Year: 2019

Moving forward to the challenges ahead… and Happy Christmas!

This time last year, I was predicting that we’d have got over the shenanigans of Brexit and be moving forward in to the unknown, yet positive, challenges that lie ahead. How we can be no further forward still is beyond me. But at the same time, I can’t believe the year has gone and I’m […]

Which mortgage calculator do you use?

There is a wide range of mortgage calculators and affordability calculations available which will help you to find out ‘How much can you borrow?’. However, the only true response will be from the lender and normally only once they have carried out a credit search and reviewed your credit score. Only a few years ago, […]

Lenders to help those classed as ‘mortgage prisoners’

The Financial Conduct Authority recently issued its statement around those it considers to be a ‘mortgage prisoner’. It is estimated that around 140,000 people with mortgages are currently classed as mortgage prisoners (although some have quoted this to be as high as 500,000).  This means that the customer could be with a lender who is no […]

Complex deals are considered depending on the clients scenario

Actually placing a mortgage with a lender is not normally difficult. The hardest part, in the recent climate, is getting the mortgage through to completion! However, a number of lenders are happy to think outside the box and take a manual approach to lending.  One recent example was with the Harpenden Building Society who helped complete […]

Your mortgage broker should ‘get to know you’…

Arranging a mortgage can take time.  But actually, the process, regardless of whether you are a first time buyer, home mover or simply re-mortgaging, will be roughly the same.  On any new purchase, the selling agent will seek to agree a number of deadlines with you, including the arrangement of mortgage finance. At this point […]

Don’t be pressured to make a mortgage decision!

Some mortgage lenders are sending out letters to those coming to the end of their product term offering them new rates, but giving them a time deadline in which to switch.  We had one customer recently who was four months out from their current rate changing from a fixed rate and moving on to the […]

Don’t be loyal to your current mortgage provider when rates are so low, think of number one!

It really appears to be a race to the bottom!  In the last few weeks, we’ve seen five year fixed rates available from 1.45% and two year fixed rates starting from just 1.19%.  Obviously, terms and conditions apply based on individual circumstances, but if you’re looking to change your current mortgage, use the uncertainty across […]

Buying at Auction, with short term finance

Auction purchases can be a great way of buying properties at a discount and potentially achieving quick equity growth. Typically, a property will be listed via an auction because it may be uninhabitable (think no kitchen or bathroom) or it may be that the vendors need to realise sale funds quickly and are prepared to […]

Buy to Let trends and Landlord confidence

At the Property Investor and Homebuyers show at the London ExCel last weekend, it was a great opportunity to talk to professional landlords, as well as those looking to take their first steps onto the Buy to Let sector ladder. With many changes and increases in taxation on profits being recently introduced along with licence […]