 2018
By Lauren Burns The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England voted to maintain interest rates at 0.75 per cent, but the 6-3 vote split is widely considered to... Read more
Over a thousand pounds raised by our marathon teams
14th May 2018
Our marathon relay teams were very delighted to hand over a cheque for £1,240 to Brian Shanks of the Simon Community NI. The team would like to thank everyone who made... Read more
Congratulations to our Wilson Nesbitt marathon teams
8th May 2018
A big congratulations to our marathon relay teams that completed the Belfast Marathon on what was a very warm Bank Holiday Monday.The teams were running for the Simon Community NI,... Read more
Two interest rate rises predicted for 2018
23rd April 2018
By Lauren Burns Forecasting body EY Item Club has predicted that interest rates will increase twice this year, and twice again in 2019. The governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney... Read more
Stamp duty revenue has doubled over past 5 years
31st January 2018
By Lauren Burns Stamp duty land tax paid on property purchases and transfers hit a record £9.5billion in 2017, a 16 per cent increase in the previous year, and double the... Read more
Average house price in Northern Ireland increased by 2 per cent
5th January 2018
By Lauren Burns The average property price in Northern Ireland at the end of 2017 was £131,989, up 2 per cent on the previous year, but behind the rest of the... Read more
What you need to know about the new Stamp Duty changes
29th November 2017
By Lauren Burns The stamp duty changes announced in the Chancellor's budget speech have effectively created a third rate of Stamp duty for home buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest... Read more
Northern Ireland house prices expected to increase
14th November 2017
By Lauren Burns Northern Ireland house prices increased in October, according to the latest RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) and Ulster Bank market survey, and surveyors are predicting that property... Read more
5,453 property purchases in Northern Ireland in Q3
14th November 2017
By Lauren Burns There were 5,453 property purchases completed in Northern Ireland in the third quarter of 2017, with the average standardised price across all property types now standing at £132,169. The... Read more
Lack of supply increases NI property prices by 4.4 per cent
13th September 2017
By Lauren Burns Northern Ireland property prices increased by 4.4 per cent in the year to July according to a new report, with a lack of new houses being marketed for... Read more
Over half of over-55s in Northern Ireland planning to downsize
12th September 2017
By Lauren Burns New research suggests that over-55s in Northern Ireland are the most likely to downsize to a smaller property of all the regions in the UK. The research from Prudential... Read more
£2billion stamp duty boost as a result of higher rate for additional properties
24th August 2017
By Lauren Burns The Government received an additional £2billion in stamp duty payments in the year ending 31st July 2017, which is considered to be largely down to the higher rate... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices increased by 4.4 per cent in past year
16th August 2017
By Lauren Burns The average property price in Northern Ireland is currently £128,650, with prices increasing by 4.4 per cent in the past year, and 16 per cent over the last... Read more
Possible ban of ground rents and leaseholds on new houses in England
25th July 2017
Plans are being set out that will ban house builders from selling new properties in England as leasehold, and could also see a restriction of ground rents to as low... Read more
Northern Ireland house prices expected to grow by 3.7pc in 2017
18th July 2017
A new report predicts that Northern Ireland property prices will increase by 3.7 per cent in 2017, with the average house costing £134,000. House prices in Northern Ireland increased by 4.3... Read more
Average deposit for first time buyers in Northern Ireland is £16,500
3rd July 2017
First-time buyers in Northern Ireland pay an average deposit of £16,500, the lowest of all the UK regions, according to a new report. The Halifax First-Time Buyer Review suggests that 47... Read more
Three members of MPC vote for interest rate increase
15th June 2017
Interest rates will continue at their record low of 0.25 per cent following the latest vote of the Monetary Policy Committee, but for the first time since May 2011 there... Read more
Low deposit mortgages increasing first time buyer opportunities
9th June 2017
The number of mortgage products that require small deposits have reached the highest number for this time of year since the property bubble burst in 2008. First time buyers that can't... Read more
Increase in mortgage approvals for first time buyers
7th June 2017
New research suggests that lenders are approving more mortgage applications from first time buyers, with 84 per cent of applications resulting in a mortgage offer being made in Q1. The ratio... Read more
First time buyers continue to drive NI property market
12th May 2017
The majority of the activity on the Northern Ireland property market in the first quarter of 2017 came from first time buyers, and the latest Quarterly House Price Index from... Read more
New build property starts at 5-year high in Northern Ireland
11th May 2017
Construction of new residential properties in Northern Ireland reached a 5-year high in 2015/16, with a 12 per cent increase on the previous year. Building began on 6,713 houses last year,... Read more
Bank of Mum and Dad is 9th biggest lender in the UK
2nd May 2017
Over a quarter of all property transactions in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will involve money lent by parents in 2017, according to a new report which... Read more
31 per cent of NI property buyers deterred by Brexit
26th April 2017
New research suggests that 31 per cent of property purchasers in Northern Ireland are postponing their house purchase due to concerns about the strength of the economy after Brexit. The survey... Read more
As many first-time buyers as home movers in February
12th April 2017
The number of mortgages loaned to first-time buyers has reached parity with home movers, bucking a 20 year trend, according to new figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). There... Read more
Northern Ireland average property price increased in March
3rd April 2017
The average property price in Northern Ireland increased to £127,921 in March - an annual increase of 3.8 per cent, according to Nationwide Building Society. While property values throughout the UK... Read more
Average property price in Northern Ireland increases but sale levels down
27th March 2017
New figures have revealed that the average property price in Northern Ireland has increased to £125,000, but the number of property sales in the region declined by 18 per cent... Read more
Government responds to Conveyancer concerns over stamp duty reform
21st March 2017
The more popular discussions around stamp duty reform deal with who should pay it, at what rate, and whether a higher rate of tax for existing property owners should be... Read more
No room in the budget for property market concerns
9th March 2017
While expectations for the Spring budget were fairly low when it came to announcements in respect of the property market, few predicted that there would be no reference to it... Read more
Renewed calls for stamp duty burden to be shifted to sellers
2nd March 2017
Yorkshire Building Society (YBS) has called for stamp duty land tax to be payable by property sellers, and believe that the change would result in an additional 16,000 house sales... Read more
Northern Ireland house price statistics
27th February 2017
The Northern Ireland House Price Index (HPI) has been updated to show statistics on property values in Q4 of 2016 based on information from HM Revenue & Customs. The standardised house... Read more
First-time buyer activity increasing in Northern Ireland
24th February 2017
By Lauren Burns The number of first time buyers in Northern Ireland getting on the property ladder increased in the last quarter of 2016, according to the latest report from the... Read more
78 per cent of NI home owners think their property value has risen
17th February 2017
By Lauren Burns New research suggests that 78 per cent of home owners in Northern Ireland think their property value has increased, with the majority believing the change is largely due... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices increased by 5.7 per cent in 2016
14th February 2017
By Lauren Burns Property prices in Northern Ireland rose by 5.7 per cent last year, with the average house now costing £125,480, according to the NI Residential Property Index. House values increased... Read more
Lack of supply likely to increase Northern Ireland property prices
13th February 2017
By Lauren Burns Property prices in Northern Ireland are expected to increase over the next 3 months according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) survey. The majority of the... Read more
Stamp duty take increased as a result of second property tax hike
1st February 2017
By Lauren Burns The Treasury received 18 per cent more stamp duty in 2016 compared to the previous year, evidence that property investors have not been deterred by the higher rate... Read more
Cash buyers behind continuing strength of buy-to-let market
1st February 2017
By Lauren Burns Stamp duty land tax revenue increased in 2016 despite the new higher rate brought in to effect in April last year to dampen the buy-to-let market. In the last... Read more
Over a half of remortgages in 2016 involved capital raising
30th January 2017
By Lauren Burns New research suggests that 57 per cent of homeowners in England and Wales who remortgaged last year were capital raising. My Home Move chief executive Doug Crawford says the... Read more
Mortgage lending to remortgagors and home buyers at 8 yr high
27th January 2017
By Lauren Burns The total amount of mortgage lending to people remortgaging their homes or buying a new property in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK reached an 8... Read more
Stamp Duty too big an earner to be reformed
23rd January 2017
By Lauren Burns Stamp Duty has once again been the subject of some high-profile criticism, after the global chief executive of Jones Lang LaSalle described it as "harmful" and blamed it... Read more
Decline in home movers for first time in 5 years
20th January 2017
There was a decline in the number of people moving house in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK last year - the first time the number has fallen... Read more
Mortgage borrowers warned interest rate future uncertain
18th January 2017
Mark Carney continued his track record of confusing advice on the future of interest rates by telling mortgage borrowers that the base rate could go either up or down. The Governor... Read more
Average deposit paid by first time buyers in Northern Ireland falls
17th January 2017
By Lauren Burns First time buyers in Northern Ireland are paying an average deposit of £16,695, the lowest in the UK, and a fifth lower than the average deposit paid in... Read more
Calls for action to stop bedroom tax in Northern Ireland
11th January 2017
By Gary Adair There have been urgent calls for action to be taken to prevent the introduction of the 'bedroom tax' in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Executive had previously agreed a... Read more
Northern Ireland property market 'resilient and stable'
2nd January 2017
By Lauren Burns Northern Ireland property prices increased by a modest 0.7 per cent in the last quarter of 2016, but over the year the market is considered to have shown... Read more
Increase in parents becoming landlords to help children
7th October 2016
By Lauren Burns New research suggests that 730,000 landlords in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are parents renting a property out to their children as a means of... Read more
Building Society proposes shifting stamp duty to sellers
26th September 2016
By Lauren Burns Yorkshire Building Society says shifting the stamp duty tax obligation on to sellers would help more first tie buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK... Read more
Bid for judicial review of buy-to-let tax
16th September 2016
By Gary Adair A legal challenge to the tax changes which will affect buy-to-let landlords from next April will come before the Royal Courts of Justice on 6th October. Cherie Booth QC,... Read more
Interest rates could drop to 0.1 per cent by end of year
15th September 2016
By Lauren Burns Mortgage borrowers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK could potentially see their monthly mortgage payments fall further by the end of the year. The Monetary Policy... Read more
Mortgage approvals in July lowest since January 2015
30th August 2016
By Lauren Burns Mortgage approvals for remortgagors and home buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK reached a 19-month low in July, the first full month following the... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices increased by £5k
19th August 2016
By Lauren Burns Property prices in Northern Ireland increased by 5 per cent in the year up to June according to new research by the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices increased in July
11th August 2016
By Lauren Burns Northern Ireland property prices improved in July, the first full month following the EU referendum vote, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The RICS report shows... Read more
Mortgage borrowers will have to wait to benefit from interest rate cut
5th August 2016
By Lauren Burns Mortgage borrowers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will have expected to quickly reap the benefits of the new record low interest rate of 0.25... Read more
Bank of England cuts interest rates to 0.25 per cent
4th August 2016
By Lauren Burns The Bank of England has confirmed that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted to reduce interest rates to 0.25 per cent, representing the first change to the... Read more
One area in NI sits in top 10 UK property affordability list
26th July 2016
By Lauren Burns The Mid and East Antrim area is among the top ten regions in the UK for property affordability according to a report by the Halifax. Property purchasers looking at... Read more
Northern Ireland property market braced for post-Brexit vote slump
20th July 2016
By Lauren Burns The Northern Ireland property market is expected to experience a significant drop in sale transactions over the summer months following the UK vote to leave the EU. First time... Read more
Failed challenge to Will that reneged on property inheritance
