Posts Tagged ‘Equity Release’
Thursday, January 21st, 2010
Caesar & Howie have been invited to join the Equity Release Solicitors Alliance (ERSA) which is a group of specialist legal firms involved in equity release. The aims of ERSA are to improve the knowledge and understanding of equity release within the market place and to provide impartial specialist legal advice to homeowners considering taking out Equity Release plans.
Equity Release Partner Carmen MacIver comments “we were delighted to receive the invitation to join ERSA – effectively that organisation provides a Kite Mark for quality of service in this particular area of work. That’s what we aim to do for our Equity Release clients – give a top quality fast service which is impartial and expert. To be the first firm in Scotland to be asked to join up is pretty special too”.
Like other ERSA members Caesar & Howie have invested significantly in building up the firm’s capability in Equity Release. “We have been working on our quality of service for nearly three years now ”states Managing Partner David Borrowman“ and this involves creating top quality computer systems which enable us to process work quickly – as well as ensuring staff are well trained and are kept up to date with all developments in Equity Release. This is a growth area and we are glad we have committed resources to it. But it is an enjoyable sector to work in also – releasing money from their house makes life very much happier for many clients and it is satisfying to be working for them in the Equity Release process”.
Tags: Equity Release
Posted in Equity Release, Our News | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
Caesar and Howie attended the Retirement Show at the SECC this year. This was a first for the firm. We shared a stall with our very good friends from the Glasgow Old People’s Welfare Association – to whom we are very grateful for their co-operation. The show pulled in a huge attendance of retired folk from all over Scotland. Our plan was to try to get over to as many folk as we could the benefits of planning for the future and putting in place these three key legal documents for families, Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Advance Health Care Directives. We also wanted to get over the benefits of Equity Release which we see becoming increasingly popular with our clients.
Terry Ann O’Donnell from Caesar and Howie ran the stall for two days. “The level of interest in what we are trying to say to people was just fantastic” said Terry. “Actually I was run off my feet and we completely ran out of leaflets twice and had to rush in new stocks. What struck me is that so many people just haven’t planned for the future because they just haven’t thought about things. Once you explain to them the benefits of taking, really the modest legal steps you need to protect families, they are keen to get on with getting them put in place. It is pretty frightening, mind you, to find out how few people know about Powers of Attorney for example. A lot of folk also had not really thought about the benefits of Equity Release, giving some extra cash in their later years. But hopefully, we managed over the two days to get the message over to lots of visitors at the show.”
Caesar and Howie attended the Retirement Show at the SECC this year. This was a first for the firm. We shared a stall with our very good friends from the Glasgow Old People’s Welfare Association – to whom we are very grateful for their co-operation. The show pulled in a huge attendance of retired folk from all over Scotland. Our plan was to try to get over to as many folk as we could the benefits of planning for the future and putting in place these three key legal documents for families, Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Advance Health Care Directives. We also wanted to get over the benefits of Equity Release which we see becoming increasingly popular with our clients.
Terry Ann O’Donnell from Caesar and Howie ran the stall for two days. “The level of interest in what we are trying to say to people was just fantastic” said Terry. “Actually I was run off my feet and we completely ran out of leaflets twice and had to rush in new stocks. What struck me is that so many people just haven’t planned for the future because they just haven’t thought about things. Once you explain to them the benefits of taking, really the modest legal steps you need to protect families, they are keen to get on with getting them put in place. It is pretty frightening, mind you, to find out how few people know about Powers of Attorney for example. A lot of folk also had not really thought about the benefits of Equity Release, giving some extra cash in their later years. But hopefully, we managed over the two days to get the message over to lots of visitors at the show.”
Tags: Equity Release
Posted in Equity Release, Wills and Executries | No Comments »
Monday, November 16th, 2009
The latest figures from The Safe Home Income Plan Group, effectively the Equity Release Trade Body, show that equity release lending is increasing.
The total amount borrowed under these planes increased by no less than 19% in the third quarter of 2009 from the year previously.
However the total borrowings figure being well up, actually disguises a slight drop of 2.5% in the actual number of plans taken out. What has put the figures up has been an increase of nearly 4% in the amount borrowed. On the other hand with some providers coming out of the market the figures do show the resilience of this sector of the mortgage market. Figures show in the last twelve months the wider mortgage market dropped by 63% whilst Equity Release only shrank by a comparatively modest 22%.
Partner Carmen MacIver, head of Caesar and Howie’s dedicated equity release team commented “the end of house price falls I think is going to give this market a further boost. The products are getting better and better known in Scotland and our enquiry levels just go up and up. I think the Scottish public did not get to grips with the benefits of Equity Release till after those in the South. But I think this has changed and with so many people enjoying a better retiral life style because of equity release I can only see Caesar and Howie’s services as equity release solicitors become more and more in demand”.
Tags: Equity Release
Posted in Conveyancing, Estate Agency | 1 Comment »
Monday, November 26th, 2007
Those considering the potential of releasing equity from their home may be interested to learn that a number of firms have improved access to the service.
Financial advice site Moneyfacts.co.uk reports that Prudential and New Life Mortgages have reduced the age limit at which they offer such services from 60 to 55.
As such, only Scottish Building Society has a lower age limit of 50.
David Knight, mortgage analyst for Moneyfacts.co.uk, notes: “With the current climate of insufficient pension pots many people are expected to need to supplement their pensions at an earlier age and one of the ways of doing this is through the equity found in their homes.”
Consumers considering equity release may find it beneficial to obtain legal advice before doing so, in order to establish their position in the eyes of the law.
In recent weeks, research by finance firm Home & Capital Advisers indicated that 39 per cent of retirees would be prepared to release equity from their home to improve their financial situation.
Tags: Equity Release
Posted in Estate Agency | No Comments »
