The 2013 Mortgage Market in 140 Characters or Less

2013 has been a pivotal year in the mortgage market – final rules for MMR, new regulatory bodies with the PRA and FCA, house sales and mortgage sales starting to rise, a new Governor of the Bank of England, controversial government initiatives and as the year ends, the EU Directive vote is passed and brings more work for lenders and regulators in 2014 and onwards.

What will 2014 bring? With MMR commencing on April 26th lenders will be racing to have compliant systems, processes and policies ready. I’m sure that further changes and system updates will occur later in the year and unintended consequences will appear – as sure as Taxes and that hooded figure with the scythe. 

January

Good News Britain: Homeowners confident of house price rises in 2013 - Could only wish Banks shared the same sentime…http://twy.la/YRluvz

BTL still the mortgage winner - Is the mortgage freeze about to thaw? http://bbc.in/UE3hWh

Is anyway to get on the rung a good way? A clever way to cope with high house prices or an expensive mistake?… http://twy.la/11uySLW

Social Media Banking gets serious: Finextra: US rulemakers set sights on bank social media activities http://twy.la/14catJM

The dark side of FLS - Emma Simon: Only the banks are benefiting from the FLS |  Money Marketing http://twy.la/TwxCpx

Using the internet to buy a home: Websites and apps to help http://bbc.in/WRuPUf

Newbuy starting to work - Milestone reached for NewBuy scheme - MSN Money UK http://twy.la/10W4UBh

Lenders running scared of non-advised sales - Sinclair http://twy.la/10IxSyW

February

What are the odds? That watchdog will say interest-only loans were not miss-sold? | This is Money http://twy.la/YeUYxn

George Osborne: Threatens to forcibly break up banks that break the rules - had to be a Mail Headline http://bit.ly/Xa2Nnj

First or last Aid? How to stop a 'ticking time-bomb' interest-only mortgage from detonating | Mail Online http://bit.ly/X2CuhZ

Positivity from Monty - Andrew Montlake: Mortgage market could be cushty in 2013 | Opinion|Money Marketing http://bit.ly/X2DgeL

Big lenders' tick box approach is forcing customers elsewhere - Computer say no myth http://twy.la/XzISfQ

39% of interest-only borrowers have no plans to clear debt The housing market BOMB http://twy.la/Uee6wT 

Where does this leave FTBs? Buy-to-let mortgage mini-boom last year with lending up by a fifth | Mail Online http://twy.la/XSOmV7

Mortgage payments represent a third of all household spending - many at risk if rates rise http://twy.la/ZopvgD

March

Is FLS working? FLS falters as Bank of England figures show fall in net lending | Mortgage Strategy http://bit.ly/WDibHK 

Generation rent: why aren’t more first-time buyers joining the property ladder? | Simon Read | Independent http://ind.pn/Z6ehuO

Coutts - not just the Queen's bank, but social banking queen - Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blog and on-line portal http://bit.ly/Z0yMZP

UK housing market is stuck on the second step, let alone first step... Telegraphhttp://bit.ly/Y4lueE

Scoring consumer affordability — MMR income-expenditure rules can be electronic MFG Online http://twy.la/12HPFNt

Good Regulation news: UK wins ground in European mortgage directive negotiations | News|Mortgage Strategy http://bit.ly/YK9VbZ

Good review of Equity Release. Whose house is it anyway? The equity release empire strikes back – Telegraph Blogs http://bit.ly/ZGAVs5

Remortgage via Help to Buy plan - move to a cheaper lender with helpfrom the Gov. | The Sunday Times http://thetim.es/10BnwnD

Q&A: Will Help to Buy work? - Will affluent buyers cash in, or buy 2nd homes?  http://bit.ly/11yVCHL

April

Yet again #mutuals upping their lending - mortgage lending by mutuals grows further in February — MFG Online http://bit.ly/XVaNbF

Paying off the mortgage for a year takes 103 days - an interesting view on the cost of owning a home. http://bit.ly/12cqm3l 

Questions remain over Help to Buy scheme - Sensible messages from Andrew Baddeley-Chappell @NationwidePress  http://bit.ly/11klHuS

