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Is it Better to Overpay a Mortgage or Save?

You’ve accepted a job in Portugal or Spain, and now you’re looking at two buttons in your online banking. One says “make mortgage overpayments”, the other “top-up savings account”. That single click will shape how quickly you wipe out mortgage debt sooner and how solid your cash buffer looks once your relocation bills land.  On one hand, overpayments are going to shrink the balance and reduce interest payments. It could see you being mortgage-free sooner, so it’s hard to argue

How to Open a Mortgage Savings Account Abroad

Thinking about moving from the UK to a new country? Got your eye on somewhere sunny in Spain, or want to go out of Europe entirely to the UAE? Well, you’re definitely right to be curious about your finances, regardless of where you’re planning to go. First step there means re-thinking how you’ll finance a future home purchase. There’s a good amount of paperwork involved with moving countries, but instead of waiting until you land, you can build a dedicated

What is the First-Time Home Buyer Government Grant in the UK? | Upscore

It’s no easy feat getting a foot on the property ladder in the UK, especially as you try to get approved for a mortgage with a down payment. But there’s good news for first-time buyers! The UK government has partially made the lives of first-time home buyers easier. They’ve introduced first-time home buyer schemes that apply to some UK homes, and the main one to consider is the First Homes scheme. What makes this scheme an incentive is that it

How to Calculate UK Capital Gains Tax on Overseas Property

If you’re living in the UK and thinking about selling property overseas, the first question is almost always the same: Do I have to pay capital gains tax in the UK on it? The short answer is yes, usually.  HMRC looks at: From there, they work out what portion belongs to the UK. The long answer takes more explaining, because overseas property sales can trigger tax both where the property sits and back home in Britain, which is why people

Which UK Banks Offer Overseas Mortgages? Best Overseas Mortgage Lenders

Buying a home abroad has always carried a certain pull. Lower property prices, or just the idea of a second base in the sun outside the UK – it’s tempting. But if you’re a UK resident or expat considering an overseas property purchase, the first question usually isn’t about location. It’s about money. More specifically, which UK banks offer overseas mortgages, and how does the process actually work? This isn’t the same as walking into your local branch in Manchester

What is a Fixed Home Mortgage Rate in the UK?

You’ve probably heard the term quite a lot, but is this still something that makes you raise an eyebrow when you see it somewhere? A fixed home mortgage rate basically just keeps your interest unchanged for a set window, so your budget stops wobbling.  The idea might feel a little bit old-fashioned, but it definitely makes your finances easier to manage since all your outgoings hold steady while you settle. Lenders call that window the fixed rate period and they

What Happens to My ISA If I Move Abroad from the UK

What Happens to My ISA If I Move Abroad from the UK?

When you’re thinking about moving abroad, your bank accounts and your bills are usually top of mind, but what about your ISA? A lot of UK residents with Individual Savings Accounts assume the tax-free wrapper just follows them wherever they go. But the rules are a bit tighter in practice, so you’ll want to know exactly how those accounts behave to avoid tax complications later if you’re planning to become a non-UK resident. Let’s go through it step by step.

What is a Stocks-and-Shares ISA? Can I Use it to Buy a House?

When people start planning a move abroad, money management becomes a much bigger deal than it feels when life is ticking along in the UK. One of the most common questions is about ISAs, and specifically whether a stocks and shares ISA can be used to help buy property.  But to answer that, you need to understand what an ISA really is, as well as how the different types work and where the rules tighten when it comes to property

What is a Stocks-and-Shares ISA? Can I Use it to Buy a House?

When people start planning a move abroad, money management becomes a much bigger deal than it feels when life is ticking along in the UK. One of the most common questions is about ISAs, and specifically whether a stocks and shares ISA can be used to help buy property.  But to answer that, you need to understand what an ISA really is, as well as how the different types work and where the rules tighten when it comes to property

Spain, Sunshine, and… Insurance? A No-Nonsense Chat Before You Move

So, the decision is made. You’re trading in the grey British skies for Spanish sunshine. You can practically taste the sangria and feel the warmth on your skin. It’s going to be amazing. But then, usually late at night, the boring-but-important stuff starts to creep in. What about banking? What about taxes? And the big one: what on earth do I do about my life and health insurance? Let’s be honest, it’s the least exciting part of moving abroad, but

The Expat’s Guide to Not Messing Up Your Insurance

So, you’re doing it. You’re actually moving abroad. The leaving party is booked, you’ve started strategically packing boxes (read: hiding stuff you don’t want to deal with yet), and you’re spending way too much time looking at weather forecasts for your new home. It’s a whirlwind of excitement, chaos, and that one nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach… the ‘life admin’ feeling. Among the joys of redirecting mail and figuring out if your cat needs a passport, lies

Debt Collection Abroad: What Happens to Your Debts Abroad?

It’s easy for us to feel like when we move countries and our life resets, that our debts back home are just no longer an issue. Unfortunately, that’s not exactly how it works. Your debt obligations travel with you. Think of relocation as just changing the stage rather than the script. Your lenders still want repayment. So, what happens? The Short Answer Leaving Australia doesn’t erase what you owe. There’s a good chance that the creditor may keep contacting you

How to Save for a Mortgage: 10 Expert Tips

You want a place to call your own, and fortunately, the path to get there is directly through habits you control. This guide shows you how to save for a mortgage without turning life into a grind. Start With the Destination Before we get any further, we’d suggest working out your target home deposit and timeline before you even start saving. So this means picking a price bracket that suits your income, then translating that into a house deposit figure. 

