Activity within the UK housing market remortgage sector remains robust as the day nears for a possible rise in rates, according to comments from the Bank of England. The month of May is approaching and with it the possible rise in the standard base rate. Lenders have already started raising rates on many popular mortgage lending packages which has led many home owners to step up and obtain a remortgage. Figures from the first two months of the year indicate many believe in the potential for a rate rise to take place.

The possibility of a rate hike is real according to comments leading up to the month of February this year prompting many house owners who were on the fence to jump in head first and remortgage. Recently released UK housing market data demonstrated demand is not slowing down as the first quarter of the year 2018 comes to an end. February remortgage approvals are up from a year ago by 9% in terms of both value and volume. House owners are still finding deals from top lenders well matched to their financial situation.

Most households are under the constant stress and strain of paying for this fee or that monthly bill. We have petrol to buy, groceries to purchase, and many other items which make up daily life in the UK. Prices seem to be increasing each month as well, making us scratch our heads as to how we will survive a potential interest rate hike in the coming weeks. Remortgage could be the easiest, quickest method to not only survive higher costs, but to also create a future which is full of light and opportunity.

Experts are encouraging homeowners to review their current mortgage and determine if a remortgage might be helpful. There are many that have had their mortgage deal end and have been moved to their lender’s standard variable rate (SVR) and are at risk of being caught off guard and rushed should an interest rate hike occur in May. There are those that are still in their mortgage term or are about to have it end that might want to consider a remortgage as well.

The March meeting of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) concluded with the majority of members voting to keep the standard base interest rate steady at 0.5%. The rate had been for years at the historic low level of 0.25% until November 2017. The increase at the end of last year, which doubled the rate to 0.5%, was not a surprise as the MPC had hinted for months an increase was coming.

Interest rates may be about to increase again, leaving a furthering gap between the present rates and the historically low rates of yesteryear. Experts suggest that the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) could be following the same pattern they exhibited last autumn prior to the increase that occurred to the standard base rate in November 2017. The rate increase was the first move of the rate since March 2009 and doubled the rate from 0.25% to 0.50%.