8th July 2016
By Lenore Rice A man who gave £8,000 to his mother-in-law so that she could purchase her council house alleged that she had promised to leave the property to him upon... Read more
Carney warns mortgage borrowers to prepare for tough future
7th July 2016
By Lauren Burns New mortgage borrowers have been warned by Mark Carney to prepare for a tough future of changing interest rates and wages, and to carefully consider affordability. The Bank of... Read more
1,490 property purchases completed using Help to Buy ISA scheme
1st July 2016
By Lauren Burns Nearly 1,500 property purchases have been completed in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK with the assistance of funding from the Help to Buy ISA scheme... Read more
Cost of mortgages could fall as a result of Brexit
28th June 2016
By Lauren Burns Property buyers and existing home owners considering remortgaging are being advised that the cost of mortgages could go down as a result of the Brexit vote. Ray Boulger of... Read more
6250 mortgage borrowers to get refund following unfair rate rise
8th June 2016
By Lauren Burns A group of 350 landlords have successfully sued their mortgage lender, West Bromwich Building Society, for raising their mortgage rates unlawfully, which means 6,000 mortgage borrowers will be... Read more
1.75million landlords in Northern Ireland and rest of UK
31st May 2016
By Lauren Burns It has been estimated that the number of landlords in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK has risen by 7 per cent in the last year,... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices fell in first quarter of 2016
17th May 2016
By Lauren Burns Property prices in Northern Ireland fell by 1 per cent in the first quarter of 2016 according to figures released by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency... Read more
Northern Ireland property owners in negative equity at risk from rate rise
4th May 2016
By Lauren Burns It is estimated that there are currently 68,000 homes in Northern Ireland in negative equity, and one expert warns that the owners would be unable to cope with... Read more
Warning that doors will soon close on Bank of Mum and Dad
2nd May 2016
By Lauren Burns A new report shows that many parents are giving up as much as two thirds of their savings in order to help their children get on the property... Read more
Rush to beat stamp duty hike boosted March mortgage lending to 8yr high
25th April 2016
By Lauren Burns Total mortgage lending in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in March was 64 per cent higher than the same month last year, and was the... Read more
Aviva warns that rates rise will come and mortgage costs will spiral
19th April 2016
By Lauren Burns As as a result of 85 months of the current 0.5 base rate of interest, many mortgage borrowers have little or no experience of an interest rate increase... Read more
Average property price in Northern Ireland up by 2.4 per cent
13th April 2016
By Lauren Burns Property prices in Northern Ireland increased on average by 2.4 per cent in the month of February compared to the same month last year, according to new figures. The... Read more
Biggest Northern Ireland property development in 10 years announced
11th April 2016
By Lauren Burns A property development that will see 1,000 new houses built over a period of 12 years has been announced by Fraser Houses, making it the largest housing project... Read more
Bank of England considers move to restrict buy-to-let lending
29th March 2016
Landlords throughout Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK trying to come to terms with the new stamp duty changes have now heard that Bank of England are also... Read more
Landlords and property purchasers rush to beat stamp duty change in April
23rd March 2016
By Lauren Burns Property conveyancing solicitors in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are facing a rush to complete purchases of properties for landlords and other second-time purchasers ahead... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices rise 9 per cent in 12 months
1st March 2016
By Lauren Burns A 9 per cent increase in Northern Ireland property prices in the past year has resulted in the average house price in the region climbing to £154,685, according... Read more
Guide to Northern Ireland property prices
1st March 2016
By Lauren Burns The most recent Ulster University House Price Index suggests that house prices in Northern Ireland increased by 9 per cent in the past year - the highest annual... Read more
Mortgage lending in January boosted by race to beat stamp duty change
24th February 2016
By Lauren Burns Mortgage borrowing in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK reached its highest level since mid-2008 in January, as landlords race to beat the stamp duty increase... Read more
Interest rates could be reduced to zero says Carney
23rd February 2016
By Natasha Adamson Mortgage borrowers and first time buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will have been delighted by the comments today by Mark Carney that interest... Read more
Judge awards co-habiting partner of 18 years share of property
17th February 2016
By Lenore Rice A judge has awarded a woman her deceased partner's share of the property they lived in together for 18 years, after it had originally passed on to his... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices suggest market continues to recover
17th February 2016
By Lauren Burns The standard house price in Northern Ireland is now just over £118,000 according to new official statistics which suggest that the property market is showing signs of continued... Read more
Treasury counts cost of Stamp duty reform and high-end market slowdown
9th February 2016
By Lauren Burns The Treasury has lost around £662million over the calendar year as a result of stamp duty reforms brought in 2014 and a slowdown of the high-end property market. Stamp... Read more
Carney's interest rate rise threats were 'too aggressive'
4th February 2016
By Natasha Adamson The governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has been criticised for causing confusion by his "forward guidance" on interest rates, with his suggestion last summer that... Read more
Unanimous vote to maintain 0.5 per cent interest rate freeze
4th February 2016
By Lauren Burns The Bank of England has again voted to maintain the 0.5 per cent interest rate freeze, as they were fully expected to do, but there was some surprise... Read more
Check out the Wilson Nesbitt channel on Youtube
28th January 2016
We are very excited to announce that there is now a Wilson Nesbitt channel on YouTube. Click here to go through to the channel were you watch a guide on... Read more
Northern Ireland property market braced for buy-to-let rush
21st January 2016
By Lauren Burns The Northern Ireland property market is expected to experience a temporary surge of sale transactions as buy-to-let investors rush to add to their portfolios before the stamp duty... Read more
Now is not the time to raise interest rates says Carney
19th January 2016
By Natasha Adamson The governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, addressed his previous suggestion of a rate rise in early 2016 by saying that "now is not the time... Read more
Interest rate freeze maintained after 8-to-1 MPC vote
14th January 2016
By Natasha Adamson The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England has again voted to maintain the interest rate freeze at 0.5 per cent, with just one of the... Read more
Survey suggests only divorce is more stressful than buying a property
11th January 2016
By Lauren Burns A new survey suggests that buying or selling a property is one of the most stressful experiences adults in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will... Read more
Osborne warns mortgage borrowers to prepare for interest rate increase
7th January 2016
By Lauren Burns George Osborne has sparked speculation of an imminent interest rate increase following his comments that the UK could soon follow in the steps of the US, who last... Read more
New Year resolutions for mortgage borrowers
4th January 2016
By Lauren Burns Over half of adults in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are expected to make a New Year resolution, and while the usual targets in respect... Read more
Property sales declined in November but still up on last year
23rd December 2015
By Lauren Burns The number of home buyers completing a property purchase in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK fell in November, but were still up on the same... Read more
Property sales dragged out by 50-day wait for mortgage offer
21st December 2015
By Lauren Burns The average property purchaser in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK now has to wait for 50-days to receive a formal mortgage offer, according to the... Read more
CML predicts 2016 increase in mortgage lending following strong Q4 in 2015
18th December 2015
By Natasha Adamson Mortgage lending in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK could total £237 billion in 2016 according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) - up from... Read more
10.3 per cent increase in Northern Ireland property prices in past year
16th December 2015
By Lauren Burns Property prices in Northern Ireland have increased by 10.3 per cent in the past 12 months - the highest rate of growth of all the regions in the... Read more
Report reveals homeowners aren't prepared for interest rate rise
9th December 2015
By Lauren Burns Homeowners in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are not prepared for an interest rate rise, according to a new survey, with 20 per cent of... Read more
Over 5,100 property purchases in Northern Ireland in third quarter
19th November 2015
By Lauren Burns There were over 5,100 house purchases in Northern Ireland between the months of July and September according to new figures from the NI Statistics and Research Agency. The research... Read more
Remortgaging activity increased by 53 per cent in October
17th November 2015
By Natasha Adamson There was a 53 per cent increase in remortgage activity in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in October compared to the same month last year,... Read more
Calls for more flexible mortgage products for older borrowers
10th November 2015
By Lauren Burns More flexible mortgage products need to be brought to the market for older borrowers with changing needs, according to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It is estimated that a... Read more
Six months of ultra-low mortgage rates predicted
6th November 2015
By Natasha Adamson Economists now consider that an increase in interest rates has effectively been postponed into the second half of 2016 following Bank of England comments this week. Announcing the Monetary... Read more
Interest rate increase pushed further back into 2016
5th November 2015
By Lauren Burns The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England has again voted by 8-to-1 to maintain interest rates at their record low of 0.5 per cent. The outcome of... Read more
Remortgaging increased by 40 per cent over the past year
26th October 2015
By Lauren Burns The number of people remortgaging their property in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK went up by 40 per cent over the past 12 months according... Read more
Mortgage lending increased by 12 per cent in past year
22nd October 2015
By Natasha Adamson Mortgage lending in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK increased by 2 per cent in September, and has increased by 12 per cent in the twelve... Read more
Northern Ireland woman latest victim of conveyancing email scam
12th October 2015
Property purchasers in Northern Ireland are being warned by the Law Society to be vigilant when it comes to emails or phone calls in connection with a house purchase, after... Read more
11 per cent increase in NI property prices expected in whole of 2015
9th October 2015
By Lauren Burns Northern Ireland property prices will have increased on average by 11 per cent over the course of the 2015 calendar year, according to predictions by the Royal Institution... Read more
Interest rates remain frozen at 0.5 per cent following MPC vote
8th October 2015
By Natasha Adamson The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted to maintain the interest rate freeze at 0.5 per cent, following another 8-to-1 vote. Ian McCafferty was once again... Read more
Constructors warn of a new Northern Ireland property bubble
25th September 2015
By Michelle Rock Northern Ireland could experience another property bubble as a result of a lack of new houses being built, according to the Construction Employers Federation (CEF). It has previously been... Read more
Rate increase would cause difficulties for half of mortgage borrowers
24th September 2015
By Natasha Adamson A half of mortgage borrowers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK expect to face financial difficulty when interest rates eventually increase, according to a new... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices jump 7.4 per cent in 12 months
16th September 2015
By Michelle Rock Northern Ireland has experienced the biggest increase in property prices of all the UK regions over the 12 months leading up to July 2015, according to new figures... Read more
New figures show extent of Northern Ireland negative equity problem
11th September 2015
By Michelle Rock A new study has revealed that a half of all UK houses affected by negative equity are in Northern Ireland, and that it is the only region to... Read more
Interest rate remains frozen and Bank 'expects' slow increases in future
10th September 2015
By Natasha Adamson The Bank of England has once again voted to maintain the interest rate at 0.5 per cent, with a repeat of last months result of 8-to-1. Ian McCafferty again... Read more
78 per cent of mortgage borrowers unprepared for rate rise implications
7th September 2015
By Lauren Burns A new survey has revealed that over three-quarters of mortgage borrowers who are on a variable rate loan product are not currently budgeting for increased monthly mortgage payments... Read more
Homebuyers will pay much more for property with 100Mb internet connection
2nd September 2015
By Lauren Burns A new study has revealed that homebuyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would pay £14,000 extra for a property with 100Mb speed broadband connection. Respondents... Read more
Mortgage approvals reached 18 month-high in July
1st September 2015
By Natasha Adamson Mortgage approvals for property purchasers and remortgagors in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK reached an 18-month high in July, according to new figures from the... Read more
