The Intermediary – February 2025 - Flipbook - Page 3
From the editor. . .
S
peak to anyone, in your work or
personal life, and they will likely
express the sentiment that January
2025 seemed to see us enter a time
warp – and not the fun ‘Rocky
Horror Picture Show’ kind – whereby
the month seemed to last about 12 weeks.
We’ve finally got into February, and as I find
has increasingly become the case since turning
30 – how long ago, I won’t tell – I fully expect the
year to start hurtling into overdrive, and it will
be autumn before we’ve blinked.
So, I’d like to take a moment before the
catapult snaps into action, to stop and smell
the roses. February is a special month at The
Intermediary, as it is a birthday of sorts. Two
years ago this month, we launched the very print
magazine you are reading now.
It was an odd time to be starting a print
magazine. ‘Print is dead!’ they told us. ‘What
are you thinking?’ they asked. We knew what
we were doing, however, and ploughed through
despite the naysayers. There is an appetite in
this market for the printed word when done
right. It is one that doesn’t seem to be abating,
even as younger generations – supposedly all
about TikTok and speed consumption of media –
trickle in and take up greater market share.
In a world where everyone and their dog
can shout on social media, and when many
publishers are scaling back anything that isn’t
simply focused on generating clicks, clicks,
clicks, the curated print experience stands quite
tall, as it turns out. Who knew? Well, we did.
www.theintermediary.co.uk
www.uk.linkedin.com/company/the-intermediary
We work hard on our digital media, to the
minute news coverage on the site, social media
presence, and all the other trappings of modern
journalism. Nevertheless, amid all this, what
we’ve found is that you the reader truly values
the different, more in-depth, and – at the risk of
raising a few sardonic eyebrows – more mindful
experience of reading a magazine.
Two years ago this mag started with a vision
– high quality, no compromise, glossy finish
(literally and figuratively), and, you may have
noticed, really cool covers. I look at us now, the
only monthly print magazine le in the market,
and not only that, but thriving, and I think even
my British sensibilities can stand a moment of
unabashed pride at what we’ve achieved.
Enough about us! We are out of the endless
January malaise and well and truly into 2025.
This year has started strong, with heightened
activity and a Base Rate cut to boot. There may
be turbulence ahead, though. Our feature
this month explores the potential impact of
impending Stamp Duty changes – one of a
number of factors that could sow disarray.
As the market looks ahead to 2025, buoyed
by a sense of optimism that the UK could be set
for greater stability, just like mortgage brokers
and lenders we are excited for yet another year
of doing what we do best. There may be more
shocks on the horizon, but we look forward to
being with you every step of the way. ●
Jessica Bird
@jess_jbird
@IntermediaryUK
Contributors
The Team
www.facebook.com/IntermediaryUK
OPINION Expert insight
across residential, buy-to-let,
specialist finance, and more
Q&A Ivan Vizor on getting
the most from the UK
Mortgage Convention
INTERVIEW Equifinance’s
outlook for second charge
growth in 2025
The
Intermediary.
www.theintermediary.co.uk | Issue 25 | February 2025 | £6
Jessica Bird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing Editor
Jessica O’Connor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Senior Reporter
Marvin Onumonu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reporter
Zarah Choudhary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reporter
editorial@theintermediary.co.uk
Stephen Watson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BDM
stephen@theintermediary.co.uk
Brian West . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sales Director (Interim)
brian@theintermediary.co.uk
Ryan Fowler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publisher
Felix Blakeston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Publisher
Helen Thorne
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accounts
fi nance@theintermediary.co.uk
Orson McAleer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Designer
Bryan Hay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Editor
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ON THE
PRECIPICE
How Stamp Duty changes
are shaping the housing market
Copyright © 2025 The Intermediary
Cover illustration by Ed Wishewsky
Cartoons by Fergus Boylan
Printed by Pensord Press
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February 2025 | The Intermediary
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