What is a secured loan?

1 December 2008
A secured loan is a loan that is secured against something valuable - in most cases, a house or flat. This means there`s less risk for the lender, and that means secured loans tend to come with lower interest rates than unsecured loans. It also means lenders are likely to lend people greater amounts than they would if the loan wasn`t secured.... read more »

2 million to face negative equity by 2010?

28 October 2008
By 2010, two million households could be in negative equity, reports The Times.... read more »

Can I get a loan if I own a home?

17 April 2009
If you`re looking for a loan, owning a home can make a big difference. Why? When you ask a lender about getting a loan, they obviously want to be sure you`re going to pay it back!... read more »

Debt and equity

15 July 2009
When house prices were climbing rapidly, so were the levels of equity in people`s homes (the part of the property`s value they owed nothing on).... read more »

Mortgages: housing market `will return to growth in 2011`

6 August 2009
The National Housing Federation (NHF) has said that house prices could rise by 20% between 2012 and 2014, but gave a less positive forecast for the more immediate future.... read more »

Remortgages & deposits

30 September 2009
For anyone who`s looking for a remortgage, the issue of deposits is an important one. Right now (September 2009), no-one is sure whether house prices are about to go up or down. That makes mortgage lenders particularly cautious about lending - and makes the subject of deposits particularly vital.... read more »

Remortgage advice - equity and your home

8 October 2009
Finding a good remortgage deal is important for homeowners. For many, it`s a good opportunity to reduce outgoings - especially in the current economic climate, when mortgage rates are typically lower than in recent years.... read more »

Pensioners repay their debts with `unlocked` equity

16 October 2009
According to research by equity release group Key Retirement Solutions, around one in three retired people who `unlocked` equity from their home during the third quarter of 2009 used the money to repay their unsecured debts, The Press Association reports.... read more »

Remortgage advice: negative equity

21 October 2009
For a homeowner, getting the right remortgage deal is important. It determines how much you will pay over the next few years, and as such it can be an opportunity to save money.... read more »

Homeowners continue to pay down mortgage debt

11 January 2010
According to figures released by the Bank of England (BoE), British homeowners repaid around £4.9bn of mortgage debt during the third quarter of 2009, the Guardian reports.... read more »

1 in 5 pensioners releasing equity have credit card debt

16 March 2010
According to research from equity release specialists Key Retirement Solutions, one in five pensioners releasing equity from their home is carrying credit card debt, averaging £9,000, the Telegraph reports.... read more »