In March 2020 the Bank of England made two emergency cuts to the base rate, The cut from 0.25% to 0.1%, made in response to the coronavirus pandemic, means the base rate is at its lowest level in the Bank’s 325-year history.

In the immediate aftermath of this reduction, banks and building societies withdrew some of their mortgage products.

Among the most common deals to be pulled were tracker mortgages and loans for people borrowing a high percentage of their property’s value.

The good news is that lenders that had pulled products are beginning to launch new deals for both fixed rate and tracker mortgages.

It’s very positive that we are beginning to see providers return products to their ranges and launch new deals, including some in the higher loan-to-value sectors.

These changes may be an early indication that lenders have begun to adapt to the exceptional economic and operational changes of recent weeks in order to continue supporting their customers, and that hopefully more providers will be following suit in the days ahead.

How much choice is there if I am looking for a new mortgage deal?

While the number of deals available for expats has continued to fall since the beginning of April 2020, there are still a good range of mortgages to choose from.

Choice is widest for people with large equity stakes in their homes or big deposits to put down.

Can we help?

If you are looking for a new or re-mortgage please do make contact and one of our qualified independent advisers will be happy to assist.

There is no doubt the developments in the expat mortgage market in response to the coronavirus crisis are moving at a frenetic pace. Helping clients is crucial for everyone in the industry currently, keeping on top of all of these updates to help navigate the best options for individuals is very important at this time.

Although you may have seen some press articles on the number of mortgage products decreasing from the market, re-mortgage products are still freely available.

As such, this period represents a great opportunity for expat UK homeowners to save money on their mortgage with some of the great low rates currently available.

If your current mortgage rate is coming to an end, despite this Covid-19 scenario the lender would still hike your rate up to their standard variable if you do not look into your re-mortgage options. There are some great mortgage deals being offered by lenders currently.

You may have seen some press reporting that surveyors are not considered ‘key workers’ and hence are not allowed to go out to visit and value properties (i.e. a “physical valuation”). Therefore naturally, you may be concerned about whether you can apply for a re-mortgage during this time. We have been in continual discussions with lenders and the good news is that more and more lenders are now able to do some valuations for re-mortgages without the need for a home visit, using market data and knowledge of the location to estimate the value. An intermediary can help guide you on what lenders offer these types of valuations.

Can we help?

If you are looking for a new or re-mortgage please do make contact and one of our qualified independent advisers will be happy to assist.

There is a lot of evidence to suggest interest rates are going to be rising sooner rather than later. Facts are a sizable number of expats have already transferred to a fixed rate mortgage deal; we have seen a significant increase in re-mortgaging since the turn of the year.

Base rates may well be on hold at present and mortgage rates are at the lowest they have been for many years. One thing is for sure if the bank base rate rises then mortgage interest rates will very soon follow suit.

A recent survey of expats showed that if this happens over 45% are not prepared for the increase in expenditure. The survey also revealed the majority of people have taken for granted the current low interest rates and that they will remain for a good many years to come. This may well be a very dangerous attitude to adopt as things can change very quickly in the world of finance.

It is widely expected in financial circles that interest rates will start to increase in the not too distant future, keeping this in mind if you are an expat with a mortgage it would be very wise to review it as soon as possible.

The future

With all the above considered it could be a very good time to look more closely at your current mortgage deal. By acting now you could save a great deal of money now and in the future.

Every expat has unique needs and objectives but one thing we all have in common is saving money. If your current mortgage deal has no exit penalty or is coming to the end of its deal period, you may wish to look at a fixed rate deal. There are currently some very advantages rates on offer so now could be a very good time to act.

Can we help?

If you require assistance or would like to talk over your current mortgage, please do call one of our fully qualified advisers and we will be pleased to assist.

The government has confirmed that expats who buy residential property in England and Northern Ireland will be hit with a new 2% stamp duty surcharge from April 1, 2021.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirmed the measure in his first Budget speech in the role, following much speculation about the policy over recent weeks.

Budget documents released today by the government say: “This will help to control house price inflation and to support UK residents to get onto and move up the housing ladder. 

“The money raised from the surcharge will be used to help address rough sleeping.”

Calculations published alongside the policy suggest that officials expect the measure to raise £250m to the Treasury’s coffers during 2020/21, but that the government will lose £355m in revenues the following year, possibly as a result of lower transaction numbers.

But in 2022/23 the government expects to raise £35m followed by £105m and £105m each for 2023/24 and 2024/25.

There was a mixed reaction to the policy from industry commentators.

Just Mortgages national operations director John Phillips says: “A surcharge for foreign buyers of residential property is something I have argued in favour of for a long time, so it would be churlish for me to criticise it. 

“But what is needed alongside that is a reduction in stamp duty elsewhere.

“As the Institute for Fiscal Studies has said, stamp duty is a tax on transactions, pure and simple, which freezes up the market and means people don’t get to live in homes that meet their needs.

“This Budget is being delivered in unexpected and extraordinary circumstances so it is understandable that the chancellor may not see this as a priority. 

“I hope that he will revisit the issue once Covid-19 is under control, in line with the promises previously made by the Prime Minister.”

Knight Frank head of London residential research Tom Bill says: “The introduction of a surcharge for overseas buyers will bring the UK into line with many other global property markets. 

“Attempts to ease affordability pressures in the wider housing market should be welcomed, although the new measure will need to be monitored carefully to ensure there are no unintended consequences, including for the forward-funding of new-build developments. 

“Furthermore, a wider re-think of stamp duty rates is still needed to increase housing market liquidity and maximise any stimulus the government plans to provide to the UK economy.”

If you are expat considering property as an investment in the UK but you live outside of the Country it’s likely you have many concerns, exchange rate fluctuations and Brexit are likely to have a significant impact on your decision.

Future rates of exchange are likely to depend on the kind of exit deal that is negotiated, combined with the currency that you will be using to purchase a property.

Expat mortgages

Stepping away from currency and exchange rate fluctuations, it is widely predicted that interest rates may rise at some point. That said, nobody really knows exactly what conditions would have to be met as a result of exiting the EU that would have a direct impact.

We know from experience, immediately after the vote to leave the EU, interest rates were reduced by 0.25%, but whether this would happen again in the event of no-deal, it is unclear.

What is always prudent in such periods of uncertainty is to review your current mortgage rates and consider switching to a fixed rate for a period that is suitable for you.

Use a mortgage calculator to establish what would happen if rates rose/fell and then speak to an independent mortgage consultant to discuss whether it is worth re-mortgaging.

If you are already using a fixed rate mortgage, be aware that most UK banks will let you re-evaluate your fixed term without penalty if you are within three months of the fixed term coming to an end.

Can we assist you?

If you are looking for a new or re-mortgage do get in contact and one of our qualified independent advisers will be happy to help.