Release the equity in your home

If you are considering equity release either through a lifetime mortgage or a reversion scheme there are likely to be many questions you want answered.

There is now an independent website which aims to give you all the basic information in simple terms, so you can ask any equity release advisers or providers in depth questions to see if they have an equity release scheme of product that may be suitable for you.

Poinst covered include an outline of what each scheme entails and also identifies some of the main advantages and disadvantages to that particular equity release scheme.

Well worth a look through if equity release from your home is under consideration.

Home Information Packs (HIPS) Suspended

The Government has announced the suspension of Home Information Packs with immediate effect from 21 May 2010.

Homes marketed for sale on or after 21 May 2010 will no longer require a Home Information Pack (HIP).

The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) will be retained. Sellers will still be required to commission, but won't need to have received an EPC before marketing their property.

Housing market loses momentum in face of General Election - Telegraph

Richard Donnell, director of research at Hometrack, said: ''The supply of homes for sale continues to outstrip demand.

''This is a trend that has been evident for the last quarter, but lies in stark contrast to the final months of 2009, when buyers far outnumbered the supply of properties for sale.

''As the supply of homes for sale continues to outpace demand, so the impetus for price rises is set to wane.''

The group said the number of potential buyers registering with estate agents had risen by just 1 per cent during the month, while the supply of homes being put up for sale had increased by 3.7 per cent.

It said the election was being cited as a factor behind the growing buyer uncertainty, and had contributed to a sharp slowdown in the rate at which agreed sales were increasing, with this dropping from 13 per cent to 6.9 per cent during the month.