Mortgage approvals reach 17-month high in July
26th August 2015
By Natasha Adamson Mortgage approvals for property purchasers and existing home owners in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK reached a 17-month high in July according to new figures... Read more
Mortgage lending reached a 7 year high in July
20th August 2015
By Lauren Burns The amount of money borrowed by property purchasers and home owners in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK reached a 7 year high in July according... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices are back to the 'normal' 2005 values
19th August 2015
By Lauren Burns Property prices in Northern Ireland are back to the same levels as 2005 following a 3 per cent increase over the first two quarters of this year, according... Read more
MPC member predicts interest rates will settle at 2.5 to 3 per cent
18th August 2015
By Natasha Adamson A Bank of England policy maker has predicted that an interest rate increase will happen "pretty soon" and that the new 'norm' for rates will become 2.5 or... Read more
Increase in NI property prices and sale volumes predicted for end of 2015
13th August 2015
By Lauren Burns A new survey suggests that Northern Ireland property prices and transaction levels will increase through to the end of the year. The latest Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)... Read more
Government failing to address housing shortage across UK
13th August 2015
By Michelle Rock The housing shortage in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK is not being tackled effectively by the government according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors... Read more
24 per cent increase in first time buyer mortgages in June
12th August 2015
By Lauren Burns There was a 24 per cent increase in the value of mortgages taken out by first-time buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in June,... Read more
Interest rate freeze continues after only 1 MPC member voted for increase
6th August 2015
By Lauren Burns Interest rates will remain at 0.5 per cent for the 77th consecutive month following the August meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee /MPC). The rate freeze was expected to... Read more
53 per cent increase in registration of new houses in Northern Ireland
31st July 2015
By Lauren Burns The number of new houses registered in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in the last quarter was the highest since the winter of 2007. Across the... Read more
New figures confirm boost in mortgage lending in June
29th July 2015
By Natasha Adamson New figures released from the Bank of England confirm that mortgage approvals for house purchasers and remortgagors in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK increased in... Read more
Mortgage approvals up in June as borrowers rush to beat interest rate rise
27th July 2015
By Natasha Adamson Mortgage approvals in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK reached a 15-month high in June, with existing borrowers in particular looking to re-mortgage their property as... Read more
Third of property owners to own their house outright by 2025
22nd July 2015
By Michelle Rock A third of houses in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will be owned mortgage-free by 2025 according to a new study from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The increase... Read more
End to election uncertainty gives mortgage lending a boost in June
20th July 2015
By Lauren Burns There was a 29 per cent increase in mortgage lending in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in June, with borrowing reaching a seven year high. Mortgage... Read more
Carney suggests interest rate rise increase sooner than expected
17th July 2015
By Michelle Rock Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, has indicated that interest rates could increase "at the turn of this year", which would be sooner than most... Read more
Interest rate freeze continues after latest MPC vote
9th July 2015
By Natasha Adamson The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England has again voted to maintain interest rates at 0.5 per cent. Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK... Read more
Property owners paying off mortgages at record pace
7th July 2015
By Michelle Rock Home owners in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are paying off their mortgage at a record pace according to new figures from the Bank of... Read more
Northern Ireland is region with fastest property price growth
2nd July 2015
By Lauren Burns Property prices increased by the most in Northern Ireland in the 12 months up to June according to new figures from the Nationwide Building Society. The 8 per cent... Read more
Drop in mortgage approvals for house purchasers in May
30th June 2015
By Michelle Rock Mortgage approvals for house purchasers and remortgagors in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK fell in May, according to new data from the Bank of England. There... Read more
MPC member recommends increase to interest rates in August
26th June 2015
By Natasha Adamson Martin Weale, an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has said this week that the Bank of England should get ready to raise rates when it... Read more
New build houses criticised by purchasers who want more character
18th June 2015
By Michelle Rock Only 1 in 5 property purchasers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would prefer to buy a new build property according to a survey by... Read more
Housing association merger comes with plans to build 2,500 homes
18th June 2015
The largest housing association in Northern Ireland has been formed with the merger of OakleeTrinity and Ulidia Housing Associations. The newly created housing association is to be called Choice, and it... Read more
Northern Ireland is region with largest annual property price growth
17th June 2015
By Michelle Rock Property prices in Northern Ireland increased by 9 per cent over the last year - the highest rate of growth of all the regions in the UK. New figures... Read more
House values are rising but NI sellers need to be realistic on price
17th June 2015
By Lauren Burns The Northern Ireland property market is at something of a cross-roads as property prices and buyer interest are increasing, but a lack of houses for sale is preventing... Read more
Lack of houses expected to inflate Northern Ireland property prices
11th June 2015
By Michelle Rock Property prices in Northern Ireland are expected to increase by 4 per cent over the course of the year according to a new survey, with a lack of... Read more
Steep increase in mortgage shortfall debt in Northern Ireland
10th June 2015
By Lauren Burns There has been a sharp increase in the number of people left with mortgage debt following the sale or repossession of a property in Northern Ireland, according to... Read more
Mortgage rates at their lowest since records began
9th June 2015
By Michelle Rock A large number of the mortgage products on offer in May contained the lowest interest rates since the Bank of England began keeping records in 1995. The Bank of... Read more
Interest rate increase expected in first half of 2016
5th June 2015
By Michelle Rock The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England has again voted to maintain interest rates at 0.5 per cent, continuing the record low for over 6... Read more
915 Northern Ireland purchasers used Help to Buy scheme
4th June 2015
By Michelle Rock New figures show that 915 home buyers in Northern Ireland got their foot on the property ladder thanks to the Help to Buy scheme over the last 18... Read more
Call for stamp duty to be waived for last-time buyers
3rd June 2015
By Lauren Burns New research estimates that there are 3.3million homeowners who want to down-size in the near future, and Nigel Wilson of Legal & General believes waiving stamp duty for... Read more
Increase in mortgage approvals for purchasers and remortgagors in April
2nd June 2015
By Lauren Burns There was a year-on-year increase in the number of new mortgage approvals for house purchasers and remortgagors in April in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK,... Read more
Borrowers turn to equity release to clear interest-only mortgages
1st June 2015
By Natasha Adamson A new study suggests that the number of borrowers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK using equity release loans to pay off interest-only mortgages has... Read more
Mortgage lending to Northern Ireland property purchasers fell in Q1
28th May 2015
By Lauren Burns There was a fall in the number of new mortgages lent to property purchasers in Northern Ireland in the first 3 months of this year. According to new figures... Read more
Optimism despite NI property transaction level and price decline
21st May 2015
The Northern Ireland property market has gone through a strong period of stabilisation over the past couple of years, and while the most recent residential property price index shows a... Read more
Labour offers first time buyers stamp duty exemption
28th April 2015
By Michelle Rock Ed Miliband has pledged to introduce a stamp duty exemption for first time buyers in Northern Ireland, England and Wales purchasing a house under £300,000. Housing has become one... Read more
Industry leaders form plan for urgent action on homebuying process
21st April 2015
Industry comes together to discuss way forward to improve home moving experience 30 March 2015: This month property industry leaders met to discuss potential solutions to one of the most serious... Read more
Strongest rise in Northern Ireland property prices in 7 years
15th April 2015
By Michelle Rock Property prices in Northern Ireland experienced their strongest increase in 7 years in the 12 month period up to February according to new figures from the Office for... Read more
Tory inheritance tax plan is 'special treatment for property owners'
13th April 2015
By Lenore Rice The Conservatives have announced that they would introduce a new zero-rate band of £175,000 on a main property involved in an estate for inheritance tax purposes. Essentially, the threshold... Read more
Interest rate freeze continues following MPC vote
9th April 2015
By Lauren Burns The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England has again voted to maintain the interest rate freeze at 0.5 per cent. The record low rate was introduced just... Read more
First time buyers pessimistic on chances of mortgage approval
8th April 2015
By Natasha Adamson A new report suggests that 79 per cent of first time buyers aged between 20 to 45-years-old believe that banks do not want to lend them money. The report... Read more
Increase in the number of 90 per cent mortgages for purchasers
8th April 2015
By Lauren Burns New figures from the Bank of England suggest that there has been an increase in the availability of mortgages worth more than 90 per cent of the property... Read more
Third of property sales involve first time buyers
2nd April 2015
By Lauren Burns A new report suggests that nearly a third of house sale transactions in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK involve first time buyers. According to the new... Read more
Four Northern Ireland cities in UK affordable property list
2nd April 2015
By Michelle Rock list of the ten most affordable places in the UK to buy a home, and four of the cities are in Northern Ireland The report by Lloyds Bank suggests... Read more
Survey reveals most desirable postcodes in Northern Ireland
23rd March 2015
By Lauren Burns The five most desirable postcodes to live in Northern Ireland have been revealed in a Royal Mail survey that looked at green spaces, affordable housing and commuting times. The... Read more
Labour vows to help first time buyers get on the property ladder
23rd March 2015
By Michelle Rock Labour is appealing to the first time buyer vote by pledging to build more houses and introduce three-year tenancies with limited rent rises. David Orr, chief executive of the... Read more
Osborne announces help-to-buy Isa for first-time buyers
18th March 2015
By Lauren Burns George Osborne's budget has been described as one for the savers and pensioners, and with Stamp duty covered in the Autumn statement, there wasn't much expectation of good... Read more
Over a third of first time buyers expect mortgage rejection
11th March 2015
By Natasha Adamson A new survey has revealed that 38 per cent of first time buyers expect to have their mortgage application rejected. The Mortgage Approval Confidence Index was produced by unbiased.co.uk... Read more
Carney continues to confuse with "foolish" rate cut comment
11th March 2015
By Lauren Burns Mark Carney arrived as Governor of the Bank of England in July 2013 seemingly intent on bringing some clarity to the future of interest rates to assure business... Read more
Stormont intervention needed to rescue NI construction sector
9th March 2015
By Michelle Rock The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) say the Northern Ireland construction sector is falling behind the rest of the UK and needs Stormont to intervene. The FMB is lobbying... Read more
Compensation for house buyers who weren't told of wind farm plans
9th March 2015
By Lauren Burns A couple who bought a house in Wales have been awarded compensation after their conveyancer failed to notify them of plans to build a wind farm less than... Read more
0.5 per cent interest rate freeze reaches 6th anniversary
5th March 2015
By Natasha Adamson The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England has again voted to maintain the interest rate frozen at 0.5 per cent, meaning the record low rate has... Read more
Cameron pledges to keep mortgage rates low
2nd March 2015
By Michelle Rock David Cameron says the Conservative party will keep mortgage rates low, and warns that the economic policy of Labour would result in families paying an extra £1,000 in... Read more
Northern Ireland property price guide by region and type
2nd March 2015
By Lauren Burns The latest Northern Ireland Quarterly House Price Index has been released by the University of Ulster in respect of the last quarter of 2014. The average house price in... Read more
2000 NI first time buyers in Q4 of last year
26th February 2015
By Michelle Rock Approximately 2,000 first time buyers completed the purchase of a property in Northern Ireland in the last quarter of 2014, taking the total for the year up to... Read more
Northern Ireland only UK region to see quarterly mortgage growth
25th February 2015
By Natasha Adamson Northern Ireland was the only region in the UK to experience a growth in mortgage lending in Q4 of last year according to new figures from the Council... Read more
Is it any easier for NI property purchasers in 2015?