RT @WhichMoney: As Co-op pulls out of deal to buy 600+ Lloyds branches, here's its statement: http://bit.ly/14Of4pv …

EU mortgage directive contents agreed - UK Exemptions to include BTL, shared equity & retention of the much loved KFI http://bit.ly/Zignsu

What becomes of the broken-hearted? As one would expect borrowers see no value in trackers - fixed is king http://bit.ly/ZmlbNJ

Help to Buy aims at wider audience - detailed analysis of HMG #mortgage policy from Nationwide, food for thought http://bit.ly/YTLU0e

MMR: a year to go! So how are lenders faring? CML news & views http://bit.ly/Zmsipa@cmlpress

May

Interest only mortgages - Consumer research 90% of Interest Only mortgage holders say they have a repayment plan http://bit.ly/ZoKgE4

#2020 - average interest only mortgage shortfall £56,000 according to FCA, get a plan with your #mortgage lender now

'Help to Buy' scheme has the potential to re-ignite housing market bubble, warns Fathom Consulting  http://bit.ly/11NDXf3

Building societies dominate lending to first-time buyers — Mortgage Finance Gazette Onlinehttp://bit.ly/124ZEqT

FCA regulator to collect and share mortgage borrowers' personal data - a proactive move by the new body Telegraph http://bit.ly/12G9pwl

Positive #mortgage news from MAB Mortgage applications up 54% year-on-yearhttp://bit.ly/161eRA7 @MAB_Updates

The regulator replies: FCA answers your questions - 10 good questions the answers......Citywire http://bit.ly/167X4Hp

Finextra: Social media spending by banks plateaus as interest wanes - but Denizbank leads the social charge http://bit.ly/10BNgkC

June

Mortgage lenders need to cater for the iPad generation, even as regulation tightens.
http://bit.ly/110dvkQ‘tab’-revolution/ #mortgage #MMR

Government prepares to shut down help to buy cause house price bubble | This is Money http://bit.ly/17lZ7Ip

Consumer Driven Innovation - read my latest blog on the twin challenges of MMR and consumer driven innovation http://bit.ly/1bZXDQY

What would an EU exit mean for the mortgage market? | Analysis | Money Marketing http://bit.ly/122Lb17

Mortgages only one in 200 can understand: This is why most people need advice !  Mail Online http://dailym.ai/122KZ27

Surveyor shortage is threatening to derail house sales - also discussed at recent CML session, a real market risk http://bit.ly/1ch8Uwp

South-east sees largest swing from homeownership to renting | Money | http://bit.ly/12pTeoZ

July

Hollywood Mortgages - How Barclays made the Great Escape - David Finlay http://bit.ly/18jXzOQ

Should the PRA consider type of lending? Barclays says PRA targets could force lending cut | Reuters | http://reut.rs/17yFY2N #regulation

Are government home schemes joined up & will they work? Help to Buy: Well-intentioned but impact is yet unclear  http://bit.ly/12Bxcj9

We will jail top bankers who ask the taxpayer for a bailout, Osborne vows - How about failed politicians? http://dailym.ai/18KjcYW

'Rent to buy' won't fix home ownership - good insight from Hannah Fearn on  social housing schemes @guardian http://bit.ly/12qoyjn

Betting on MIG - Fund predicts UK remortgage market could ''rapidly grow'' on back of MIG Help to Buy  @mortgagestat http://bit.ly/12FWrNs

Four questions you must (but possibly wouldn't think to) ask your mortgage lender http://bit.ly/16d3MY7

Time to re-furbish the kitchen - Mortgage rate falls: 'Best time to remortgage in six years' - Telegraph http://bit.ly/13yzewS

August

If only the government would listen - Mortgage rescue - the Spending Review sound of silence http://bit.ly/16WJyC8 @cmlpressoffice

A painful truth for many - Julian Knight: Home truth is your house may not be much of a pension - The Independent http://ind.pn/14cFuyJ

House price rises mean 40% of buyers face minimum stamp duty bill of £7,500 by 2018 | This is Money http://bit.ly/1dyM9Yl

Safer versions of Interest-only mortgage deals return amid bank price war  http://bit.ly/14YgKHL

