19th April 2023

Will interest rates ever start to fall?

Written by Sam Murphy
Posted in Base Rate, Buy-to-Let, First Time Buyers, Homebuying Process, Lifestyle, Markets, Mortgages, The Economy

Interest rates have been heading in one direction for more than a year now, rising from 0.1% in December 2021 to 4.25% today.  That’s had… Read More

28th January 2023

What is Open Banking?

Written by Sam Murphy
Posted in Lifestyle, Personal Finance

It’s a term we’ve heard a lot recently, so let’s take a close look at what open banking actually is, and how many people know… Read More

20th October 2022

What are Gilts?

Written by Sam Murphy
Posted in Budget, Lifestyle, Markets, The Economy

The recent Mini Budget, a £45 billion tax cutting package, paid for by increased public borrowing, led to panic among many investors and a run… Read More

6th October 2022

How does the falling pound affect me?

Written by Sam Murphy
Posted in Base Rate, Budget, Lifestyle, Markets, Mortgages, The Economy

The pound went into freefall after Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s Mini Budget, with news of a raft of tax cuts at a time of soaring inflation… Read More

6th January 2022

I’m buying a home with my partner but we have unequal deposits – what should I do?

Written by Sam Murphy
Posted in First Time Buyers, Lifestyle, Markets, Mortgages, Property

A question we get asked a lot is “How can we buy a property together but protect our individual finances?” If you’re thinking of getting… Read More

18th October 2021

Could tiny homes be the answer?

Written by Sam Murphy
Posted in First Time Buyers, Lifestyle, Markets, Mortgages, Property

If you want to frighten yourself, type “world population clock” into Google. The figures go up with terrifying speed: the number (as this article was… Read More

7th October 2021

Average house prices up 10% in the last 12 months – so where next?

Written by Sam Murphy
Posted in First Time Buyers, Lifestyle, Markets, Mortgages, Property

According to the Nationwide Building Society’s latest House Price Index Report, annual house price growth was 10% in September 2021, down slightly from 11% the… Read More

30th September 2021

The rise and rise of the subscription economy

Written by Sam Murphy
Posted in Lifestyle, Markets

You may use it for beer or bread, for razor blades, watching films or even for the simple act of reading books on Amazon. The… Read More

16th September 2021

‘Flexible’ Careers will Increase the Need for Financial Planning

Written by Sam Murphy
Posted in COVID-19, Equity Release, First Time Buyers, Lifestyle, Markets, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Mortgages, Property, Retirement, Small Business

In days gone by, life was relatively simple. You left school or university, you found a job and barring moving away or your employer going… Read More

19th August 2021

Could homeownership make you £326,000 better off than renting?

Written by Sam Murphy
Posted in Equity Release, First Time Buyers, Lifestyle, Markets, Mortgages, Property, Retirement

Today’s homebuyers could end up £326,000 wealthier over a 30-year period than people who rent, without even considering potential house price growth, according to a… Read More