UK First-time Home Buyer Market is Robust and Ready for Spring

By: MoneyFacts

In just a couple of weeks’ time, Spring will arrive, which is typically the time of year when house hunters start searching for their ideal home as many more houses become listed for sale. Once first-time buyers have built up a big enough deposit to get themselves onto the property ladder, the next port of call is to find the right property and to pick the best mortgage.

The latest research from Moneyfacts.co.uk can reveal that buyers who have only a 5% deposit will have a much healthier number of deals to choose from than in years gone by. Despite the closure of the Help to Buy Mortgage Guarantee scheme, it’s still a robust market that has the potential to keep growing.

Rachel Springall, Finance Expert at Moneyfacts.co.uk, said:

“The first-time buyer mortgage market has gone from strength to strength over the years boosted by Government support. In previous years, there had been a lack of competition for those considered more risky, due to the small amount they could put down as a deposit. Prospective buyers today have so many more cost-effective mortgage options available, potentially making their dream of owning their first home much more achievable.

“Five years ago, long before the Help to Buy Mortgage Guarantee Scheme launched, there were only 59 deals available to buyers with a 5% deposit, from just 24 lenders – 75% of which were mutuals. Today, the number of deals has rocketed to 276 with 53 different lenders, including most of the largest high street banks.

“It’s not just the available choice that will benefit first-time buyers, there’s also a huge reduction in the cost of a mortgage, with two and five-year fixed rates for those with a 5% deposit falling from 5.93% and 5.89% to 3.92% and 4.43% respectively over the last five years. Based on the average five-year fixed rate, that’s a difference of £7,715.40* in terms of repayments during the first five years of the mortgage.

“Borrowers hoping to reduce the expense can also take advantage of lucrative incentive packages, such as the Best Buy deal from Hanley Economic Building Society, priced at 3.40% for two years, which has a £500 fee and an incentive package of free valuation and £250 cashback. Not only this, but the biggest banks are also looking to entice first-time buyers – demonstrated by Barclay’s offer to pay up to £2,500 in cashback to reimburse the stamp duty charge on a £250,000 home.”

“Obviously, there are advantages for those first-time buyers who waited until now to get the best mortgage deal, yet there are also some significant disadvantages to buying a home today compared to years past. House prices are continuing to rise, so prospective buyers may well be struggling to amass a large enough deposit, particularly if a large portion of their income goes to rent. With this in mind, borrowers would be wise to be stringent with their daily finances, be on the lookout for the best mortgage deals and seek independent financial advice before entering into any arrangement.”

www.moneyfacts.co.uk - The Money Search Engine

Moneyfacts.co.uk is the UK's leading independent provider of personal finance information. For the last 20 years, Moneyfacts' information has been the key driver behind many personal finance decisions, from the Treasury to the high street.

© 2005-2022 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.