Released on = May 15, 2007, 1:01 am

Press Release Author = Charlotte Burrows

Industry = Real Estate

Press Release Summary = Concerns that British homeowners are increasingly vulnerable
to further rises in interest rates has led HSBC, the UK\'s biggest bank, to tighten
its lending criteria says National Homebuyers.

Press Release Body = UK fast purchase property firm National Homebuyers says it
welcomes plans from HSBC to review its lending criteria. The trend in recent years
has been for banks and building societies to relax spending conditions, yet HSBC has
announced it is to increase the minimum proportion of the value of a home required
to be paid as a deposit in order for a mortgage to be approved.

National Homebuyers\' director, Julian King, says: \"We understand that existing
homeowners will now be required to find a ten per cent deposit in order to purchase
a home - up from five per cent.\"

National Homebuyers is the UK\'s leading provider of fast house sale solutions. The
company has been receiving increasing volumes of enquiries from homeowners worried
about the effect of being able to borrow more than is practical.

Meanwhile, first time buyers - who had previously been able to take out a 100 per
cent home loan - will now have to pay a deposit of five per cent.

\"This is a significant move,\" Simon Tyler, of brokers Chase de Vere Mortgage
Management, told the Times.

\"All we have seen recently is lenders relaxing their criteria, but HSBC is obviously
worried that the recent interest-rate rises will have an impact on the housing
market.

\"It is trying to protect itself in case an increasing number of borrowers struggle
to meet their mortgage payments and prices do fall in some areas.\"

For further information on a quick house sale or to release equity in your home,
please contact National Homebuyers on 0870 979 8118 or visit
www.nationalhomebuyers.co.uk.

Web Site = http://www.nationalhomebuyers.co.uk

Contact Details = Sterling House