Business development managers (BDMs) hold a crucial role in any organisation. Where a company wants to expand and better support their clientele, it’ll primarily be up to BDMs to get…
Our writer Connor Coombe-Whitlock is exploring for MFS the current news and trends in the financial and property markets. Discover what he’s got to say. The Budget may not have…
When brokers come to us looking for support for their clients, they often enquire about our specialist options and ask us ‘do you need a deposit for a bridging loan?’.…
Introduction It’s been tricky to keep up with HM Treasurys’ Budgets in recent years. Usually they’re set once every year, with a corresponding statement. But, Brexit, the pandemic, and various…
Arguably, the UK has been experiencing a buy-to-let boom for decades. There has always been demand from investors looking to expand into the buy-to-let market. But this demand really ramped…
Online property auctions have risen in popularity in recent years, as the pandemic forced change. In-person auctions have always been popular with property investors. They present the potential opportunity to…
Many brokers and borrowers will be wondering about what makes a good lender in the current market. High street banks and mainstream lenders have struggled to adapt. As inflation and…
The process of selling a home can be a big undertaking for most homeowners. For landlords, however, who are looking to sell a tenanted property, the procedure can be a…
The commercial property market has faced pressure in recent years. Demand for commercial space waned in the face of the pandemic. Prices, in turn, were sent downwards. These issues were…
Solar panels are a popular feature for eco-conscious homeowners. They can also be a strategic consideration for property investors. Solar panels may not only lower your energy costs, but they…
Overseas investors do not appear to share our press’ pessimism for the UK property market. Demand for UK property from foreign nationals is still there, even as some domestic buyers…
In the current climate of high inflation, rising interest rates, and plateauing house prices, many will be considering ways to increase the value of their homes. Extending a property is…
Gazumping has been a prevalent issue in the property market for some time. Where prices rise, gazumping tactics become commonplace. Gazumping occurs where the seller of a property agrees to…
The current state of the economy has, understandably, got many landlords worried. Costs have been rising, limiting buy-to-let returns. But, better days may be on the horizon. We’ve seen promising…
The property industry, indeed the entire economic ecosystem, is going green. Efforts are well underway to make the UK as environmentally friendly as possible. In the property world, these efforts…
Airbnb, the online platform which allows homeowners and landlords to rent out their homes for short periods of time, has gained rapid traction in recent years. Especially from travellers who…
Our precious pubs may have saved the economy. Despite everything thrown at it, the economy continued to grow in November. GDP rose by 0.1%, eked out by pubs and restaurants…
Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) can present property investors with a unique opportunity. As housing costs jump, and student numbers rise, we’re seeing more demand for these types of properties.…
Sustainability and climate change become increasingly important to both buyers and renters. As such, insulation is being recognised as one effective way to improve a property’s energy efficiency. On top…
Technically, yes. Bridging loans are primarily used to “bridge the gap” between property investment transactions. Often, this involves securing a property in the short-term, while long-term solutions are found. But,…
Much is written about supply and demand within the UK property market. But it can be tricky to visualise just how many houses are in the UK. Let alone understand…
The self-employed are facing a difficult time in the property market, with self-employed lending criteria tightening in the mainstream. Those working for themselves were hit particularly hard by the pandemic,…
Renovation work could be a top priority for property investors in 2023. The trends we’ve seen in the market may force many to think about upgrading their portfolios, as opposed…
We faced a challenging year in 2022. Rising interest rates, a cost-of-living crisis, and political instability put the wider economy under pressure. The property industry was not immune to this.…
As the next tax year commences on April 6, new trends and reforms could shape property portfolios for months to come. We’ll outline the key points investors, landlords, and brokers…
The pandemic still haunts us, if only via its aftereffects. If you claimed support during the lockdown years, you may end up struggling to move forward with your property investment…
Property and pensions are the two juggernauts of UK wealth. Most of our money is held in these two assets, with the split itself being fairly even. Around £7.1 trillion…
In the current climate of raging inflation, raised interest rates, poperty prices under pressure and changing laws surrounding Capital Gains Tax, you might wonder how you can effectively increase your…
How long is a piece of string? Economics is a notoriously hard subject to understand, let alone predict. While we would all like to know when the cost-of-living crisis will…
How to buy a derelict property is a frequently asked question in the property industry. There is plenty of demand for getting empty homes back on the market, given the…
When it comes to expense, it’s all relative. Bridge loans, alternative forms of flexible finance, can be costlier than their mainstream counterparts. But this expense is short-term in nature. Bridging…
There’s a reason why bridging finance is a specialist market. You may have approached your high street bank of choice for short term support in the past, only to end…
Property chains are very common. To buy one property, many people must first sell another. But it can be difficult to align the dates such that both transactions can be…
What is a credit score, what’s affecting mine, and what is a “good” score? A credit score determines your creditworthiness. In the UK, it’s a 3-digit number which indicates how…
Here at MFS, we are often asked: what are hard money loans? In short, they are a type of secured loan to purchase hard assets. Normally, they are used to…
If you want to move into the property market, you’ll likely want to build a portfolio. You may want to expand your holding, but exactly what is a property portfolio?…
Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a buy-to-let landlord, finding the right property finance is vital. When considering what lender to go for, you have two options. On the one…
Understanding interest rates and their intricacies is crucial, as everyone worries about what rising rates will mean for their finances. But what exactly are interest rates and how do they…
Business rates can be defined as a tax on property used for business purposes. Therefore, it’s vital that landlords in the commercial property space are aware of the various local…
Franchises dominate British high streets. In London alone, you’ll likely find 5 Prets on any single street. For better or worse, these businesses tend to do well. They seem to…
Covid-19, and the resulting lockdowns, hit the entire economy. Additionally, it completely upended our very way of life. Overnight, families and businesses alike had to adapt to a world which…
The difference between an investor and lender may seem self-evident. But some may view them as interchangeable terms. Also, while the basics may be obvious, there is a lot of…
Stamp duty is one of our oldest taxes, having been introduced in England in 1694. Since then, it’s been updated to reflect changing times. But in recent years, the levy…
Britain is struggling to build. The UK faces a notorious undersupply of housing, affecting renters and buyers alike. Despite having been an issue for many years, various administrations have failed…
As interest rates rise, assets across the financial landscape including real estate are affected. The property sector is particularly synchronized with changing rates. Many mortgage products are designed to track…
It’s been over 2.5 years since the UK officially left the European Union. It’s been 6 years since the original Brexit referendum. And in that time, alongside the political and…
For most homebuyers and property investors, taking out a mortgage is essential to completing a purchase. However, the process through which lenders assess mortgage applications can seem complex and daunting.…
A loan-to-value (LTV) ratio is an assessment tool (or calculation) used to measure how much money is being borrowed compared to the value of a property. Lenders use LTV ratios…