18th February 2015
By Lauren Burns The property market in Northern Ireland continues to be the subject of much interest, regular news articles, analysis and reports. The ultimate question for many people is whether... Read more
Northern Ireland property sales reach 7 year high
18th February 2015
By Michelle Rock There were 20,200 property purchases in Northern Ireland last year, the highest number of transactions in 7 years, according to new figures. According to the latest residential property price... Read more
Northern Ireland property purchasers in bidding wars again
12th February 2015
By Lauren Burns A lack of houses on the market for sale in Northern Ireland has meant a return of bidding wars among property purchasers, according to one estate agent. Richard McCullough... Read more
Mixed signals cause confusion over the future of interest rates
12th February 2015
By Natasha Adamson Mark Carney has caused some confusion with mixed messages over the future of interest rates after he suggested they could drop below 0.5 per cent, and then separately... Read more
Interest rates remain frozen at 0.5 per cent
5th February 2015
By Lauren Burns As expected, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England has again voted to maintain the interest rate freeze at 0.5 per cent. The interest rate freeze... Read more
Increase in equity release mortgages to manage debt
3rd February 2015
By Natasha Adamson There has been a significant increase in the number of people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK using equity release mortgages to pay off debts... Read more
Strong increase in new build houses in Northern Ireland
30th January 2015
By Michelle Rock There was a 17 per cent increase in the registration of new build properties in Northern Ireland in 2014, according to new figures released by the National House... Read more
Bank of England suggests 0.5pc interest rate increase per year
28th January 2015
By Natasha Adamson The Bank of England have again confirmed that they are "in no rush to raise" interest rates, with their chief economist suggesting that the rate might reach no... Read more
Unanimous MPC vote to maintain interest rate freeze
21st January 2015
By Natasha Adamson Mortgage borrowers and first time buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK have received welcome news today that suggests an interest rate rise could be... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices to grow the most in 2015
20th January 2015
By Michelle Rock It is being predicted that property prices in Northern Ireland will increase more than any other region of the UK in 2015. The forecast on house values was made... Read more
Property related businesses in NI facing financial pressure
19th January 2015
By Neil Logan New research suggests that nearly half of the Northern Ireland businesses currently facing financial difficulties are in property-related sectors, bringing into question the so-called recovery of the residential... Read more
Mortgage approvals reach 18 month low
15th January 2015
By Lauren Burns The number of approvals of new mortgage applications made in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK reached an 18 month low in December of last year,... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices increase by 12 per cent
14th January 2015
By Michelle Rock The rate of increase of property prices in Northern Ireland reached a 7 year high according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), with a... Read more
US couple criticised by judge for having a 'fiasco' divorce
9th January 2015
By Lenore Rice The dispute of a couple involved in a divorce in the US revealed so much 'horrible' behaviour that the judge said they were having a bad impact on... Read more
First time buyer levels reached 7 year high in 2014
8th January 2015
By Lauren Burns The number of first time buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK getting their foot on the property ladder reached a seven year high in... Read more
Bank of England maintains interest rate freeze
8th January 2015
By Natasha Adamson The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England has voted once again to maintain the interest rate freeze at 0.5 per cent, meaning we could reach a... Read more
Mortgage borrowers urged to switch to fixed rate as confusion grows
7th January 2015
By Michelle Rock Mortgage borrowers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are being encouraged to switch to a fixed rate deal before the base rate of interest is... Read more
Legal help to fulfill your New Year's resolutions
6th January 2015
A new year is upon us, and according to surveys and polls, over half of us have made some kind of resolution for 2015. As ever, health and finances top... Read more
Northern Ireland house prices to rise by 4 per cent in 2015
19th December 2014
By Michelle Rock Property prices in Northern Ireland could rise by as much as 4 percent next year, more than the projected UK average of 3 per cent, and higher than... Read more
Northern Ireland has lowest property price increases in UK
17th December 2014
By Lauren Burns Property prices in Northern Ireland rose by 4.9 per cent in the 12 month period up to October, the joint lowest rate of growth in the whole of... Read more
Mortgage lending expected to increase slowly in next 2 years
17th December 2014
By Natasha Adamson Residential mortgage lending is expected to grow in the next two years, but the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) considers that the increases will be slower than those... Read more
Stamp duty reform likely to inflate property prices
9th December 2014
By Michelle Rock The stamp duty reform announcement made in the Autumn Statement included a claim that 98 per cent of property buyers would be better off, however the good news... Read more
Most property owners could cope with interest rate rise
8th December 2014
By Natasha Adamson The Bank of England considers that most mortgage borrowers would be able to cope with an interest rate increase, but their projections are dependent on a 10... Read more
Understanding the stamp duty changes announced by Osborne
3rd December 2014
By Michelle Rock George Osborne announced stamp duty reforms in his Autumn Statement, with the new rates of tax taking effect on 4th December, but there is already some confusion about... Read more
New mortgage approvals fall to 17 month low
1st December 2014
By Lauren Burns The tightening of mortgage lending criteria is thought to be behind the October slump in new property loan approvals, which fell to their lowest in 17 months. The Mortgage... Read more
Falling house prices help make Belfast most improved city
27th November 2014
By Lauren Burns A new report suggests that falling property prices have helped Belfast to the title of most improved city in the UK. The 2014 'good growth for cities index' looks... Read more
2000 mortgages advanced to Northern Ireland first time buyers in Q3
27th November 2014
By Michelle Rock There were 2,000 mortgages advanced to first time buyers in Northern Ireland between the months of July and September, remaining largely the same as the previous quarter as... Read more
NI developer says bank should have warned of property crash
25th November 2014
By Gillian Crotty Michael Taggart, formerly a property developer and one of the wealthiest men in Northern Ireland, says the Ulster bank should have warned him about their serious concerns about... Read more
Over 40s frozen out of mortgage market by new lending criteria
24th November 2014
By Natasha Adamson Lenders are warning that the new rules introduced in the Mortgage Market Review in April of this year are locking people in their 40s out of the mortgage... Read more
Belfast and other largest UK cities record property price rise
21st November 2014
By Lauren Burns For the first time since November 2004 the 20 largest cities in the UK have recorded property price increases of at least 5 per cent. The annual increase in... Read more
Northern Ireland property market is Belfast-centric
20th November 2014
By Michelle Rock Estate agent John Minnis says the strength of the Northern Ireland property market is currently 'Belfast-centric', but that rising house prices in the capital have "a ripple effect... Read more
No change to MPC member votes on interest rate change
19th November 2014
By Natasha Adamson The minutes of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in November reveal that there was no change in the previous 7-2 vote in favour of... Read more
Dispute over right of way racks up £500,000 in legal costs
18th November 2014
By Gillian Crotty A judge at London's Appeal Court has made clear his frustration with two neighbours who have racked up legal costs of nearly £500,000 in a court dispute over... Read more
Property owners releasing equity to fund improvements
17th November 2014
By Natasha Adamson Just under a half of property owners who take out an equity release mortgage do so to fund home improvements or modifications according to new research from LV=. In... Read more
Northern Ireland house prices up for 17th month in a row
13th November 2014
By Lauren Burns Property prices in Northern Ireland increased in October for the 17th month in a row according to the latest Residential Market Survey by the Royal Institute of Chartered... Read more
Property repossessions fall in the third quarter
13th November 2014
By Michelle Rock There was a drop in the number of property repossessions in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK between July and August according to the Council of... Read more
Drop in new mortgages for first time buyers
11th November 2014
By Natasha Adamson There was a decline in new mortgages for first time buyers in September for the second consecutive month, according to new figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders... Read more
Older mortgage borrowers shut out by income criteria
7th November 2014
By Michelle Rock Older home owners could miss out on a mortgage they can afford because of the lending criteria on acceptable sources of income. The Mortgage Market Review introduced in April... Read more
'Sooner than expected' interest rate rise may happen later
6th November 2014
By Natasha Adamson In June of this year Mark Carney warned that an interest rate rise may arrive sooner than expected, prompting speculation of an increase at the start of 2015,... Read more
Lifetime mortgages could result in forfeit of inheritance
30th October 2014
By Lenore Rice Financial experts are warning that an increase in the use of interest only mortgages and lifetime mortgages could result in a decline in the number of inheritances being... Read more
New mortgages fell to 14-month low in September
29th October 2014
By Natasha Adamson The number of first time buyers and home-movers who had their mortgage application approved dropped to a 14-month low in September. The 61,267 new mortgage approvals last month was... Read more
Property owners encouraged to switch to fixed mortgage
27th October 2014
Property owners are being encouraged by Moneysupermarket to remortgage their home and switch to a fixed rate loan now, rather than wait until the first interest rate increase. Dan Plant of... Read more
71 per cent increase in new build houses in NI
23rd October 2014
By Lauren Burns First time buyers will welcome the news that there was a 71 per cent increase in new build properties in Northern Ireland between the months of July and... Read more
First time buyers don't grasp 'ongoing affordability'
22nd October 2014
By Michelle Rock Many first time buyers don't fully understand that mortgage affordability is an ongoing issue that has to be considered against their 25-year mortgage term, according to a market... Read more
MPC minutes reveal no change on interest rate increase
22nd October 2014
By Lauren Burns While it was widely expected that the Bank of England would vote to maintain the interest rate freeze at 0.5 per cent this month, some anticipated that the... Read more
House purchasers left waiting by queued CHAPS payments
20th October 2014
By Natasha Adamson Hundreds of home movers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK who were hoping to complete the purchase of a property today have been left waiting... Read more
Property regeneration plan for Belfast unveiled
14th October 2014
By Michelle Rock A large property regeneration project in Belfast city centre has been unveiled today, which could see the construction of 3,000 apartments and houses in a site next to... Read more
Interest rates remain unchanged but clock is ticking
9th October 2014
By Natasha Adamson The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England has voted once again to maintain the current interest rate of 0.5 per cent, meaning the freeze has... Read more
Increase rates fears to dampen property market in 2015
6th October 2014
By Michelle Rock House buyer demand and property prices are expected to decline next year as a result of interest rate increases and tougher mortgage lending criteria, according to the Centre... Read more
Half of property owners not ready for interest rate rise
3rd October 2014
By Natasha Adamson Over half of property owners in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are not ready for an interest rate increase, and would struggle to meet their... Read more
Stamp duty criticised as revenue jumps by £1.5billion
1st October 2014
By Michelle Rock Stamp duty land tax revenue jumped by £1.5billion in just a year, prompting more criticism that the scheme needs reformed to take into account rising house prices in... Read more
Carney says interest rate increase is getting closer
25th September 2014
By Lauren Burns Mark Carney has said that an interest rate rise is "getting closer", though has again reassured mortgage borrowers that any increases will be "limited and gradual". The Governor of... Read more
Parents use savings to help children purchase property
22nd September 2014
By Michelle Rock Parents are using savings set aside to fund their retirement in order to help their children get on to the property ladder, and the housing charity Shelter says... Read more
Robinson not sold on devolving stamp duty powers to NI
22nd September 2014
By Lauren Burns Peter Robinson has said that it is an option to devolve stamp duty tax powers to Northern Ireland but that he was not convinced on the benefits. The Finance... Read more
Fall in mortgages to purchasers and remortgagors in August
18th September 2014
By Natasha Adamson The number of new mortgages to purchasers and remortgagors in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK fell by 5 per cent in August. The figures from the... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices increased in July
17th September 2014
By Lauren Burns Property prices in Northern Ireland increased by 4.5 per cent in the year to the end of July, but was the region with the lowest house value gains... Read more
Inheritance tax implications of rising property prices
17th September 2014
By Lenore Rice Northern Ireland property owners have learned that their house values increased by the lowest amount of the whole of the UK in the year to the end of... Read more
Quarter of property owners deal with nuisance neighbours
16th September 2014
By Michelle Rock A quarter of property owners in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK have to deal with nuisance neighbours according to a new survey by Which? The research... Read more
'Mortgage borrowers are ready for interest rate rise'
11th September 2014
By Natasha Adamson Most mortgage borrowers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are prepared to deal with an interest rate increase, according to senior mortgage industry figures. The comments... Read more
New mortgage lending rules slowing property sale process
11th September 2014
By Lauren Burns A property purchase is taking up to 2 to 4 weeks longer as a result of tighter mortgage lending criteria, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors... Read more
Half of property owners fear impact of interest rate rise
4th September 2014
By Natasha Adamson New research suggests that half of property owners feel that they would struggle to meet their monthly mortgage payments if interest rates increase by 1 per cent. Over 50... Read more
Rise in first time buyers taking longer term mortgages
1st September 2014
By Michelle Rock An increasing number of first time buyers are turning to 35 and 40-year term mortgages in order to get their foot on the property ladder, according to new... Read more
Increase in Northern Ireland first time buyer activity
28th August 2014
