Institutional Investors Hurting First-Time Buyers

Big time investors in the housing market are affecting first time buyers and their ability to purchase homes. Large scale investors are buying lots of hundreds of houses at a time and renovating them and re-selling them for profit. Home buyers are feeling the pressure and are unable to find homes in their price range. Fianna Fáil is calling on the current government to investigate the current tax incentives for investors and believes that could be a way to make significant changes.

The Department of Finance has agreed to do a review on how much institutional investors pay in taxes. However, Department of Finance has already begun releasing statements defending their current stance on taxes. They acknowledged that institutional investors only make up a small proportion of the housing market. A small proportion still can affect hundreds to thousands of people. According to Savills Estate Agents, approximately 3,000 properties were purchased in blocks by institutional investors last year. Many homebuyers searching for homes contribute large investment funds to increasing difficulty in getting a house.

Nicola McCann and her partner from …

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Money lending interest rates regulated

The Department of Finance is a crucial part of the government of the republic of Ireland. During the current year, the Financial Services Division of this sector is looking into the interest rates that government approved money lenders are charging their consumers.

According to the Central Bank of Moneylending and the Consumer Credit Act (1995), money lending is “the practice of providing credit to consumers on foot of a money lending agreement.” Usually, these credits are taken in the form of cash but can also be the purchase of goods on credit from a catalogue.

In general, money lenders make getting money quick and easy. They are especially beneficial for those with a higher chance of being denied the ability to take out loans due to bad credit history, low income or a variety of other financial reasons. Many people who are also uneducated or inexperienced in the financial sector may find themselves turning to this easy alternative.

These vendors are most beneficial to be used as a last resort option when you are in need of …

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Government spending more than planned to help the housing crisis

With the government paying about €260 million in the first half of 2017 above the previous first half of 2016, it means the government is trying to throw money at helping the housing crisis.

The Department of Housing has spent around €312 million during this time. The rapid increase is said to be in main part because of the Government’s housing programme.

The Minister of State from the Department of Finance, Patrick O’Donovan has responded that the impact from the increased government spending has already been seen through the amount of commencement notices being filed. Since a commencement notice has to be filed when someone has begun construction of a new home it is a good indicator of the health of the housing market. The previous 12 months from May, commencement notices have amounted to 15,579. This is up 42 percent of the previous twelve month period.

Recently there has been a housing shortage in Ireland that has taken over the housing market. It is making it harder to obtain a house and a mortgage.

The amount of total pre-approved …

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Switching your mortgage can benefit you in the long run

Switching your mortgage can be a hassle but is it worth it?

Yes. Switching your mortgage can save you tens of thousands, it soon may be less of a hassle as well.

The Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is realizing the benefits of switching and are looking of ways to take the hassle off the consumer. They currently are researching on how to make the process easier. They are taking focus groups from Dublin, Cork and Galway currently.

Of the research, the main drawbacks to people who switched were the amounts of paperwork, complicated, and too much time. Of those 35 percent estimated it took between one to two months while 24 percent said it took longer than two months. The CCPC proposed to start e-conveyancing with the Legal Services Regulatory Authority. It also proposed a start of automated switching process with the CBI and …

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Can Noonan or Honohan actually do anything on variable rates? (no)

The calls to lower rates by opposition politicians such as Michael McGrath on Primetime this week is making daily headlines. Charlie Weston doing a cracking job as always bringing personal finance to the front of the paper has ensured it lead for the last two days.

This has gone from the line that ‘it’s not our place to set prices to the news broken by Martina Fitzgerald that ‘Noonan and Honohan are going to pow-wow about it’.

Don’t expect much. The official responses from both the Department of Finance and the Central Bank are below. Note in particular that Honohan makes the case for non-intervention very clear.

The email sent to both was the same:

Question: Is there any explicit power the Central Bank/Department of Finance has to compel banks to change or lower their standard variable rates? If there is can you indicate which part of any Act that the power to do …

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