Expats continue to increase

The last few months of this year has seen a record level of expat buy-to-let mortgage approvals as landlords look to increase their portfolios. Our recent survey of expat landlords clearly reveals they are in the market to increase their holdings as quickly as possible.

The reasons are numerous, expats are very encouraged by the demand for rental property plus rents are increasing annually. The survey revealed that over 50% of current landlords are achieving net returns of between 4.5% and 5.75% on their current portfolios. This is obviously a much larger return than any traditional savings account can currently offer.

With house values still on the increase, year on year landlords are also seeing the equity within their properties increasing at a very good rate. So, with all this positivity it is little wonder buy-to-let mortgages are increasing rapidly and November has followed the same trend.

Home ownership in the UK has fallen to its lowest level for over 15 years which may well shock some people. When you look at the overall cost of buying a property in the UK perhaps it is not quite so surprising.

Buy-to-let mortgages

UK and expat landlords are reaping the rewards of lower mortgage interest rates. With so much competition in the marketplace, lenders are being forced to make very attractive offers to lure clients towards their product even after the recent base rate rise.

We always recommend being very selective before deciding on what mortgage best suits your needs. With so many deals on offer it always pays to look at all the options, as an example a long-fixed rate deal may be very prudent with the fear of more rate rise looming.

Need some help?

If you are in need of assistance when choosing your next mortgage call one of our experienced advisers and we will be pleased to assist.

Expat landlords are in a very buoyant mood.

2017 has seen more expat mortgage business being conducted than years gone by and figures are still improving as the year draws to a close.

This year has seen a lot of changes taking place in the buy-to-let market and it looks like being the same next year as well. The Chancellor announced many changes to the tax rules involving expat landlords.

Mortgage rates still remain in favor of the investor and even though increases are likely next year they will remain very competitive.

The last twelve months have seen a record number of expat landlords re-mortgaging to release capital and this has been used for numerous reasons including debt consolidation. Current re-mortgaging applications for October and November are again showing large increases on the same period last year.

Confidence remains high within the expat community who have buy-to-lets in the UK. This is without doubt down to the ever-increasing value of good quality properties. This looks set to continue long into the future. Even with the Brexit uncertainty property values have remained stable.

Expat buy-to-let mortgages

The range available includes fixed, tracker and standard deals with very good discounted periods. We would always recommend discussing your needs with an expert adviser who has all the up to date deals available. This course of action can indeed save you thousands of pounds in the long term. Interest rates remain competitive with some very good longer term fixed deals available.

Need help?

If you are looking for assistance with your mortgage or re-mortgage, please do not hesitate to contact one of our fully qualified advisers who will be happy to help.

 

Expat mortgage business growing fast

This financial year has seen more new expat mortgage business being conducted than this time last year and applications are still rising as the year progresses.

Mortgage rates are at a record low fuelling the increase in business being done in all sectors of the mortgage market. Even with the recent base rate rise there are still excellent deals to be had.

September and October has seen a record number of re-mortgages as clients look to release equity built up over the years within their properties. The released equity is being used for assorted reasons including expensive debt consolidation. Expats are also re-mortgaging to fix the rate of their loan over a longer term as more base rate increases are expected in the new year.

Confidence is sky high within the expat community at present especially with those who own a property in the UK. This is due to the ever-increasing property prices.

If you are considering taking out a mortgage or re-mortgaging, please call us and one of our advisers will be happy to assist.

UK property prices increasing

According to the latest figures house prices are on the rise again, September and October saw good growth although not like years gone by but still very encouraging.

It is expected that house price increases will level out over the next year with a steady but reliable growth rate, again spelling good news all round.

So, at present the outlook for 2018 is very positive indeed, the signs are this will continue for the foreseeable future.

Can we help?

As expat mortgage specialists we offer a much-valued service to our client so please make contact if we can assist you.

Expats going for longer deals

Two-fifths of expats (42%) re-mortgagors opted for a five-year fix in October, the third month in a row that the percentage of re-mortgagors fixing for 3 plus years has grown.

Reason for the surge in demand is fears of more rises in interest rates with 56% of September’s re-mortgagors anticipating the Bank of England increasing base rate, and they were correct.

This is a considerable increase from the previous month when 45% of borrowers said they were expecting an imminent rate rise, and is in stark contrast to September 2016, when this number was only 10%.

With average mortgage rates increasing, expat borrowers are capitalising on this benign lending environment by locking-in to fixed deals and securing rates for the medium to longer-term. This is without doubt a very wise move as the UK economy continues to be unstable. The Brexit talks uncertainty is not helping either.

Annual repayment figures for re-mortgagors has fallen to 12.4% of total income – an all-time low. In October alone, the number of expat re-mortgagors increased by 19%, while the value of re-mortgaging increased by 16%.

These figures go to show the wise expat is acting rather than “sitting tight and hoping” which is a very wise move if your mortgage is “stuck” on a variable rate.

Can we help?

If you would like to review your current mortgage please make contact and our fully qualified advisers will be happy to assist.