First-time buyer mortgage deals set to rise, says Bank of England | Money | guardian.co.uk

First-time buyer mortgage deals set to rise, says Bank of England | Money | guardian.co.uk

First-time buyers could benefit from a rise in the number of available mortgages in the first three months of 2012, according to the Bank of England.

Its latest Trends in Lending report says "lenders expect the availability of secured credit to households to increase slightly in 2012 Q1, with the rise concentrated on borrowers with high LTV [loan-to-value] ratios".

This could provide a lifeline to would-be homeowners stuck in expensive rental property, along with the £3bn HSBC has pledged to lend to first-time buyers.