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John Fitzsimons

John Fitzsimons

John Fitzsimons has been writing about finance since 2007. He is the former editor of Mortgage Solutions and loveMONEY and his work has appeared in The Sunday Times, The Mirror, The Sun and Forbes.

John's picks

Porting a Mortgage Explained

Porting a mortgage is when you transfer your existing mortgage deal when you move to a new home, instead of taking out a new mortgage. Here’s how mortgage porting works and what to consider.
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Transferring Property Ownership From Parent to Your Child

Parents can transfer ownership of a property to their child in the form of a gift or by transferring equity in the property, but it’s important to be aware of the inheritance tax rules that can still apply.
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How to Tap into your Property’s Value Through Equity Release

Equity release is a type of loan that allows older borrowers to access some of the money tied up in their property. There are different types, like a lifetime mortgage or a home reversion plan. How much you can borrow will depend on your age, the lender and your property’s value.
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The latest from John

How to Get Help With a Mortgage Deposit

The larger your deposit, the less you have to borrow to cover the cost of your home, which often means lower interest rates. A few schemes and options are available to help build as big of a deposit as possible.
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What is a Residential Mortgage?

A residential mortgage is used to purchase a property that you plan to live in. The loan is taken out against the property and can come in various forms, such as fixed or variable rate deals, and repayment or interest-only options. Read on to learn more about how they work.
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What is an Offset Mortgage?

If you have savings, an offset mortgage can help you to use them to reduce your monthly mortgage repayments. It works by linking the sum you have borrowed and the money you have in a linked savings account with your mortgage lender. Read on to learn how they work and whether they are right for you.
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What is a Cashback Mortgage?

To tempt those buying a property or remortgaging, some lenders offer cashback mortgages. This type of deal involves the lender paying a cash lump sum to the borrower. Read on to find out more about the pros and cons of this incentive.
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Guarantor Mortgages: What Are They and How Do They Work?

A guarantor mortgage can help applicants who are unable to secure a mortgage on their own, perhaps because they have bad credit. There are various pros and cons of guarantor mortgages but a guarantor should remember they will be liable should the applicant default on their repayments.
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Transferring Property Ownership From Parent to Your Child

Parents can transfer ownership of a property to their child in the form of a gift or by transferring equity in the property, but it’s important to be aware of the inheritance tax rules that can still apply.
Read more

Fixed or Variable Mortgage – What is the Difference?

Mortgage interest can be charged in two ways: through a fixed rate, where the interest rate remains the same for a certain period of time, or a variable rate, where the interest rate can change, and move both up or down at your lender’s discretion or in line with the Bank of England base rate.
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Equity Release or Remortgage: Which is Right For You?

If you’re an older homeowner who wants to unlock the equity in your home, equity release or remortgaging could both be explored.
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Should I get an interest-only or repayment mortgage?

There are two ways interest can be charged on your loan. With an interest-only mortgage, your monthly payments only cover the interest charged on your loan. With a repayment mortgage, your monthly payments also go towards the initial sum you borrowed.
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What is a 95 LTV mortgage and can I get one?

A high LTV means you borrow more and put down a smaller deposit. That may mean higher interest rates, higher product fees, or both.
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How to Get a Low Deposit Mortgage

The smallest deposit that you can buy a house with currently is 5%. A more common ‘low’ deposit is 10%, as borrowers have far more options if they are looking to borrow 90% of the property’s value, or LTV.
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What is a Let-to-Buy Mortgage?

A let-to-buy mortgage allows you to buy a new home and let out your existing property to bring in extra income. It can be useful if you can’t or don’t want to sell your current home, but can be a difficult process to negotiate. Consent to let is an alternative to let to buy you might consider.
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What to do about negative equity: Know your options

Negative equity means the value of your home is less than the amount you still owe on your mortgage, making it hard to remortgage or move house. Fortunately, you have a couple of options when it comes to finding an exit route.
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House Equity: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?

House equity is the difference between the market value of your home and the amount you owe on your mortgage and secured loans. So it’s how much you own of your property. Ideally, your home equity will increase over time as you make mortgage payments and if the value of your home rises.
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How to Tap into your Property’s Value Through Equity Release

Equity release is a type of loan that allows older borrowers to access some of the money tied up in their property. There are different types, like a lifetime mortgage or a home reversion plan. How much you can borrow will depend on your age, the lender and your property’s value.
Read more
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