Time to get your next move underway?

The holidays are over and schools are back, so it could be time to get your first or next move underway.

There’s no doubt that the property market has seen a quiet summer, so it’s interesting that Rightmove analysis shows that buyer demand received a stronger than usual back-to-school boost during the first week of September.

Although overall demand was below last year’s level, the uplift was seen across every region, with London and the South West recording some of the sharpest rises at 9% and 8% respectively. The West Midlands and North East both recorded increases of around 7%, while the East Midlands and South East each saw a 6% uplift.

Our mortgage business has been steady, which is a positive sign that people are still moving and remortgaging to good deals.

Hotel of Mum and Dad

The Bank of Mum and Dad has long been established to help offspring on or up the property ladder, now estate agent Savills’s research has discovered the Hotel of Mum and Dad.

UK parents have provided the equivalent of £7.6 billion in rent-free accommodation to first-time buyers who bought a property in 2025. The survey is based on 254,000 first-time buyers living at home for an average of three years and seven months, with the value of the room rented at £160 per week.

Overall, 60% of these buyers benefited from rent-free living, rising to 71% in London. The survey didn’t reveal whether meals were included, but from personal experience, I expect they are!

Can you afford it?

Sticking with these buyers, research from Lloyds once again finds that many first-time buyers rule themselves out of getting a mortgage without properly investigating if they can.

More than half (58%) incorrectly believed that if they have existing debt and/ or are self-employed, that would go against them and put ownership out of reach.

When using a broker like The Mortgage Brain, we ask all these questions from the outset, so we have a clear picture of our customers’ finances and can guide them in the right direction to the right lender. Time and again, this saves money and time – underlining the importance of our role in the mortgage journey.

We were also delighted to hear that a poll by one of our housebuilding partners, Barratt Homes, showed that 68% of first-time buyers would turn to a mortgage broker as a key source of information. We have a team of new build specialist advisers who really understand this market.

Celebrating 25 years of The Mortgage Brain!

At the end of the summer, we reached our very own milestone – our 25-year anniversary! It seems a long time ago since I started the business out of a cupboard in Parkers Estate Agents in Hucclecote, back in the summer of 2001.

The business grew quickly, so I soon had to take on other staff and, several office moves and 25 years later, here we are with a highly successful business and a turnover of over £8 million. It’s all about our amazing staff and customers and I’m grateful for everyone’s support along the way.

Times have changed considerably in the mortgage market over the years, when it comes to regulation and affordability, but our focus remains the same: to look after our customers, support all our staff and continually evolve the business to find the best way of providing mortgage and protection advice.