House building: Road blocks | The Economist http://econ.st/14dkpS9

September

Think tank slams Help to Buy: "government is the housing crisis" - Build more homes is the "real" answer http://bit.ly/17IgCSZ

When is a bubble not a bubble? It is too early to call a housing bubble  http://thetim.es/19h6H47

Help to Buy: If we want new homes lend money interest-free to builders not buyers Your thoughts? http://bit.ly/17ROpsY

Lenders predict broker market decline post MMR - Industry in depth - Mortgage Introducer UK  http://bit.ly/15VWJRI

High street lending bounces back - but mortgage process slows down | Financial Reporter  http://bit.ly/14Leowi

FCA: Third of industry behind on MMR preparations - what are your concerns, systems, processes or people? http://bit.ly/1a0B7bi

Where next the UK Mortgage Market? View my blog on FInextra  http://bit.ly/1bcNPVF @finextra 

Don't buy votes with reckless loans, Dave. Why has Help to Buy 2 been rushed out the door? | Siobhan Kennedy http://bit.ly/1bkLJTw

October

"This breaks the link with building new houses, potentially boosting demand but not supply." http://econ.st/GCLAzM #helptobuy 

The Help to Buy Part 2 is a Marmite scheme for a Malteser market http://thetim.es/GCMc8L - sweet or sour?

The gap between incomes and house prices widening, putting even a 5 per cent deposit out of reach of many FTBs. http://ind.pn/GH42rO

Osborne Boosts Mortgage-Boosting Plan as Concerns Remain - 6 lenders join, but will it have unintended consequences? http://bloom.bg/GKIAS2

"Most home seekers are confused by Help to Buy, and a quarter are disappointed with the government schemes." http://bit.ly/19DI0Pd

"77% think urgent action is required to make housing more affordable" http://bit.ly/1gK2bjr Doh! as Homer would say..

"Interest-only lenders refuse to detail options for struggling borrowers" What information was given during the sale? http://bit.ly/1iou6U6

"Are UK lenders more Eddie the Eagle than Usain Bolt when it comes to speed?" http://bit.ly/16KrLTM  

November

Top things every first-time buyer should know >> http://t.co/hFcZjy8kVo guest post from @YourMoneyAdvice #tips

"Why is Govt pushing unregulated advice for Help to Buy?" http://bit.ly/HKRW1K Boulger on the money with his review of HTB 2.

"Lloyds says MMR could leave to fewer mortgage products" http://bit.ly/HKS7di
Simpler products will be welcome, especially execution-only.

"MS poll - 68 per cent of respondents believed lenders are too strict when it comes to lending to the over 60s." http://bit.ly/1dkWrtz

"Will politicians never learn? The Government’s Help to Buy scheme is sub-prime mortgages all over again" - Discuss! http://ind.pn/1dl84AM

32% of brokers unprepared for MMR having made no changes | Financial Reporterhttp://bit.ly/18wdipL

"Nationwide boldly goes where JPMorgan failed to tread - the Twittersphere !"http://bit.ly/18Ir6NY

"Growing pressure to scrap stamp duty in Autumn statement" Where will the tax gap come from? http://bit.ly/18pOENq

December

"New study shows 3% stamp duty threshold causes sales to drop 89%" http://bit.ly/IGFb82

"Help to Buy helped to boost house building but policy should focus on areas where there are plenty of spare homes" http://bit.ly/18hvM0z

"Boulger: EU mortgage directive is 'lazy and uneducated'" Headline aside, some pointed observations. http://bit.ly/18FqcW1

"MMR may herald return of dual pricing" - can be a difference of 1.45 per cent between direct and indirect deals. http://bit.ly/JewC4N

"The EU Mortgage Directive is like a blunt pencil. Pointless." Discuss  http://bit.ly/1c0F42x

London accounts for more than 25% of all mortgage loans - no surprises then? http://bit.ly/1i2s3tb

"New rules hardwire in a more risk-averse lending environment for the future" MMR to dampen market - Bob Pannell CML http://bit.ly/1jlAlxV

"Number of mortgage products available up 37.5% in a year" Over 12,000 products - is this good for consumer choice? http://bit.ly/1hnW8k9