By Michelle Rock There has been a dramatic increase in the number of mortgage loans made to first time buyers in Northern Ireland according to new figures from the Council of... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices increase by 4.9 per cent
22nd August 2014
By Michelle Rock Northern Ireland property prices increased by 4.9 per cent in the twelve months up to June, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The average... Read more
Mortgage borrowers react to MPC interest rate vote split
21st August 2014
By Natasha Adamson The minutes of the August meeting of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has revealed a split vote on whether or not to increase interest rates... Read more
Mortgage borrowers told to prepare for rate increase
14th August 2014
By Natasha Adamson Mortgage borrowers have been told they need to prepare for an interest rate increase by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The CML delivered their message to mortgage borrowers... Read more
Northern Ireland's construction recovery is on mainland UK
11th August 2014
By Michelle Rock While news of a recovery in Northern Ireland's construction industry is always welcome, a new survey suggests that the properties being built by our local companies are actually... Read more
Interest rate freeze continues for another month
7th August 2014
By Natasha Adamson UK interest rates will remain at 0.5 per cent for another month after the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to maintain the freeze. Mortgage borrowers and... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices at 7 year high
6th August 2014
By Lauren Burns Northern Ireland property prices are at their strongest in 7 years according to the latest University of Ulster quarterly house price index. The average property purchased in Northern Ireland... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices by region
6th August 2014
By Michelle Rock The latest Northern Ireland house price index suggests that the property market is at it's strongest since 2007, with property prices up 6.9 per cent in the last... Read more
Repossessed NI properties sell at less than half of value
5th August 2014
By Michelle Rock Repossessed properties in Northern Ireland are on average being sold at 42 per cent of their true value, according to a new survey by mortgage provider HML. While the... Read more
Purchasers paying 3 per cent stamp duty has doubled
1st August 2014
By Michelle Rock The number of property purchasers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK paying the higher 3 per cent rate of stamp duty tax has doubled in... Read more
Internet speed an important draw for house purchasers
1st August 2014
By Lauren Burns A new study reveals that property purchasers are willing to pay more for a house that is located in an area with very fast internet speeds. It is well... Read more
Average house purchaser deposit in NI is £16,226
29th July 2014
By Michelle Rock The average deposit being paid by house purchasers in Northern Ireland is £16,226 according to new research. The First Time Buyers Opinion Barometer produced by Your Move and Reeds... Read more
Interest rates remain frozen after MPC monthly vote
23rd July 2014
By Natasha Adamson As expected, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted to continue the rate freeze at 0.5 per cent, though the minutes of the meeting will reveal whether there... Read more
Young property purchasers urged to get finances in order
23rd July 2014
Young would-be property purchasers are being urged to "seize control of their financial situation to get themselves in the best possible shape" before applying for a mortgage. Figures released by the... Read more
Mortgage approvals increase for first time in 5 months
23rd July 2014
By Christine Farrell The number of new mortgage application approvals increased in June for the first time in five months, albeit with a fairly modest lift of 4 per cent compared... Read more
Mortgage borrowers need to prepare for end of interest rate holiday
21st July 2014
By Lauren Burns A new study considers that millions of mortgage borrowers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are not prepared for the impact of higher interest rates,... Read more
Remortgagors heed rate increase warnings and choose to fix
21st July 2014
Existing homeowners remortgaging their property have historically been more willing to take their chances with variable rate mortgage products compared to new property purchasers, but data from June suggests that... Read more
10 year wait for Northern Ireland property price recovery
18th July 2014
By Christine Farrell It has been estimated that it could take ten years for Northern Ireland property prices to climb back to the same levels they were at before the property... Read more
97 pc of NI repossession sales result in mortgage shortfall
18th July 2014
By Michelle Rock Almost all sales (97 per cent) of repossessed properties in Northern Ireland resulted in a shortfall which is still owed by the mortgage borrower to the lender even... Read more
Fear of rates rises draws borrowers to fixed rate mortgages
18th July 2014
By Natasha Adamson New mortgage borrowers are being drawn to fixed rate mortgage products because of fears of future increase rate rises, according to Moneyfacts. There are over 2,000 different fixed rate... Read more
Interest only mortgage borrowers face average of £77k debt
7th July 2014
By Natasha Adamson A debt recovery group says that interest-only mortgage borrowers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will on average be saddled with a £77,000 debt once... Read more
At-risk Northern Ireland mortgage borrowers identified
3rd July 2014
By Natasha Adamson The Northern Ireland property market has been described as "dysfunctional" by a taskforce appointed by the Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland. The group was tasked with examining the extent... Read more
Mortgage approvals hit 11 month low
30th June 2014
By Michelle Rock The number of new mortgage approvals hit an 11 month low in May, according to figures released by the Bank of England. There were 61,707 approved mortgages in May,... Read more
Carney predicts interest rates to reach 2.5pc by 2017
27th June 2014
By Michelle Rock Mark Carney predicts interest rates will reach 2.5 per cent by 2017, and has hinted that they will stay at that level for some time. The Bank of England... Read more
Mortgage applications to be tested against 3pc rate rise
26th June 2014
By Natasha Adamson Mortgage applicants will now have to demonstrate that they can afford a house loan even if interest rates were to increase by 3 per cent over a 5... Read more
Belfast apartment owners object to £200k bill for wall
25th June 2014
By Christine Farrell A group of Belfast apartment owners have been told they must collectively pay a £200,000 bill for the repair of a wall in their development. A wall at Larkspur... Read more
Interest rate rises could add £1000 to annual mortgage bill
20th June 2014
By Lauren Burns Property owners in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK could see their annual mortgage bill increase by £1,000 in 2015 as a result of interest rate... Read more
Rising house prices increased stamp duty revenue by £900m
20th June 2014
By Michelle Rock Stamp duty payments by property buyers increased by £900million in the last financial year according to new research by Lloyds Bank. Rising house prices in Northern Ireland, and to... Read more
Fear of rate rise affected mortgage levels in May
19th June 2014
By Michelle Rock The threat of an earlier than expected interest rate increase, as well as the stricter lending rules brought in with the Mortgage Market Review, resulted in a flattening... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices increased in April
18th June 2014
By Michelle Rock There was a 2.6 per cent increase in Northern Ireland house prices in the month of April, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics... Read more
Credit worthy house purchasers being rejected by Lenders
16th June 2014
By Christine Farrell Mortgage lenders are being accused of being "over-zealous" in their application of the Mortgage Market Review (MMR), doing a U-turn on mortgage applications that had been agreed in... Read more
Carney hints at interest rates rise before end of year
13th June 2014
By Natasha Adamson Comments by the Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, suggest that interest rates could increase before the end of this year. Economists and analysts were largely of the opinion... Read more
Survey shows Northern Ireland construction activity rise
9th June 2014
By Lauren Burns A new business survey suggests that the Northern Ireland construction sector is starting to see some recovery, with the fastest rate of growth in over 10 years recorded... Read more
Belfast commercial property project gets planning permission
9th June 2014
By Neil Logan A large commercial property project in Belfast Harbour has been granted planning permission. The City Quays project will include a hotel, offices, residential units, restaurants and small retail units,... Read more
Third of first time buyers would struggle if interest rates rise
6th June 2014
By Michelle Rock Just over a third of first time buyers say they would find it hard to meet their monthly mortgage payments if interest rates were to increase. The research by... Read more
Second mortgage lender introduces 4 times salary cap
5th June 2014
By Natasha Adamson The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has become the second lender to introduce a restriction on the salary multiple they will allow for mortgage lending, following the lead... Read more
UK interest rates freeze continues at 0.5 per cent
5th June 2014
By Christine Farrell As was widely expected the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England has voted to maintain the interest rate freeze at 0.5 per cent for another... Read more
Not much 'help to buy' in Northern Ireland
29th May 2014
By Christine Farrell The Help to Buy scheme created to help house purchasers get on the property ladder with a low deposit has been criticised for fuelling a mini-property boom, but... Read more
Mortgage lending in Northern Ireland up in Q1
28th May 2014
By Natasha Adamson There was a 41 per cent increase in mortgage lending in Northern Ireland in the first quarter of this year compared to the same three month period in... Read more
Third of property owners fear impact of interest rate rise
23rd May 2014
By Natasha Adamson A new study has revealed that a third of property owners in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK believe that an interest rate increase would push... Read more
NI mortgage borrowers most vulnerable to interest rate rise
22nd May 2014
By Lauren Burns Northern Ireland mortgage borrowers face the highest risk of losing their home if interest rates were to increase, according to advice charity Housing Rights Service (HRS). Recent research by... Read more
Northern Ireland property sales highest since 2007
21st May 2014
By Michelle Rock The number of Northern Ireland property sales are at their highest since 2007 according to new figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. The Residential Property Index... Read more
New mortgage lifestyle quiz - what to expect
20th May 2014
By Christine Farrell Since 26th April mortgage applicants in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK have been facing a much more extensive questioning process in order to assess their... Read more
Drop in Northern Ireland property repossessions
16th May 2014
By Gillian Crotty There was a 14 per cent decrease in repossessions of Northern Ireland properties in the first quarter of this year compared to the same quarter in 2013. There were... Read more
Lifestyle quiz results in 20pc drop in mortgage approvals
14th May 2014
By Michelle Rock Mortgage approvals have dropped by 20 per cent since the new lifestyle quiz to test affordability was added to the mortgage application process, according to the Daily Mail. The... Read more
Carney moves to allay fears of early interest rates rise
14th May 2014
By Lauren Burns Bank of England governor Mark Carney has today reacted to growing speculation that interest rates could increase this year by saying the economy is still not ready. The continuing... Read more
New mortgage lifestyle quiz likened to Spanish inquisition
12th May 2014
By Christine Farrell Hundreds of mortgage applicants have now gone through the new mortgage lifestyle quiz that was brought in on 26th April, and it has been dubbed the 'Spanish inquisition'... Read more
Bank of England maintains UK interest rate freeze
8th May 2014
By Michelle Rock As expected, the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted to maintain interest rates at 0.5 per cent. It is widely expected that interest rates will remain... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices up in April says RICS
8th May 2014
By Lauren Burns Northern Ireland property prices increased in April for the 11th consecutive month according to the recent survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Of those who responded... Read more
International concerns over UK property price increases
7th May 2014
By Natasha Adamson An international think tank has said that the Bank of England needs to act quickly to prevent a housing bubble in the UK. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and... Read more
Most first time buyers getting cash help from parents
6th May 2014
By Michelle Rock New research from Halifax has found that 63 per cent of first time buyers aged between 20 to 45 received financial help from their parents in order to... Read more
Stamp duty is delaying 77 pc of property purchasers
2nd May 2014
By Christine Farrell New research has revealed that over half of first time buyers have been saving for longer in order to cover stamp duty fees, and some of those have... Read more
New mortgage affordability checks will take up to 3hrs
30th April 2014
By Christine Farrell The new mortgage affordability quiz has been implemented by mortgage lenders as of 26th April, and has already come under criticism for the delays it causes. Concerns have... Read more
Link between property prices and unemployment rates
28th April 2014
By Lauren Burns New research suggests that property prices in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK have grown most in areas were the rate of unemployment has fallen. The research... Read more
Fears that new mortgage lifestyle quiz will cause delays
25th April 2014
By Lauren Burns A new lifestyle quiz that will form part of the mortgage application process from Saturday 26th April has been described as "the biggest change to the mortgage market... Read more
Tax investigations for Northern Ireland landlords
23rd April 2014
HMRC is targeting landlords big and small in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK with their latest Second Homes Campaign. Recent government estimates are that there are up... Read more
Drop in number of down-valuations of Northern Ireland properties
23rd April 2014
By Christine Farrell There was a decrease in the number of properties in Northern Ireland that were down-valued for mortgage purposes in the first quarter of this year. According to the Overestimate... Read more
Unemployment rate fall sparks interest rate fears
16th April 2014
By Michelle Rock Last August Bank of England governor Mark Carney issued a forward guidance policy in respect of interest rates in an effort to bring some assurance to mortgage borrowers... Read more
Northern Ireland house prices up 2.8 per cent
15th April 2014
By Christine Farrell Northern Ireland property prices increased by 2.8 per cent in February compared to the same month last year according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics... Read more
Increase in first time buyers in February
11th April 2014
By Michelle Rock There was an increase in first time buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in the month of February according to the latest figures from... Read more
HMRC target Northern Ireland landlords
11th April 2014
HMRC’s Let Property Campaign gives individual landlords in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK who are letting out residential property in the UK or abroad the opportunity to... Read more
'NI property sellers need to be realistic on price'
10th April 2014
By Christine Farrell A spokesman for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has suggested that property vendors in Northern Ireland need to be more realistic when pricing their property if... Read more
NI property owners still concerned about negative equity
