May I wish all MI readers a very Merry Christmas, and we are certainly looking forward to a prosperous New Year.
There’s a lot to be said for focussing on what you are good at – the provision of advice – and letting a proven and reputable network handle everything else.
The underlying feeling with any major political issue is that the housing/mortgage market tends to continue ploughing its own furrow regardless.
Taking away this stamp duty burden for large numbers of purchasers could therefore provide a much-needed fillip to the housing market.
Few consumers who conduct execution-only business actually understand what they are signing up to.
I’d like to see the government take a scalpel to stamp duty for landlords.
Rob Clifford, group commercial director at property specialist SDL Group, questions how meaningful an interest rate rise would be for the property market.
Another side issue, which the team behind Habito might also want to beware of, is how the FCA views all of this.
I wonder if the marketing departments at various lenders are not already dreaming up ‘Surrogate lending’ schemes or products which allow savers to ‘Foster a first-time buyer’.
The ball could be back in first-timers’ court for some time to come.