Property news: Rise in first-time buyer mortgage deals

Turning winter into a good time to sell
Selling your home in winter can be more worthwhile than you think, according to the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA).

Conventional wisdom says it is better to hold off until the Spring but the NAEA says there are good reasons to buy and sell now (nothing to do with helping out its hard-pressed members of course). Read more on this story

First-time buyer mortgage deals set to rise, says Bank of England
First-time buyers could benefit from a rise in the number of available mortgages in the first three months of 2012, according to the Bank of England.

Its latest Trends in Lending report says “lenders expect the availability of secured credit to households to increase slightly in 2012 Q1, with the rise concentrated on borrowers with high LTV [loan-to-value] ratios”. Read more on this story

HSBC pledges £15bn mortgage lending
Mortgage lending competition has increased as HSBC pledged to make at least £15 billion available in mortgages this year, including £3 billion ring-fenced for first-time buyers.

The cash will be used by around 150,000 home owners and more than 27,000 people taking their first step on the property ladder. Read more on this story