7th April 2014
By Michelle Rock A new survey has revealed that while 10 out of the 12 regions of the UK are now worried about the increase in property prices in their area,... Read more
'Belfast only winner of high-end NI property market'
4th April 2014
By Christine Farrell It's that time of the month again when a flurry of reports emerge in respect of the property market in Northern Ireland, and while some fairly large differences... Read more
RICS expect 4 per cent increase in NI property prices
3rd April 2014
By Lauren Burns The latest housing market survey produced by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and Ulster Bank suggests that property prices in Northern Ireland will increase on average by... Read more
Mortgage approvals dropped in February
1st April 2014
By Michelle Rock There was a decline in the number of new mortgage approvals in February in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK according to new figures from the... Read more
NI property purchasers not using Help to Buy mortgages
25th March 2014
By Christine Farrell New figures have revealed that 80 per cent of the 17,000 houses purchased under the Help to Buy scheme were bought by first time buyers, but only 33... Read more
Stamp duty change for houses purchased through companies
19th March 2014
By Christine Farrell While the 2014 budget speech made no change to the rate of stamp duty for private individuals purchasing residential property, it did contain one announcement aimed at curbing... Read more
First time buyer mortgages at highest since Q3 of 2007
12th March 2014
By Michelle Rock The amount of mortgage lending to first time buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK has reached a 6-year high, according to new figures released... Read more
UK interest rates freeze completes fifth year
6th March 2014
By Lauren Burns The decision of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to continue the interest rate freeze for another month means that they have now been at 0.5... Read more
68000 Northern Ireland homeowners in negative equity
3rd March 2014
By Michelle Rock Negative equity remains a large problem for homeowners in the UK, with half a million mortgage borrowers said to be in negative equity. Northern Ireland is the region with... Read more
What we know about the NI Property Market in 2014
26th February 2014
By Christine Farrell As we come to the end of the second month of 2014 it's worth taking stock of the various articles and facts and figures produced about the Northern... Read more
2nd Homeowners in NI could be hit by new CGT rules
26th February 2014
Changes to the Private Residence Relief (PPR) rules could affect taxpayers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK from 6th April 2014. Private Residence Relief means you pay no... Read more
MPC member says interest rates rise likely in Spring 2015
21st February 2014
By Natasha Adamson Spring 2015 is fast becoming the unofficial date for an interest rate increase, with a Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee member (MPC) being the latest to say... Read more
NI property sales hit 6yr high in Q4 of last year
19th February 2014
By Michelle Rock The number of property purchases in the October to December period of 2013 was the highest quarterly figure since 2007 according to latest figures from the Northern Ireland... Read more
Belfast apartment buyers tried to get out of contract
18th February 2014
By Gillian Crotty The Belfast High Court has ruled that a purchaser who had signed a contract to buy a city apartment tried to get out of the deal when it... Read more
No significant drop in NI property repossessions in 2013
17th February 2014
By Gillian Crotty New figures reveal that the number of property repossessions in Northern Ireland in 2013 decreased by just 1 per cent, or 38 repossessions, compared to the previous year,... Read more
Criticism of Carney comments on NI property prices
17th February 2014
By Christine Farrell Experts in the Northern Ireland property market, among others, have criticised the Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney after he suggested that Northern Ireland had yet... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices to go up by 4 per cent
13th February 2014
By Christine Farrell The average property price in Northern Ireland will increase by 4 per cent in 2014 according to a spokesman for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Samuel Dickey... Read more
First interest rate increase predicted for spring 2015
12th February 2014
By Natasha Adamson Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, has sought to ease concerns that interest rates are due to increase shortly by reviewing his forward guidance policy. Mortgage... Read more
How first time buyers intend to raise their deposit
11th February 2014
By Michelle Rock While first time buyers are perhaps getting more assistance than ever before to get a foot on the property ladder, the issue of the deposit still remains the... Read more
Belfast property market the busiest in Northern Ireland
7th February 2014
By Lauren Burns New statistics in respect of the Northern Ireland property market in the last quarter of 2013 reveal that Belfast was by far the most active region when it... Read more
Interest rate freeze continues
6th February 2014
By Michelle Rock As expected the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee has voted to leave interest rates unchanged at 0.5 per cent for another month. While the predictions on when interest... Read more
NI property buyers borrowing least under Help to Buy
5th February 2014
By Natasha Adamson New figures released by Halifax in respect of Help to Buy mortgage products show that Northern Ireland purchasers are having to borrow much less than other home buyers... Read more
Chancellor warns property shortage will last 10yrs
5th February 2014
By Christine Farrell The supply of houses to meet the demand from buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will continue to fall short for another 10 years... Read more
More borrowers taking out 30 and 35 year mortgages
28th January 2014
By Natasha Adamson House purchasers and remortgagors are increasingly taking out mortgages with a term over and beyond the traditional 25 years according to mortgage experts. In the past mortgages were often... Read more
Mortgage approvals highest since September 2007
28th January 2014
By Christine Farrell Mortgage approvals in December reached their highest level since before the start of the financial crisis according to new figures from the British Bankers' Association. There were 46,521 mortgage... Read more
Increase in first time buyers but fewer home movers
23rd January 2014
By Michelle Rock New statistics from the Council for Mortgage Lenders in respect of borrowing in November shows an increase in first time buyers, but a decline in both home movers... Read more
Largest drop in 16 yrs takes unemployment rate to 7.1pc
22nd January 2014
The largest drop in the number of people without a job in the UK since the autumn of 1997 has taken the rate of unemployment to 7.1 per cent -... Read more
Link interest rate increase to wage growth says economic group
20th January 2014
By Natasha Adamson The Bank of England is being urged to add to it's forward guidance policy by linking any future increase in interest rates to growth in real-term wages. The EY... Read more
House sellers cause delay by instructing solicitor late
10th January 2014
By Christine Farrell Property sellers are causing delays in their own sales by leaving it too late to instruct a property conveyancing solicitor, according to new research by estate agents Move... Read more
Interest rate freeze continues but no hint on future
9th January 2014
By Natasha Adamson The Bank of England has voted to maintain the current interest rate freeze at 0.5 per cent for another month, but there was no further guidance or hint... Read more
Economists predict interest rate freeze to hold in 2014
3rd January 2014
By Lauren Burns There have been further predictions that interest rates will not increase in 2014, as BBC economists were overwhelmingly in agreement that the 0.5 per cent rate would hold. Of... Read more
NI borrowers told interest rates not rising in 2014
2nd January 2014
By Michelle Rock Danske Bank has attempted to ease concerns of Northern Ireland mortgage borrowers by suggested that interest rates would not increase in 2014 even if the unemployment rate hits... Read more
UK homeowners have learned negative equity lesson
30th December 2013
By Natasha Adamson New figures from the Bank of England suggest that property owners in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK have learned an important lesson when it comes... Read more
London property boom may force early interest rate rise
23rd December 2013
By Michelle Rock The business secretary, Vince Cable, has suggested that the London housing boom may have to be brought under control by an early interest rate increase. The Governor of the... Read more
4 pc increase predicted for Northern Ireland property prices
19th December 2013
By Lauren Burns The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is predicting that Northern Ireland property prices will increase by 4 per cent over the next year. The Northern Ireland property market... Read more
New survey suggests mortgage rate rise concern
16th December 2013
By Natasha Adamson Nearly half of would-be house purchasers are concerned about mortgage affordability according to new research by the Building Societies Association, and 27 per cent say that concern about... Read more
1600 first time buyers in Northern Ireland in Q3
6th December 2013
By Christine Farrell Mortgage loans were advanced to 1,600 first time buyers in Northern Ireland in the third quarter of 2013 according to the latest data from the Council of Mortgage... Read more
Rising house prices to increase inheritance tax bills
5th December 2013
By Lenore Rice The estates of deceased persons in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are likely to face a higher inheritance tax bill this year as a result... Read more
Stamp duty forcing owners to sell at a loss
3rd December 2013
By Lauren Burns There have been fresh calls for an overhaul of the Stamp Duty tax system as new research suggests that 14,000 homeowners in Northern Ireland and the rest of... Read more
Latest NI property report confirms increase in sales
26th November 2013
By Michelle Rock The latest Northern Ireland property market report to emerge comes from the University of Ulster, and it agrees with other reports from the past week that house sales... Read more
Northern Ireland house purchases at 6 yr high
20th November 2013
The number of property purchases in Northern Ireland during the third quarter of this year reached a 6 year high according to the latest NI Residential Property Price Index. There were... Read more
Northern Ireland house prices increase again
20th November 2013
By Christine Farrell Property prices in Northern Ireland increased for the second consecutive quarter during the months of July to September according to the latest NI Residential Property Price Index. There was... Read more
Scrap stamp duty on houses under £500k says Conservative MPS
18th November 2013
A group of Conservative MPs called the Free Enterprise Group are calling on the government to alter the stamp duty property tax thresholds so that it is only payable on... Read more
MLA calls for stamp duty and income tax powers for NI Assembly
18th November 2013
Basil McCrea, the leader of the NI21 party, has once again brought the devolution of tax powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly debate into the spotlight, as he says his... Read more
Economy boost means interest rates could go up in 2014
13th November 2013
By Natasha Adamson When Mark Carney attempted to bring some certainty to the future of interest rates earlier this year he advised that there would be no movement until the rate... Read more
First time buyers rush to Help to Buy scheme
11th November 2013
Three quarters of the applications for mortgages under the Help to Buy scheme are from first time buyers, and according to lenders Halifax, RBS and Natwest, the demand in the... Read more
Stamp Duty is undermining the Help to Buy scheme
8th November 2013
There has been a resurgence of calls for stamp duty to be reformed in the past week, with the Council of Mortgages (CML) in particular saying it is 'perverse' to... Read more
Interest rates remain frozen at 0.5 per cent
7th November 2013
By Christine Farrell As expected the Bank of England has continued the freeze on UK interest rates, remaining at 0.5 per cent for yet another month. The monthly vote of the Monetary... Read more
Home owners and buyers turn to fixed rate mortgages
1st November 2013
By Natasha Adamson The vast majority of home purchases and remortgages that took place in the month of August involved a fixed rate mortgage. Analysis from Legal & General Mortgage Club suggests... Read more
First time buyers find bank of Mum and Dad closing
28th October 2013
By Christine Farrell New research suggests that fewer parents are in a position to help out children requiring financial assistance in order to get a foot on the property ladder. In the... Read more
Mortgage approvals reach 4 year high in September
24th October 2013
By Natasha Adamson The number of new mortgages approved by lenders for house purchasers in the month of September rose by 10 per cent compared to August to reach a four... Read more
Second modest rise in Northern Ireland house prices
16th October 2013
By Christine Farrell The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has reported a second consecutive increase in Northern Ireland property prices, albeit a modest one. Northern Ireland house values are said to have... Read more
UK house price stats distorted by London boom
15th October 2013
By Christine Farrell The average house price in the UK has risen to a record level according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), but like with all statistics, a little... Read more
UK interest rates remain frozen at 0.5 per cent
10th October 2013
By Natasha Adamson Interest rates in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will remain at 0.5 per cent for the 55th consecutive month. As expected, the Bank of England's Monetary... Read more
Help to Buy mortgage scheme will improve NI economy
9th October 2013
By Christine Farrell The Housing Minister Nelson McCausland says the Help to Buy mortgage scheme will provide a "boost" to the Northern Ireland economy, though only one local bank has currently... Read more
Fourth consecutive month of NI house price increases
8th October 2013
By Christine Farrell Members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) in Northern Ireland are agreed that property prices have increased for the fourth consecutive month. Approximately 60 per cent of... Read more
Critics of Help to Buy scheme are out of touch
8th October 2013
By Christine Farrell Danny Alexander, the chief secretary to the Treasury, has said that people criticising the Help to Buy scheme as leading to a housing bubble are out of touch... Read more
Remortgages increase despite Carney rates pledge
30th September 2013
By Natasha Adamson New figures from the Bank of England show that mortgage approvals for remortgaging increased last month, despite many commentators suggesting that Mark Carney's pledge not to increase rates... Read more
Mortgage approvals reach 4 year high
26th September 2013
By Natasha Adamson The number of new mortgages approved in the month of August was the highest total since December 2009, and further illustrates the resurgence of the UK property market. Members... Read more
House buying - what you see isn't always what you get - pt2
23rd September 2013
By Christine Farrell Part 2 of 2 In the first part of our guide to purchasing a house we looked at fixtures and fittings, and how the seller has the right to... Read more
NI man gets £20k fine for unauthorised building
20th September 2013
By Christine Farrell A man from Northern Ireland who constructed a large building without any planning permission has been given a £20,000 fine. Londonderry man John Doherty had received numerous DoE planning... Read more
Carney pledge makes variable rate mortgages attractive
19th September 2013
By Natasha Adamson Remortgagors are putting their faith in Mark Carney's interest rate pledge and choosing variable rate mortgages over fixed rate deals. Interest rates have been frozen for 53 months now,... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices increase
18th September 2013
