| |
| |
|
Real Estate Information |
|
|
The Perils of the Property Ladder: Has Anyone Noticed the Silence?
There was a time when every conversation was focussed on property and every other TV programme was about property makeovers. Everybody wanted to get into property and those already on the ladder seemed fixated on becoming wealthy overnight. Remember those media-nominated millionaires who bought property for thousands and sold it for a million? How excited we all were, rich - with hardly any effort. But recently it's been rather quiet. Those who have yet to buy their first home have become sceptical, if not bored by chasing impossibly affordable homes and those who have bought property have become nervous, if not by the commentary that house prices are falling, but by the fact that they have bought property on top of other debts and the realisation that repayments are becoming more difficult. According to the Department of Trade and Industry, bankruptcies are still on the increase, up almost a third on the previous year. In the latest debt statistics by Credit Action, UK economist Vicky Redwood from Capital Economics states that the level of personal debt is at breaking point: "It is unlikely that the numbers have peaked but we estimate that households must be feeling the pain of borrowing too much. People are paying the equivalent of about 20 per cent of their disposable income on interest and debt repayments - the highest since 1990." In a survey by the Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB), the three most common reasons for debt problems were quoted as: * Sudden change in personal circumstances - resulting typically from job loss, relationship breakdown or illness; * Low income - the consequences of living for a long time on a low level of income; and * Over-commitment - in some cases related to money mismanagement. It is the third reason that is often highlighted in the context of mortgage borrowing. In a press release regarding the Chancellor's proposals to introduce cheaper mortgages, Keith Tondeur, Director of Credit Action warned that: "At first glance the offer of help to first time buyers sounds useful. However this scheme comes at a time when after several years of steep rises the market is cooling. One question that we should be asking is whether this is being done to keep the housing market buoyant so that people feel confident and therefore keep on spending". "House prices are undoubtedly too high for many people to afford which explains why numbers of first time buyers have been falling, with the average age of a first time buyer rising sharply. This scheme could therefore, if care is not taken, create a false market and lead to first time buyers taking on a large amount of long term debt that they could well struggle to repay." The seduction of the property market may cause a vicious circle of debt: if people borrow more than they can afford, they may damage their credit record if repayments cannot be met. An adverse credit record will brand the borrower "sub-prime", and is likely to prompt less favourable credit options later in life. It is true that products such non-standard mortgages, adverse loans and adverse credit cards serve a purpose, but their rates will always be less favourable than standard products. In addition to self-inflicted debt, it is also possible for your credit record to be manipulated by other parties. In June earlier this year, Callcredit issued a warning to guard against identity fraud when moving house. "Homeowners who fail to check their credit file before they move and register themselves on the Electoral Roll once they have moved are at risk from: * Identity fraud - a fraudster could obtain enough financial information about you from your rubbish to run up debts at your old address without your knowledge. People who just cut up cards and don't tell their lender are particularly at risk from this type of fraud. * Credit refusal - a person's credit history has to add up to the lender when you apply for credit, if you don't appear on the Electoral Roll at your current address it will make it more difficult to get credit." If you're thinking about buying a house, try the following sites for starting your own detective work in finding a good mortgage: * Make sure your credit record is in good shape: ( http://www.checkmyfile.com/ ) * Don't be lazy, shop around for the best mortgage: ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk/ ) Make sure you keep your finances flexible; ensure you know what you can afford and for how long you can afford it. What was the best mortgage, current account, ISA account five years ago, may not be performing as effectively now. About Rachel: Rachel writes for the personal finance blog Cashzilla: http://www.cashzilla.co.uk Cashzilla is a personalfinanosaurus. "Rachel" means sheep in Hebrew: "little lamb" or "one with purity". Cashzilla means financially savvy with great fiery ferocity.
