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Previous articles by Sarah Modlock
Latest trends in home improvements
As a nation, it's clear we are addicted to decorating. In fact, home improvements are a firm favourite as we nest-build our way into spring.
27 April 2006
Stamp duty burden for first-time buyers
As if first time buyers don't have enough to contend with. Dreaded stamp duty is high on their list of financial burdens.
25 April 2006
What's happening to house prices
Aah... how dull life would be if we didn't have house price fluctuations.
16 March 2006
Help for first-time buyers
If you are saving up for your first home then you will be painfully aware of the struggle that most young people are facing.
01 March 2006
Buy-to-let confidence booms
Four out of five investors are more positive about buy-to-let properties than a year ago.
21 February 2006
What will happen in 2006?
Whether you are thinking of buying, selling, re-mortgaging or even all three, it is good to know what industry experts see in their crystal balls.
30 January 2006
The right track?
Most homeowners don't know what a tracker mortgage is according to Alliance & Leicester Mortgages.
16 January 2006
Remortgage and offset the cost of Christmas
To help avoid the January blues this year, Bradford & Bingley urges homeowners to offset the cost by remortgaging onto a competitive deal.
08 December 2005
The not-so-great north-south divide
The so-called 'north-south divide' is finally closing according to new research from National Savings and Investments (NS&I).
08 December 2005
Lying before buying?
The temptation to fib about your income to boost the size of your mortgage may be tempting.
08 December 2005
The pitfalls of buying and selling
Whether it's your first home or fourteenth, the moment you decide to buy - or sell - your property, fills you with anticipation. Is it too much to ask that things go smoothly?
22 November 2005
High prices delay buyers
In the current property market, it can be very hard to know when to make a move.
22 November 2005
Possession and repossession
It's that time of year when children knock at your door demanding treats or threatening tricks. As the shops fill with pumpkins and spooky masks, a new survey shows that Brits are surprisingly unperturbed about spooky events, even when they concern the sanctuary of their home.
27 October 2005
Mortgages laid bare
If you find mortgage jargon confusing, you are not alone. In a survey by money watchdog the Financial Services Authority, nearly six out of 10 consumers said they did not know what APR (annual percentage rate) stood for.
27 October 2005
Mortgage Boom
Mortgage madness gripped the UK in August according to latest figures. There was an increase in all types of lending, although the biggest leap was in remortgaging.
07 October 2005
Are you getting the rate cuts you deserve?
It's not the first time and it wont be the last. But the excuses are wearing thin. More than half of all mortgage lenders have failed to pass on the full Bank of England interest rate cut to borrowers.
23 September 2005
Finding mortgage advice
It's the job of City watchdog the Financial Services Authority to make sure that the experts are up to scratch. This involves setting the rules and making sure advisers and firms stick to them.
23 September 2005
The remortgage 'trigger point'
You may congratulate yourself on saving a few pounds here and there on bargains but your mortgage is a obvious place to start saving. So how much would your monthly bill need to increase by before you would consider remortgaging?
23 September 2005
In the fixed rate war make sure you're a winner
You could say there is no rest for the wicked as the all financial eyes remain on the economy and rates during the summer.
12 August 2005
Party not property?
It used to be considered fuddy-duddy to invest in a home before you really needed to. Now homes are not just for grown-ups. They are more than just status symbols.
12 August 2005
Property Investment Clubs
If you're tempted to make your millions or build your pension via bricks and mortar then make sure you get the foundations right.
12 August 2005
Present imperfect for first time buyers
First time buyers have always had to balance fantasy with financial reality, but now many are having to settle for second best. Nine out of 10 first time buyers fail to get the home they want.
08 July 2005
Can you afford your mortgage?
It's the one bill that you must always pay on time but it's also the biggest you face each month. Amid concerns of over-borrowing, the Woolwich has published figures which show that the amount of our income that we use each month to pay our mortgage has increased.
08 July 2005
Cutting the apron strings
There was a time when young people could not wait to leave home and do their own thing. Now it seems that many of them have never had it so good as the lure of the family home is stronger than ever.
08 July 2005
What is your property really worth?