By Christine Farrell Property prices in Northern Ireland increased in the month of July according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics. House values in Northern Ireland rose by 1.8... Read more
Bank of England should police house prices
13th September 2013
By Christine Farrell The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) says the Bank of England should impose limits to curb house price increases in a bid to do away with 'property... Read more
First time buyer mortgages up 41 pc on last year
12th September 2013
By Christine Farrell The number of new mortgages lent to first time buyers increased by 41 per cent in July compared to the same month in 2012, according to new figures... Read more
Divorced over 60s turn to equity release mortgages
12th September 2013
By Lenore Rice New research suggests that a significant number of over-60s divorced and separated couples are turning to equity release mortgages in order to split up their assets. One in 10... Read more
Homeowners watch unemployment rate drop
11th September 2013
By Christine Farrell It is for all intents and purposes a good news story - the rate of unemployment in the UK dropped between May and July from 7.8 per cent... Read more
Northern Ireland property prices rose in August
10th September 2013
By Christine Farrell Property prices in Northern Ireland increased in the month of August according to the majority of surveyors who took part in the latest Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors... Read more
Interest rate freeze continues into 53rd month
5th September 2013
By Natasha Adamson Interest rates will remain frozen at 0.5 per cent for the 53rd month, and while they are not expected to be going up anytime this year, some economists... Read more
Majority of remortgages involve lender switch
2nd September 2013
By Natasha Adamson Only 3 per cent of people who remortgaged last month stuck with their current lender according to a new survey. The poll carried out by LMS reveals that while... Read more
July Mortgage levels highest since March 2008
30th August 2013
By Christine Farrell There were 60,624 house purchase mortgage approvals in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in July, taking borrowing to its highest since March 2008 - before... Read more
Northern Ireland mortgage lending up in Q2
28th August 2013
Mortgage lending in Northern Ireland increased in the second quarter of 2013 according to new figures released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). First time buyers were described as the... Read more
Belfast most affordable UK city for house purchasers
23rd August 2013
By Christine Farrell New research has revealed that Belfast and Hull are the two most affordable cities to purchase a property in the UK when house prices are compared to local... Read more
First total increase in NI property prices in 6 yrs
21st August 2013
By Christine Farrell For the first time since the second quarter of 2013 all property types in Northern Ireland have experienced a price increase, according to the latest NI Residential Property... Read more
Northern Ireland Property price guide – 2013 Q2
21st August 2013
By Christine Farrell The latest Northern Ireland Residential Property Price Index has been released, indicating the first overall increase in all house types in the province since 2007. Below is a price... Read more
Northern Ireland property sale levels rose in Q2
21st August 2013
By Christine Farrell The latest Property Price index shows an increase in the number of property sales in Northern Ireland in the second quarter of this year, with 3,460 house purchases,... Read more
Mortgages at most affordable in 14 years
20th August 2013
By Natasha Adamson Property purchasers and existing home owners are currently faced with the most affordable mortgages in 14 years according to new research. Two towns in Northern Ireland made the top... Read more
Fewer people to leave their property as inheritance
15th August 2013
By Lenore Rice The number of people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK planning to sell or rent their property in order to fund their retirement has risen... Read more
Long wait for NI property prices to return to peak
15th August 2013
By Christine Farrell Northern Ireland property prices won't return to the property boom peak levels of 2007 until 2025 according to a new analysis by consultancy firm PwC. The Northern Ireland chief... Read more
Survey suggests Northern Ireland house price stabilisation
13th August 2013
By Christine Farrell Northern Ireland property prices are stabilising according to the latest survey of estate agents by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (Rics). An overwhelming majority (90 per cent) of... Read more
First time buyers have a 14 yr wait to purchase up
9th August 2013
By Christine Farrell The average age of the 'second stepper', or 'second time buyer' has risen to 42 years old, meaning that first time buyers will on average spend 14 years... Read more
Interest rate increase tied to unemployment drop
7th August 2013
By Christine Farrell Interest rates will not increase until unemployment falls to 7 per cent says Bank of England governor Mark Carney. It is has been widely considered that interest rates would... Read more
NI property owners worst off when downsizing
2nd August 2013
By Christine Farrell Northern Ireland home owners fare the worst when downsizing their property according to a study by MGM Advantage. Many property owners in Northern Ireland and the rest of the... Read more
MPC vote to keep interest rates at 0.5 per cent
1st August 2013
By Christine Farrell Interest rates will remain at 0.5 per cent after the latest monthly vote of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee. The 0.5 per cent interest rate has now... Read more
Study suggests most people can save by remortgaging
31st July 2013
Research carried out for the Telegraph suggests that now is the best time to remortgage in six years, and over half of homeowners in Northern Ireland and the rest of... Read more
120,000 first time buyers in first half of 2013
29th July 2013
There were 120,000 first time buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in the first six months of 2013, according to a report by Halifax. That is the... Read more
Parents cut spending to help children buy property
25th July 2013
New research shows the extent to which parents in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are helping their children get on to the property ladder - eating into... Read more
House buying - what you see isn't always what you get
24th July 2013
By Christine FarrellPartner at Wilson Nesbitt specialising in Property Conveyancing Part 1 of 2 The overall decoration of a house is a huge factor for most buyers, as it helps them imagine... Read more
Heir Hunter posed as solicitor to claim house
23rd July 2013
When the neighbours of a deceased pensioner confronted a woman with a locksmith changing the locks on his house she told them she was a solicitor and handed over a... Read more
Stats show NI property prices on the rise
19th July 2013
New data from the Office of National Statistics suggests that property prices in Northern Ireland have increased by 1.9% over the last year, making it the second best performing housing... Read more
Mortgage lending up by 26 per cent in June
18th July 2013
Mortgage lending increased by 26 per cent in June compared to the same month last year according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. There was a 2 per cent increase in... Read more
NI house prices stabilising says RICS report
8th July 2013
Northern Ireland property prices are showing signs of stabilising according to the latest report by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Ulster Bank. The report indicates that both house... Read more
Interest rate freeze continues under new Governor
4th July 2013
The meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was awaited with much interest as Mark Carney started his first day as Governor of the Bank of England with a vote... Read more
Bust developers road bond cashed in to finish roads
4th July 2013
Home owners who purchased new build properties in the Lindara estate in Larne have been assured that the road bond lodged by the developer, who has since gone bust, will... Read more
Social housing scheme confirmed for Holywood
3rd July 2013
It has been confirmed that a new social housing scheme will be built on a site in Holywood, Co Down, providing 31 family homes and 6 apartments for elderly people... Read more
Belfast property prices increase by 4 per cent
28th June 2013
Belfast property prices are up 4 per cent on last year according to new figures released by Nationwide Building Society, and the average house price in Northern Ireland is now... Read more
UK mortgage approvals at 16 month high
25th June 2013
The number of mortgage approvals in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK surpassed expectations in the month of May, reaching a 16 month high. A report by the British... Read more
Rics criticises Right to Buy scheme
24th June 2013
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has criticised the Right to Buy scheme that allows council tenants to purchase their rental home at a discount, saying it is reducing... Read more
Choose solicitor carefully warns Legal Ombudsman
13th June 2013
The Legal Ombudsman that deals with complaints about advice received from lawyers in England, received most complaints in respect of advice on divorce, highlighting the need for clients to choose... Read more
Majority of first time buyers get help from parents
11th June 2013
According to new research by the Council for Mortgage Lenders, 64 per cent of first time buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK got financial assistance from... Read more
Half of second steppers can't afford to move
11th June 2013
A survey by Lloyds TSB has revealed that 55 per cent of second steppers; existing home owners wanting to move to another property, cannot meet the deposit requirements. While government incentives... Read more
Interest rates remain frozen at 0.5 per cent
6th June 2013
Interest rates will continue at their record low of 0.5 per cent following the last meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) chaired by Sir Mervyn King, who has voted... Read more
MPs propose Right-to-Buy house sales on eBay
5th June 2013
A committee of MPs has proposed that council house tenants should be able to purchase their property under the "right to buy" scheme on popular online shopping sites, such as... Read more
NI only part of UK to see drop in first time buyers
30th May 2013
First time buyers in Northern Ireland are falling behind their UK counterparts in terms of activity in the property market. In the first quarter of 2013 there was an increase in... Read more
Call for first time buyer stamp duty exemption
30th May 2013
The HomeOwners Alliance (HOA) is calling for a permanent exemption from stamp duty for first time buyers, as well as other changes to the property tax system, which they believe... Read more
3 in 5 NI houses are bought by first time buyers
29th May 2013
Three out of every five properties sold in Northern Ireland are being bought by first time buyers according to new figures. The statistics released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders in... Read more
Report shows increase in NI house sales
23rd May 2013
The latest government statistics reveal that there continues to be an increase in property sale transactions in Northern Ireland, and while there is a varying performance of house values across... Read more
20 per cent increase in first time buyer mortgages
15th May 2013
There was a 20 per cent increase in the number of first time buyers taking out a mortgage in the month of March, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. The... Read more
Investors driving the NI property market
14th May 2013
There has been an increase in purchases of lower priced properties in Northern Ireland according to research by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), but it is thought to... Read more
£25k fine for building house without permission
10th May 2013
A Northern Ireland man who built a house without any of the appropriate planning or building control permissions has been fined £25,000, his third fine in respect of the unapproved... Read more
Interest rates remain frozen at 0.5 per cent
9th May 2013
As expected, the Bank of England has today confirmed that interest rates will remain frozen at 0.5 per cent - good news for mortgage borrowers and would-be house purchasers. Many commentators... Read more
NI property report shows signs of stabilisation
7th May 2013
Northern Ireland property buyers are waiting anxiously for the headlines that house prices are on their way up again, but for now they will have to settle for reports that... Read more
Guide to Northern Ireland house value performance
7th May 2013
Below is a quick glance guide to house value performance in the different regions of Northern Ireland based on the latest survey from the University of Ulster, produced with the... Read more
New mortgage approvals up in March
1st May 2013
There was an increase in the number of new mortgage approvals for home purchasers and remortgagors in the month of March, though February's five year low was always going to... Read more
Mortgage borrowers favour 5yr fixed deals
30th April 2013
Mortgage borrowers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are turning to 5-year fixed products, with a 73% increase in the past year. Home buyers and remortgagors have traditionally... Read more
No confidence in Northern Ireland property prices
29th April 2013
While the rest of the UK responded to a survey with growing confidence in the property market, not one person in Northern Ireland predicted any increase in house values this... Read more
Lending to first time buyers at 5yr high
16th April 2013
New figures released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders suggests that lending to first time buyers in January and February reached a 5 year high. There was a 3 per cent... Read more
First time buyers are more optimistic
11th April 2013
A new survey has revealed that first time buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are slightly more optimistic about getting their foot on the property ladder. The... Read more
Survey suggests NI property prices steady
9th April 2013
The latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) survey presents a very positive picture of the Northern Ireland property market, with the majority of those surveyed saying house prices had... Read more
Mortgage rates to fall in next quarter
3rd April 2013
The Bank of England expects mortgage rates to fall over the next three months, having already dropped for three quarters in a row. The fall in mortgage rates is thought to... Read more
Even hobbit houses need planning permission
26th March 2013
Property owners in Wales have learned that it is one thing to build a house that is friendly to the environment, but it also has to be friendly to the... Read more
Mortgage borrowing down in February
25th March 2013
Mortgage lending to fund house buying and remortgaging in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK was down in February according to the latest figures from the The British... Read more
County Armagh castle sold for £1.19m
14th March 2013
Killeavy Castle in County Armagh has been sold at auction for £1.19million, more than its guide price of just under £1million.The castle is a Grade 1 listing building, and after... Read more
Mansion tax defeated in House of Commons
13th March 2013
The Labour party proposal of a "mansion tax" on properties in the UK worth over £2million has been defeated in the House of Commons. The proposal was criticised as being a... Read more
NI developers to be forced to complete sites
12th March 2013
A power under the Planning Order to require developers to complete developments they have begun work on in Northern Ireland is being tested for the first time. There are a large... Read more
Survey suggests end to NI property price decline
12th March 2013
Over a half of the estate agents and surveyors who took part in the latest Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) poll said that property prices in Northern Ireland had remained... Read more
First-time sellers stuck on property ladder
11th March 2013
The UK preoccupation with property shows no sign of abating, and all the monthly reports and statistics have us well familiar with the plight of the first-time buyer, but a... Read more
Liverpool City Council sell houses for £1
7th March 2013