MORE RESOURCES: This RSS feed URL is deprecated, please update. New URLs can be found in the footers at https://news.google.com/news
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Achieve Financial Freedom with Your Home The secret disclosed on how you too could achieve financial freedom through property (and tell the pension companies just where to stick their measly, worthless 'pensions') Geoff Morris is a self-made property millionaire who made it in less than 18 months even with a hectic 'day job'. He has written a series of articles to help people like you achieve the same levels of success - as long as you are willing to 'Go For It!'Many people these days are getting more and more concerned as they approach retirement age. Real Estate Investment 2005 - The Hottest Countries for Investment in 2005 Whether you are a real estate investor looking for a steady and 'safe' investment in a proven market or a real estate speculator willing to gamble on the unknown and undiscovered in the hopes of gaining a significant ROI (return on investment), this article covers the real estate investment hotspots for 2005.A recent UK government report discovered that there was a 250% increase between 2000 and 2004 in the number of Britons buying property abroad solely for investment purposes, and this trend does not seem to be limited to the UK nor does it seem to be slowing down!The global stock markets seem to be in decline, there is a worldwide pension crisis looming and we have uncertainty in the Middle East, in the UK the housing market is unaffordable, possibly over inflated and unlikely to bring significant returns for investors late in on the game and so more and more of us are looking further a field for our investment opportunities. Listing Real Estate Online - Top Tactics for Boosting Sales Listing real estate online can be a great way to let buyers know what is out there and it gives sellers a chance to show their home to people all over the world. However, the problem lies in the fact that most people still want to tour the home, inside and out, before buying it. How to Buy a Property in Bulgaria The CostAlthough the property prices in Bulgaria are quite low compared to the other European countries, there is still a wide variety of prices depending on the property type and location (as a rule the properties in Sofia and at the Black Sea are more expensive). The first thing you will need to figure out is how much you can afford to spend and thereafter to determine the price range for your purchase. Thinking About Selling Your Home? Owning a home is the original American dream. It's the old frontier spirit, wanting to claim your own tuft of the New World. Real Estate Development Marketing A Specialist Article For Those Interested In Real Estate Development From the desk of Colm Dillon .. Real Estate Investing In Mexico Mexico is CHEAP! But its getting more expensive. As property values rise, especially in resort areas, investors wonder how they can profit from this. Helpful Hints for First-Time Home Buyers Buying a house can be a daunting task, even for someone who has owned several homes. My husband and I recently purchased our first home together, and it was hard to find good advice that we truly found useful. First Impressions Will Sell Property Fast! First impressions count, buyers will have already formed an impression before they step into your property. A well-kept garden, pathway and fence, plus a freshly painted front door are immediately appealing, whereas a scruffy outdoor space with a litter bin outside the front door may turn many prospective buyers away. Basic Tips for First Time Home Buyers Choosing a first home can be a daunting task, but following a few key steps makes it a lot less confusing.An essential part of the process for every home buyer is to simply do the math. How to Use the Internet to Help Your Apartment or House Hunting So you are looking for an apartment to rent or a house to purchase. One of the most important steps is researching the neighborhood to decide if you really like to live in that area. How Do I Fix Up a Home to Sell? The first thing you need to do is stop thinking of your home as "home" and start thinking about it as a commodity that you want to sell. To be a successful seller you must detach yourself emotionally from your home and be brutally honest about how it should look in order to sell. Buying Property in Spain - How to Avoid Paying over the Odds Spain has a lot to offer Northern Europeans and until recently there was a marked difference between the price in their home country and a similar Spanish property. However many buyers have found to their cost that they paid way over the odds. Dubai or not to Buy? A Short Assessment of the Dubai Property Market Never has there been such an ambitious and creative drive to establish a property market as has been witnessed in Dubai over the past three years. Running short on oil reserves, Dubai's crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed Al Marktoum, set out to turn Dubai into the financial, commercial and tourism capital of the Middle East and in the space of three years he has more than succeeded. Dont Get Stuck Having To Deal With The Sellers Household Hazardous Wastes - After You Move In! I have a confession to make!I was just outside with Frankie (my dog) and noticed I stillhad an old car battery sitting by the foundation, at therear of my house.Yes, I'll admit it's not right, and quite environmentallyinsensitive for me to have it there. Understanding the Escrow (Closing) Process 1. What is an escrow?Escrow is defined as a process where parties deposit instructions and funds with a "disinterested" third party until conditions of the instructions are met. Cutting Edge Real Estate: Is There Anything New? Part 1 The world of real estate has pretty much stayed the same for decades. It's no different today than it was 50 years ago. Should You Allow Buyer To Rent During Closing? It's not uncommon for an investor to sell a house and have the buyer request the right to rent and occupy the property while the closing is being completed.You're a bad guy if you refuse and often in hot water of you agree. Maximizing Curb Appeal and First Impressions to Sell your Home We all know that a home or property of any kind, in order to sell faster and at a higher price, should have what is known as curb appeal. Frequently, it is not the expensive things that make a difference. Theres More To Making Money Than A Tertiary Education An education of some sort is a prerequisite these days if you want to start a secure career in whatever field you choose. However, have you thought about where this will get you exactly? Will it help you achieve all your dreams in life, both financial, physical, emotional etc?This article is focusing on the financial and lifestyle dreams that you may have.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 TIGER MEDIA |