Ever wondered about the true value of your property? Ask an estate agent and you could get a whole range of answers according to new research.
10 May 2005
Paying too much for your mortgage?
Ever feel like you are paying too much for your mortgage? You probably are.
10 May 2005
April mortgage update
Here's what happened during April.
1 May 2005
March mortgage update
Here's what happened during March.
1 April 2005
How homeowners are being let down
You might expect the government to give every possible support to hard working homeowners. Not a chance.
9 March 2005
5 More classic mortgage traps
Just when you thought it was safe to sign on the dotted line... Here are five more ways that lenders allow you to lose out, whether it is your first mortgage or your fifteenth
9 March 2005
The housing and property market in February
Here's what happened during February.
5 March 2005
5 Classic mortgage traps
Juggling everything from estate agents and solicitors to chains and contracts makes homebuying a major source of stress. And just when you think you are making good progress through the property jungle, there are plenty of mortgage traps buried in the small print.
26 January 2005
First-time buyers: The outlook for 2005
With constant reassurance that the housing market is cooling off, first time buyers waiting to set up home are understandably keen to get started. But don't crack open the Champagne too soon.
26 January 2005
The mortgage and house price market in January
Life is too short to watch every move the property world makes. Here's what happened during January.
26 January 2005
The outlook for house prices in 2005
It's that time of year again when mortgage lenders get a firm grasp on their crystal balls and look ahead at what is in store for homeowners in the months ahead.
12 January 2005
6 Steps to a cheaper mortgage
If you are contemplating a spring clean, don't forget to freshen up your finances.
12 January 2005
In your interest
How your interest is calculated affects how much you pay
07 January 2005
Falling leaves, falling house prices
It's not just the leaves which are falling this Autumn. House prices are dropping, too.
24 November 2004
The 5 Ages of Homebuying
William Shakespeare wrote hauntingly of the 'seven ages of man' from 'mewling infant' to dentures and dementia. Now the 21st century brings us the 'five ages of homebuying'.
28 October 2004
Educated and homeless
Why many people feel a University education prevents them from buying a home
15 October 2004
Mortgage regulations
How the new rules will affect you
05 October 2004
Renting to students
Here are some basic lessons for landlords
05 October 2004
Buy beside the seaside
Property hotspots by the seaside
14 September 2004
Equity release schemes
Equity release schemes explained
01 September 2004
Buying abroad
How to go about doing it
17 August 2004
Best Buys
What are the best deals on the market at the moment?
02 August 2004
House Prices?
3 Reasons why the bubble won't burst
19 July 2004
Right time to buy?
Is the right time to buy? Sarah Modlock examines the state of the market.
5 July 2004
Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance
What is it and is it worth it?
18 June 2004
Buying property together
Prepare for a great commitment if you buy property with your loved one
24 May 2004
Endowment mortgages
Is yours on track?
14 May 2004
Buy-to-let mortgages
Can you make a killing?
27 April 2004
Invest in your nest
How to add value to your home through DIY
16 April 2004
Online mortgages
How the Net has revolutionised the way we buy mortgages
29 March 2004
Budget for the base rate boom
Protecting yourself against interest rate rises
09 March 2004
Mortgage Perils
3 Things your lender would rather you didn't know
20 February 2004
Mortgages - fix or cap?
Sarah Modlock examines the options
05 February 2004
Getting a foot on the property ladder: Part 2
Life is getting increasingly difficult for first-time buyers. Here are some tips to help you get on the ladder!
30 January 2004
Getting a foot on the property ladder: Part 1
Life is getting increasingly difficult for first-time buyers. Here are some tips to help you get on the ladder!
16 January 2004 Is your mortgage making you sick?
According to new research, mortgages make 6.34 million people ill.
18 December 2003
Mortgages - what next?
With the interest rate left unchanged what should borrowers do now?
4 December 2003
Sellers' Packs
Will they be worth the expense?
26 November 2003
Time to fix that rate?
With further interest rate rises on the cards is it time to get a fixed-rate mortgage?
20 November 2003
House Prices To Fall?
What the interest rate rise means for house prices
6 November 2003
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