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Published: 24 November 2017

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Phillip Hammond announced the immediate end of stamp duty for all properties up to £300,000 bought by first-time buyers as part of a range of measures designed to address the UK’s housing crisis. The move will save four out of five first-time buyers up to £5,000.

First time buyers spending up to £500,000 – including most buyers in Welling and Dartford – will also benefit, as the first £300,000 of the purchase price will not be subject to the tax. Previously the tax was paid on all purchases over £125,000.

First-time buyers will pay 5% on any part of their purchase between £300,000 and £500,000 – this means anyone spending £500,000 on a home will pay £10,000 in duty, £5,000 less than under the previous rules.

 

The new rules will affect first-time buyers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – that complete on their purchase before April 2018.  Our Research department suggests that in Bexley and Dartford  34.5% of homes on the market could now be bought tax-free, compared with 14.3% before the change.

Eamonn Delaney of Anthony James has added that "the stamp duty change will help first time buyers by accelerating their ability to purchase.  The saving could mean they now have or will shortly have enough deposit".

 

It also good news for sellers, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said the tax break was likely to push property prices up by about 0.3%, with most of the increase coming in 2018.

“The main gainers from the policy,” said the forecasting group, “are people who already own property.

 

In summary first time buyers will need to act quickly to get the full benefit of the measures before house price inflation negates the effects.

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Published: 22 November 2017

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Phillip Hammond has pulled a rabbit out of the hat with the decision to abolish stamp duty for first time buyers on properties up to £300k or, in high price areas like Welling, Bexleyheath and Dartford, on the first £300k of properties up to £500k. Worth £5k saving for 80% of first buyers.

Unlike previous amendments to stamp duty which saw a temporary freeze, this is a long term policy stretching beyond this current parliament and into the future and part of a wider strategy for home ownership.

Eamonn Delaney of Anthony James quoted.  "this is a very welcome boost to the local housing market and the effects should be immediate.  Hopefully first time buyers will seize the opportunity and capitalise on the savings before prices rise negate any savings".

 

Its bad news for landlords who now will pay £14,000 more than a first time buyer on the same value purchase of £300,000.   This could see them at a significant disadvantage in negotiations to purchase. 

 

 

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Published: 24 November 2017

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The former head of the civil service, Lord Kerslake, has described the measures in the budget as a “mixed bag” which would struggle to deliver the government’s ambition on new housing. “I welcome the chancellor’s announcement of £15bn of new support for housing but it doesn’t reflect the government’s ambition to solve the housing crisis and, crucially, it’s unclear about how it will help ordinary people to find a truly affordable home,” he said. Hammond had been under pressure to make changes to stamp duty, with critics of the tax claiming it has been causing problems for the housing market. First-time buyers need to save for longer as rising prices mean they need more money to cover their deposit as well as the tax, while families stay put and extend their homes rather than move and pay the charge.

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Published: 13 October 2017

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House price rises could be a real problem for first-time buyers in the Bexley Borough who are also likely to face increases in mortgage rates.

The warning has come after Halifax said house prices rose 0.8% last month, and by 4% annually, to stand at £225,109.

Halifax said the figure is a record high.

It is however considerably lower than a number other indices, including Rightmove which said that new asking prices in September averaged £310,000 – a gap of some £85,000.

Halifax does not include cash sales in its data and this is solely on their own mortgage approvals.

Russell Galley, managing director of Halifax Community Bank, said: “The annual rate of growth has picked up for the second consecutive month” this was after the 0.8% rise in September followed a 1.5% increase in August.

“The average house price is now £225,109 – the highest on record.

“House prices in the three months to September were 1.4% higher than in the previous quarter, the fastest quarterly increase since February.

“While the quarterly and annual rates of house price growth have improved, they are lower than at the start of the year.

“UK house prices continue to be supported by an ongoing shortage of properties for sale and solid growth in full-time employment.

“However, increasing pressure on spending power and continuing affordability concerns may well dampen buyer demand.

“There has been recent speculation on the possibility of a rise in the Bank of England base rate. We do not anticipate this will have a significant effect on transaction volumes.”

To make sure you are getting the best rate and product possible, we advise speaking with our in-house mortgage advisor. To arrange an appointment contact us on 0208 304 0666.