Liverpool City Council has come up with a bold initiative to tackle a problem with derelict housing in some of its' streets. The Council offered up 20 houses for a... Read more
NI is region with most negative equity
6th March 2013
New figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders show that 69,000 houses in Northern Ireland are in negative equity, making it the worst effected region of the UK. The Northern Ireland... Read more
NI first time buyers paid 20 pc deposits in 2012
28th February 2013
The average deposit paid by the 5,100 first-time buyers who purchased a house in Northern Ireland last year was 20 per cent of the total property price, according to figures... Read more
NI house prices dropped 13 per cent in 2012
20th February 2013
Another report has emerged in respect of the Northern Ireland property market, with the Land and Property service figures showing that houses lost 13 per cent in value over the... Read more
NI property activity up at lower end of market
18th February 2013
The latest University of Ulster Quarterly House Price Index reveals that 69 per cent of property purchases in Northern Ireland involved houses costing £150,000 or less in the last quarter... Read more
Northern Ireland house price guide
18th February 2013
The latest University of Ulster Quarterly House Price Index has been released with statistics on the Northern Ireland property market in the last quarter of 2012. Below is a list showing... Read more
Northern Ireland house prices still falling
13th February 2013
Northern Ireland property prices are still falling according to the most recent report from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyers and Ulster Bank. On a positive note, there has been an... Read more
NI house prices to increase by 6% in 5 years
12th February 2013
Property prices in Northern Ireland will increase by 6% over the next five years according to a new study by the think tank, Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR). The... Read more
First time buyers put January borrowing at 4yr high
12th February 2013
New figures produced by E.surv suggest that mortgage borrowing reached a four year high in January of this year, with first time buyers using high loan-to-value mortgages said to be... Read more
Farmer can seek damages over land development delay
8th February 2013
Court of Appeal judges have paved the way for a farmer to claim up to £400,000 damages against consulting engineers that delayed his housing development by 15 months, with the... Read more
Interest rates remain frozen at record low
7th February 2013
As expected, the Monetary Policy Committee has today announced that interest rates will remain frozen at 0.5 per cent, which will mean that next month will see the completion of... Read more
Wilson Nesbitt commits to CA consumer pledges
15th January 2013
Wilson Nesbitt has committed to support and uphold Conveyancing Association consumer pledges which are designed to make the process of buying a house smoother and more efficient for our clients... Read more
Belfast property owner loses NI vesting case
14th January 2013
Joel Kerr, who was left with no property and a mortgage shortfall of £50,000 after his house was vested by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), has lost his attempt... Read more
Bank of England maintains interest rate freeze
10th January 2013
The interest rate will remain at 0.5% for the 46th consecutive month, on course to reach four years in March 2013. As expected, the Bank of England monetary policy committee (MPC)... Read more
Decision on Belfast vested houses case today
10th January 2013
A decision is expected today from the Land Tribunal in respect of the case brought by the Belfast homeowners who had their properties vested by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive... Read more
UK mortgage approvals continue to increase
4th January 2013
The number of new mortgage approvals in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in November increased to a three year high according to new figures from the Bank... Read more
NI house prices fall back to 2004 values
4th January 2013
Property prices in Northern Ireland fell by 1.4% in the last quarter of 2012, resulting in an overall 8.2% decrease for the year, which takes values back to the levels... Read more
5 year high of first-time buyers in 2012
2nd January 2013
The number of first-time buyers entering the property market in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK reached a five year high in 2012, according to a new report... Read more
Average first time buyer deposit 27k
2nd January 2013
A new report by Halifax suggests that the average deposit put down by first time buyers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in 2012 was £27,239. The number... Read more
New Years resolutions more finance orientated
31st December 2012
The past couple of years have seen a change to the most popular New Years resolutions made by people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. While dieting, exercise... Read more
Homeowners opt to reduce mortgage debt
28th December 2012
The number of new mortgages taken out in November was marginally up on the month before, but down on the same month last year. Homeowners in Northern Ireland and the... Read more
Mortgage arrears and repossessions lower than forecast
21st December 2012
The number of mortgage borrowers in arrears by the end of this year is 22 per cent lower than forecast at the start of 2012, and repossessions are also lower... Read more
CML predicts increased house sales in 2013
20th December 2012
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) is predicting an increase in house sales in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in 2013 as a result of the government... Read more
First time buyers to save 10 yrs for a deposit
17th December 2012
A quarter of first-time buyers say it will take them 10 years to save the money required for a deposit to complete a house purchase, according to a new report... Read more
NI house prices to continue falling in 2013
17th December 2012
A new house price forecast by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) suggests that Northern Ireland property values will continue to go down in 2013, while the rest of... Read more
NI commercial property market stabilising
14th December 2012
The Northern Ireland commercial property market is showing signs of stability according to a report by University of Ulster academics. Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland launched the report that was co-produced... Read more
Equity release by parents reducing inheritances
14th December 2012
New figures suggest that an increase in equity release among older property owners is resulting in fewer and smaller inheritances. The statistics produced by Remortgage.com point to the availability of mortgages... Read more
NI house prices dropping at a slower rate
12th December 2012
Property prices in Northern Ireland may be starting to fall at a slower rate according to a new report, with the average house in Northern Ireland now said to be... Read more
Cheaper to buy a house than to rent
11th December 2012
A new survey by Zoopla.co.uk suggests that it costs £1,080 less each year to purchase a house than to rent one in 90 per cent of towns in Britain. The average... Read more
Car parking spaces sell for over £50,000 each
29th November 2012
While most property related headlines deal with the rise, or mostly fall, of house prices, in one resort in Cornwall, it is car parking spaces that are attracting headlines for... Read more
Northern Ireland house prices by region and type
28th November 2012
House prices in Northern Ireland dropped in the third quarter of this year according to the latest University of Ulster Quarterly House Price Index, with apartments in particular experiencing the... Read more
Buying a house is bigger commitment than marriage
22nd November 2012
A couple of interesting surveys have emerged over the last weeks showing a curious relationship between property and marriage. Over 25 per cent of people in Northern Ireland and the rest... Read more
Mortgage lending increased in October
22nd November 2012
Mortgage lending reached an eleven month high in October, with a £12.9billion worth of new mortgages borrowed by people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The number of... Read more
Home ownership down in NI but higher than UK
16th November 2012
The percentage of people in Northern Ireland who own a home has fallen but still remains higher than the overall UK average, according to new figures released by the Home... Read more
Belfast site close to being seized by NIHE
8th November 2012
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) has successfully won the first part of a court case in a bid to seize back a site of land in Belfast city centre... Read more
Government too focused on first time buyers
6th November 2012
A House of Lords select committee has been warned that the government is focusing too much on first time buyers, and neglecting other house purchasers in attempts to stimulate the... Read more
NI most affordable region in UK to buy property
2nd November 2012
Northern Ireland is the most affordable region of the UK to buy a property with regard to the house price to earnings ratio, according to new figures from Nationwide. That has... Read more
Co-ownership gets £50million boost
2nd November 2012
The Northern Ireland Co-ownership Housing Association (NICHA) has received a £50million cash injection from the Bank of Ireland and Barclays, to help more first time buyers get on to the... Read more
NI property buyers turn to auctions for bargains
2nd November 2012
An increasing number of Northern Ireland property purchasers are turning up at auctions hoping to pick up a bargain, and many are walking away with a property deal that has... Read more
Northern Ireland's negative equity problem
31st October 2012
New research by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) suggests that negative equity could soon just be an issue for Northern Ireland property owners. Negative equity occurs when a homeowner has... Read more
First time buyers borrowing from family doubles
19th October 2012
A report by the Yorkshire Building Society has revealed that the number of first-time buyers turning to family for help purchasing their house has more than doubled in the last... Read more
Remortgaging and house buying down in September
18th October 2012
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) have reported that mortgage lending in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK was down in September. The number of new mortgages taken out... Read more
1.6m would-be house buyers living with parents
15th October 2012
Over 1.6 million would-be house purchasers aged 20-40 are having to live with their parents because they can not afford to buy a property, according to a new survey by... Read more
Mortgage borrowers preferring 5 yr fixed deals
15th October 2012
New mortgage borrowers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are preferring five-year fixed deals, as property owners try to make the most of the record low interest... Read more
Increase in Mortgage lending in August
12th October 2012
There was an increase in the number of house buyers approved for mortgages in the month of August according to the latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). There... Read more
New lending scheme expected to boost house sales
9th October 2012
Property sales in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are expected to increase over the next quarter according to a survey carried out by the Royal Institution of... Read more
Labour propose two year stamp duty holiday
1st October 2012
Shadow chancellor Ed Balls is to propose a two year stamp duty holiday for first-time buyers purchasing a property worth £250,000 or less. Mr Balls will outline the proposal at the... Read more
Lib Dems propose pension-from-property scheme
24th September 2012
Nick Clegg has announced a Liberal Democrat proposal to introduce a 'pension-from-property' scheme which would allow parents and grandparents of first-time buyers to use a portion of their pension to... Read more
Tribunal hearing over Belfast vested houses
20th September 2012
A land tribunal will consider the case of property owners in south Belfast whose properties were vested by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to create space for development. Homeowners in south... Read more
Drop in mortgage deposit requirement for FTBs
13th September 2012
The percentage deposit required to be put forward by a first-time buyer in order to get a mortgage for a house purchase has dropped below 20% according to new statistics. The... Read more
First-time buyers expect to buy at 40
12th September 2012
A new study has revealed that first-time buyers don't expect to be in a position to purchase a property until they reach the age of 40. Approximately 600 would-be first-time buyers... Read more
Drop in pace of NI house price decline
12th September 2012
The latest survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) suggests that Northern Ireland house prices are dropping at a slower rate since April this year, and RICS suggests... Read more
Northern Ireland land valued at £75m sold for £4m
12th September 2012
A site of land outside Ballymena, Northern Ireland, that was once valued at £75million has been sold for £4million, and to make matters worse, a £50million offer to purchase was... Read more
Purchaser of Belfast house ordered to complete
11th September 2012
A purchaser who entered into contract to purchase a house in Malone Park, Belfast, has been told he must complete the purchase after he attempted to withdraw from the agreement. Nicholas... Read more
Labour consider permanent Mansion tax
10th September 2012
Labour Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has said in an interview that a future Labour government may introduce a permanent wealth tax, or mansion tax. The Liberal Democrats have previously proposed a... Read more
Northern Ireland house price guide
4th September 2012
The latest University of Ulster Quarterly House Price Index estimates that the overall average house price in Northern Ireland is currently £139,633. That figure does not include houses sold at... Read more
Report suggests NI property market stability
4th September 2012
The latest University of Ulster Quarterly House Price Index suggests that there are signs of stability returning to the property market in some regions of Northern Ireland. The overall average sale... Read more
Grants for NI homeowners to upgrade heating
4th September 2012
Northern Ireland homeowners can apply for a grant of up to £1000 to replace old inefficient boilers. The Northern Ireland Executive has pledged £12million in grants to help property owners upgrade... Read more
1000 NI homes sold each month last quarter
22nd August 2012
Approximately 1000 Northern Ireland houses were sold each month in the second quarter of this year according to the official Residential Property Price Index. The report is published by the Land... Read more
Investment risks farmland IHT exemption
9th August 2012
The increasing practice of investors purchasing farming land to avoid inheritance tax could result in the IHT exemption on farmland being removed altogether by HMRC. In some areas farmers are finding... Read more
Interest rates unchanged in August
2nd August 2012
The Bank of England has once again chosen to maintain interest rates at 0.5%, and has not increased its quantitative easing (QE) programme. The decisions were widely expected as an increase... Read more
Bidder got 'carried away' at NI house auction
19th January 2012
A judge has ruled that a man who "got a little carried away" when he bid over £1million at a property auction in Northern is still required to complete the... Read more
NI estate agent reports sales at 3 yr high
14th December 2011
County Down estate agent John Minnis has announced that they have had their best quarter of property sales for three years. The announcement comes amidst continuing reports of falling house prices... Read more
Record repayment of mortgages by homeowners
1st December 2011
Figures released by the Bank of England show that homeowners are racing to pay off their mortgage, with a record £9.1million paid back between April and June this year by... Read more
Stamp duty relief will not be extended
29th November 2011
The stamp duty relief currently benefiting first-time buyers purchasing a house up to the value of £250,000 will not be extended beyond 24th March 2012 as the government has taken... Read more
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