James Morgan has been writing about UK property and mortgages since 2016. He covers the full purchase journey — affordability checks, mortgage product comparison, the deposit and loan-to-value puzzle, stamp duty (SDLT in England and Northern Ireland, LBTT in Scotland, LTT in Wales), first-time buyer reliefs, conveyancing costs, and what to expect at completion. James also writes on the landlord side: buy-to-let mortgages, the 3% additional-property SDLT surcharge, Section 24 finance-cost restriction, rental yield maths, and the practical realities of being a small private landlord in the post-2017 tax regime. He has a particular interest in the remortgage decision — when to switch product, the trade-off between rate and arrangement fee, early repayment charges, and how to read a mortgage offer document. James's mortgage worked examples are built up from the underlying amortisation schedule, not borrowed from comparison sites, and stamp-duty figures are verified band-by-band against the HMRC SDLT calculator. He writes to CalcHub's editorial standards, with primary-source citations to HMRC, Revenue Scotland and the Welsh Revenue Authority, and clear disclosure that CalcHub does not sell mortgages or take affiliate commission on regulated mortgage products.
Selling a second home or BTL property in the UK? You pay CGT at 18% or 24% on the gain, after the £3,000 annual exemption. Plus the 60-day reporting rule. Worked examples
Buying a second home or buy-to-let in England or NI? You pay a 5% SDLT surcharge on top of standard rates (raised from 3% in October 2024). Worked examples on £200k-£500k properties
After Section 24, the 5% SDLT surcharge, higher mortgage rates and 18%/24% CGT, UK buy-to-let returns in 2026 look very different to 2010. Here's the honest profitability picture with worked numbers
At 4.5% mortgage rates and 6% expected long-run equity returns, mortgage overpayment vs investing is closer than ever. Here's the maths on £200/month — and the behavioural factors that often matter more
With UK base rate at 4.25% in May 2026, is a 2-year fix or a 5-year fix the better bet? Full numbers on a £250,000 mortgage including break-even rate scenarios, ERC risks and remortgage costs.
Direct buy-to-let or a UK REIT inside an ISA? Section 24, 5% SDLT surcharge, 24% CGT and management hassle versus PID dividends, no SDLT and full ISA shelter. Worked example on £200k.
Crystallise crypto losses to offset gains and shrink your Capital Gains Tax bill. With the CGT annual exempt amount cut to £3,000 in 2025/26, harvesting losses against share or property gains can save £720 (basic rate) or £1,440 (higher rate).
HMRC has sent you a new tax code on a P2 Coding Notice — here is what every line means, why your code changed, the 7 most common reasons, and how to challenge a wrong code in 2025/26.
The triple lock will lift the State Pension in April 2026 by the highest of CPI, wage growth or 2.5%. Full forecast of the new weekly rate, annual uplift, and what it means for retirees.
On a £40,000 UK salary, most lenders will offer between £160,000 and £180,000 — but joint applications, debt, and rate stress tests can shift that by £50,000 either way. Here's the maths.
The Bank of England's MPC has held the base rate at 4.25% in May 2026. Here's what it means for trackers, SVRs, fixed-rate remortgages, and savings — with numbers on a £200k mortgage.
Beyond the deposit, a UK first-time buyer in 2026 typically spends £4,000–£8,000 in fees, surveys, taxes and moving costs. Here's the full itemised list with realistic numbers on a £250k purchase.
How much stamp duty (SDLT, LBTT, LTT) you pay on a £300,000 home varies by hundreds of pounds across the UK nations. Full comparison for first-time buyers, home-movers and second-home purchasers in 2026.
Part 4 of our Spring Budget 2026 deep-dive — SDLT thresholds, first-time buyer relief, second-home surcharges, the housing market response and what it means for buyers, sellers and landlords.