Up to 50% of Isa investors are contemplating self-select
April 3, 2008 by admin
Filed under News, News-Banking
More than half of Individual savings account (Isa) investors prefer to make their own decisions when it comes to investing, a new study has shown. 
The results from Barclays’ survey reveal that ten per cent of investors would like to be more involved in their Isa.
Meanwhile, a third of Isa investors have opted for self-select and a further 24 per cent are thinking about taking one out.
Tom Ryan, director at Barclays Stockbrokers, said: “Self-select Isas have empowered investors, giving them the freedom to make their own decisions and to take control of their investments.”
The added attraction with the product lies with the option it provides to buy and sell when the consumers prefers, he added.
Up to 75 per cent of investors said they were attracted to self-select Isas because they like to make their own decisions.
From April 6th, new updated charges will come into effect for all Isa accounts for the 2008-09 tax year.
Buy-to-let sector remains upbeat
January 9, 2008 by admin
Filed under News, News-Mortgages
The optimism in the buy-to-let sector has not been deterred by predictions of a moderating property market, according to industry experts. 
Research from the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) has revealed that only one in ten of landlords are considering selling their property.
A further 40 per cent of investors are looking to expand their property portfolios over the next year.
Ian Potter, head of operations at ARLA, said: “This is good news for the whole of the private rented sector and for the housing market, particularly as it comes from surveys carried out well after the credit crunch had begun to bite.”
The findings also show that 90 per cent of buy-to-let landlords also have no intention of selling up in the last quarter of 2007 within the next 17 years.
Meanwhile, house prices in the UK increased by just one per cent in the final quarter of 2007, according to research released today by the Nationwide building society.
Interest-only mortgages ‘can help lower costs’
September 5, 2007 by admin
Filed under News, News-Mortgages
Interest-only mortgages can be beneficial to people looking to lower the overall cost of borrowing to buy property.
That’s according to Bernard Clarke, spokesperson for the Council of Mortgage Lenders, who said that certain buyers can find this type of loan a good option.
“It’s a clearly an option for buy-to-let investors who usually want to minimise their borrowing costs and are not interested in acquiring ownership of the property outright,” he said.
But for homeowners who would like to start repaying the bulk of their loan, an interest-only mortgage should be reviewed somewhere down the line.
“If they take an interest-only option to reduce their initial costs but do want to eventually own the property outright then they do need to think about transferring to an interest and capital repayment mortgage,” said Mr Clarke.
Alternatively, buyers can utilise separate savings or investment plans in order to save up the money to repay the capital.
“People are free – if they are taking out an interest-only mortgage – to choose alternative repayments vehicles,” Mr Clarke explained.
