BREAKING NEWS – top 5 stories 08/06/2021

Estate Agent Networking Breaking News

ONLY 17-WORKING DAYS TO COMPLETE TO BEAT PAYING EXTRA SDLT

There are, for a large amount of people who have not yet exchanged, and only 17-working days to get to exchange and completion in time to embrace the Chancellors’ SDLT holiday. With tens of thousands of sales still not over the line, it is going to be a tense time for many agents and solicitors.

Then from the 1st July 2021 to 30th September 2021, a new temporary tapered SDLT system comes into being where you only start to pay SDLT on the amount that you pay for the property above £250,000, if the property is going to be your main residence.

There are different provisions for first time buyers or investment buyers during the period from 1st of July also. Full details on link below.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/stamp-duty-land-tax-temporary-reduced-rates

MORTGAGE LENDING MARKET SEES GROWTH OF LENDING OPTIONS

Lending sentiment is now recovering as in a recent study it has been reported that there are over 4,200 mortgage options available across the lending market, which is at its highest level for nearly a year.

Even more surprising is that lenders are now competing in the high value to low deposit category, especially those looking to borrow with only a 5% deposit. In this market alone there were dozens more products coming to the market in the last month.

GREATER LONDON PROPERTY SECTOR RISES BY OVER 3% IN A YEAR

Though property prices in key areas of the UK have risen at record levels, Greater London has been in the doldrums, but the latest report provided finds there has been an average rise of 3.1%. Good news for this swathe of housing that has been behind the curve.

FIRST HOMES INIATIVE OFFERING 30% DISCOUNTS TO FIRST TIME BUYERS STARTS

The government backed scheme that means people buying their first home can buy it at 70% of its value, has now begun. The idea is that as many as 10,000 of these properties will be available each year.

Owners when selling the property on will do so to new first-time buyers who in turn will get to live in 100% of the property but only have to finance 70% of the purchase price. The scheme of course helps those on lower salaries get the benefit of a better home, including key workers.

ACCORDING TO HALIFAX AVERAGE VALUE OF A HOME NOW A NEW HIGH OF £261,743 

The unsurprising news is that prices continued to rise in May, with the ‘average’ residence in the UK now being worth over £260,000. Good news for those seeing their equity share growing but for first time buyers, a cause for concern as deposits required get even further out of reach.

Andrew Stanton

CEO & Founder Proptech-PR. Proptech Real Estate Influencer, Executive Editor of Estate Agent Networking. Leading PR consultancy in Proptech & Real Estate.

You May Also Enjoy

bank of england interest rate
Breaking News

Bank of England holds interest rates at 3.75%

The Bank of England has announced its decision to hold the base rate at 3.75%. This decision comes as a result of wider economic uncertainty and inflation (CPI) increasing to 3.3% in March and remaining above the Bank’s 2.0% target. Here are some thoughts from within the property industry.   Matt Smith, Rightmove’s mortgage expert…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Property valuation leads to agents up 55%

Rightmove, the UK’s largest property portal, has reported a 55% year-to-date uplift in property valuation leads for agents compared with the same period last year (January – May). The uplift follows the launch of Online Agent Valuation in late 2025, designed to help agents engage more effectively with prospective sellers, alongside a series of AI enhancements across Rightmove’s valuation tools. Online Agent Valuation connects agents with motivated homeowners who choose to begin their selling journey…
Read More
Breaking News

Britain’s equestrian homes average value of £1.3m

South East accounts for one in five opportunities The latest research from LandSale, the property portal dedicated to land and rural property, has found that those inspired to enter the equestrian world following Royal Ascot this week will need a budget of £1.265m in order to get started, with the South East home to the…
Read More
Breaking News

Interest-only mortgage stock reduces by 17 per cent in 2025

Key points: There were 445,000 pure interest-only homeowner mortgages outstanding at the end of 2025, 17.7 per cent fewer than in 2024. In addition there were 156,000 partial interest-only (part and part) homeowner mortgages outstanding at the end of 2025, 10.3 per cent fewer than in 2024. The total interest-only mortgage stock (including part and…
Read More
Breaking News

5 building materials that give home sellers nightmares

The latest market insight from House Buyer Bureau has highlighted five building materials that can be a nightmare for homeowners, as they severely impact a property’s value, make it difficult to mortgage, and can prevent them from securing a buyer. House Buyer Bureau analysed some of the most problematic building materials found within UK homes,…
Read More
Breaking News

UK House Price Index for April 2026

The latest UK House Price Index for April 2026 shows that: The average monthly rate of UK house price growth in April was +0.7%. Average UK house price annual inflation was 3.8% in the 12 months to April 2026. As a result, the average UK house price currently sits at £270,080.   Here is how…
Read More