How to Save for a Home Deposit: 8 Top Tips

Buying your first place feels big, but the path gets clearer once you run the numbers. Most banks want a home loan deposit between 5 and 20%. And the purchase price sets the target.  If you’re looking at a $700,000 property, a 10% deposit comes to $70,000, plus everything from stamp duty to legal fees and other upfront costs that hit before settlement. After you move in, ongoing costs like rates and insurance keep ticking, so plan for those too.

How to Choose & Apply for a New Immigrant Mortgage 2025

From working out residency status to juggling loan terms, it helps to know what comes next when you’re searching for a mortgage. If you’re a new immigrant mortgage seeker, this guide explains each step of the journey.  By the time you finish, you’ll have a clear path toward a home purchase – even if you’re still sorting visa type details. Know Your Residency Status First, check your visa status. Visa holders face different lending criteria than permanent resident applicants –

What is “Maximum Loan-to-Value” in the UK?

When you start shopping for a home loan, you’ll bump into the term “maximum loan-to-value” a few times. It shows up on lender fact sheets and in conversations with brokers, but what does it actually mean? It’s basically the highest loan amount a lender will offer relative to a property’s purchase price or market value. So it helps you plan your deposit and know all your upfront costs if you understand that number from the start. Common Misconceptions and Myths

Can Expats Buy Property in Australia?

The answer is yes – but it comes with conditions. Australia’s government welcomes foreign investment in property, but it regulates it carefully. Expats (meaning foreign nationals who aren’t Australian citizens or permanent residents) can purchase Australian property, but they face extra: Who Is a Foreign Buyer in Australia? In Australia, the law uses the term “foreign person” to classify who needs special approval to buy property. If you are an Australian citizen or hold permanent residency, you’re not considered a

Spain Expat Property Tax: Everything You Need to Know

You’ve undoubtedly got this idyllic image of Spain in your head that’s led you to wanting to get a property there in the first place.  It’s not fun to talk about, but unfortunately there are a bunch of Spanish tax rules and bureaucracy to handle before you get there. Any expat needs to understand these before committing and moving abroad.  From property tax in Spain to wealth tax and capital gains, there’s quite a lot to unpack here. But we’re

What Is a Good Capital Rate for Investment Property?

When you first dive into real estate investment, you’ll hear about the capitalization rate again and again. It’s a simple concept on the surface, but it’s one of those things that encompasses a bunch of different factors, like: So you’re not exactly alone if you’ve ever asked yourself “what is a good capital rate for investment property.” Let’s break it down now: Grasping the Capitalization Rate At its core, the capitalization rate – or cap rate – is just the

Mortgage Guide for First Home Buyers: Everything You Need to Know

Are you looking to buy your first home in Australia? We appreciate that while this is obviously a very exciting journey, you’ll undoubtedly have your fair share of questions. Will you qualify? What grants exist? How do you navigate the jargon?  We get it. It’s a lot. But hopefully you’ll have a much clearer understanding of what you need to do by the end of this article. Understanding Your Starting Point The first thing that you’re probably asking yourself is

What Are The Cheapest Mortgage Rates in Europe?

If you’re an Australian thinking about buying property overseas, you might be surprised to learn that some of the cheapest mortgage rates in Europe are lower than what you’d find back home.  European Mortgage Rates at a Glance There’s no single “European” mortgage rate because it differs by country. The average mortgage interest rate across the euro area is roughly 3.30%. But individual countries deviate a lot from that average.  To put these numbers in perspective, let’s compare them to

How to Buy Property in Greece as a Non-Resident

Have you been dreaming of a villa or a holiday home by the Mediterranean? We certainly don’t blame you. But how to buy property in Greece as a foreigner? The good news is Greece joined the European Union in 1981, so it uses the Euro and familiar laws.  Greece is not going to blow you away in terms of heat (as it might if you were moving from, say, the United Kingdom), but plenty of Aussies are still drawn here

Big Bank vs Small Lender Mortgage: Everything You Need To Know

Are you struggling to decide whether you want to go to a big bank or a small lender to get your mortgage? We’d totally get why you’d think about just going to a big bank. There’s familiarity and some level of reliability that you might not be sure you’re getting with a small lender.  That said, this process is more about finding someone who’s going to match your priorities – that could be: Fortunately, both the traditional giants and fairly

The Ultimate Moving Abroad Checklist – Everything You Need

Moving overseas – especially if you’re going to somewhere that doesn’t speak the same language as you – can be pretty anxiety inducing. Even if you’re mostly excited about it, you’d have to agree it’s like stepping into the unknown.  You’ll quickly see how there’s way more to the whole process than just booking your flight when you’re getting ready to leave your home country. That includes gathering a range of important documents and setting up a new bank account.

Moving Abroad From UK – Advice and Tips

Ever dreamt of moving away from the UK? We totally get it. Even the summers here rarely get above 20 something degrees, so we don’t blame you for wanting to go somewhere with nicer weather. On the other hand, you might be looking for new work abroad opportunities. And if nothing else, there’s nothing wrong with just wanting to experience life beyond your home country. So making the leap to relocate is obviously quite exciting, but it’s definitely not without

Buying A House Abroad – What You Need to Know

If you’re thinking about purchasing real estate in a foreign country you’re probably either looking to get your dream holiday home or just an investment property that’s got global potential.  That said, it’s not exactly an easy process. Some countries are worse than others, but depending on where you go it’s not always so simple – buying property overseas comes with unique challenges that don’t apply back home.  So, we’ve put together a few tips to help you make informed

How to Buy Property in France as a Non-Resident

Wondering how to buy property in France as a non-resident? Australian citizens (or any other non-residents) don’t actually face any special restrictions – you can purchase French real estate with essentially the same rights as French citizens.  So foreign buyers can have full property ownership rights and can invest in French real estate just as locals do. That said, being a non EU citizen does mean you have a few extra steps you need to think about, like visa rules

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