What is a mortgage broker?
A mortgage broker is sometimes considered a middle man who brokers loans in favour of people or businesses. The purpose of mortgage brokers is to look for banks or direct lenders that will willingly provide the specific loan an individual would need.
Finding a good deal for a mortgage loan in Greenwich will be easier if you work with a mortgage broker. Even with complicated circumstances or a poor credit score, the ideal mortgage broker will boost your chances of getting a mortgage.
Professional mortgage brokers are bound under strict regulations and required to comply with banking and finance laws in the customer’s jurisdiction, so, you don’t have to worry about being in the wrong hands.
Handy Tools and Calculators
Knowing how much you can borrow – as well as the cost of the loan – will help make planning your future easier. Take advantage of this handy calculator to determine exactly how much your mortgage repayments will be, based on your total loan figure and interest rate. Simply fill in the values plus your term and press ‘Click to calculate’ to immediately discover the amount you must repay monthly.
Why Use A Mortgage Broker?
In Greenwich, working with a mortgage broker on your mortgage application is beneficial in a number of ways. Some of the more obvious benefits include:
Save Money
In working with a mortgage broker, the most noticeable benefit would be the opportunity to save money. You don’t have to handle the hard work, as this can be managed by an expert with ample experience, who will make sure your best interests are addressed. All you’ll need to do is fill out some details.
For some people, there are doubts regarding this, mostly because mortgage brokers are not fully understood worldwide, so it’s generally thought there must be some sort of catch. As understandable as such thoughts are, it’s important to understand that mortgage brokers have nothing to gain by not working in your best interests.
The broker could actually be at a disadvantage if they cannot prove to you, their regulators, the Financial Conduct Authority or the Prudent Regulation Authority why they made the recommendations in respect of the mortgage in question. Exclusive mortgages deals exist on the lower end that can be obtained by a number of mortgage brokers, possibly making the total cost of the loan that bit lower. Detailing the entire cost of the loan and letting you know how they get paid for their services is the duty of any reputable broker. For a mortgage advisor company, a positive user experience is higher on the value chain than lining the pockets of an individual broker.
Finds The Most Advantageous Deal
Your interests – and not those of the lending institution – will be represented by the mortgage broker. They shouldn’t just play the role of your agent, but also those of problem solver and knowledgeable consultant. With access to a wide range of mortgage products, a broker can offer you the greatest value in terms of interest rates, repayment amounts, and loan products. Mortgage brokers will interview you to identify your needs, as well as short and long term goals. Amongst the benefits of working with experienced mortgage brokers are innovative mortgages and sophisticated solutions, because regular 15 or 30-year mortgages aren’t usually sufficient. These include money for children or carrying out much needed renovations, mortgages to raise capital for repaying debts or even money to buy other properties like buy to lets.
Has Flexibility Expertise to Meet Your Needs
A mortgage broker navigates the client through any situation, handling the process and smoothing any bumps in the road along the way. For instance, a broker will have knowledge of the lenders who offer the best products to meet the needs of a client with a credit issue. A broker will be beneficial in providing the necessary knowledge to source financing if a borrower requires a loan that’s larger than the bank would normally approve.
Save Time & Hassle
It isn’t only about money. Your time and sanity are just as important as saving some extra money. Take into consideration the time you would need to research different kinds of loans from multiple lenders. With a mortgage broker, you’ll only need one application, rather than completing forms for each individual lender. A formal comparison of the recommended loans can be made available by your broker to provide information that would clearly show the differences in cost, including current rates and the costs of closing each of the loans. Comparisons will be made by your broker between popular and less popular lenders to get you the most suitable deal, with lower rates and total cost.
By outsourcing, you can reduce the workload and get someone else’s professional advice. A mortgage broker can do a lot of the work by providing you with support throughout the application and approval process. This might involve completing all paperwork, helping you with applications to government schemes, answering questions and explaining the options and loan features, about which you may not have been aware. A few of the features may include options to make extra repayments, as well as drawdown facilities and offset accounts. These features can make a massive difference to your mortgage experience and overall costs. If you’re unfamiliar with these concepts and how they might affect you, your broker can clarify and answer any questions via a phone call.
Access to exclusive non-advertised deals
There are exclusive deals not made public by the banks that brokers have access to. The brokers are charged with selling the products, as the deals are pushed on to them by the banks. If you contact the bank yourself, you wouldn’t have access to the extra benefits you would otherwise get by speaking to a broker.
Brokers can search the whole market for the finest deal, whereas individual banks can only offer their own deals and not those of other banks.
Better chance of pre-approval success
A mark is left on your credit rating if your request for an Agreement in principle/Decision in principle of a loan is turned down. You’ll need the necessary knowledge and experience a broker has to secure approval on your first attempt.
Access to expert knowledge
A mortgage broker’s job is to help people obtain loans. Helpful information and exclusive deals you won’t find yourself are accessible to them. Loans are attached to subtleties you could easily overlook if you aren’t searching for them. In the long run, subtleties like these are significant to your mortgage. Having the services of an experienced professional who can point these out for you is a huge benefit.
Rather than putting time aside to research thousands of loans and several lenders – and still possibly miss important subtleties – why not let someone else who has industry experience handle the work? The same way you would contact a plumber to fix a leaking pipe or a hairdresser to work on damaged hair, contacting a mortgage broker is an ideal option for your home loan needs.
Contact the Mortgage Saving Experts in Horsell. You can reach us by dialling 01273 738 072 today for a friendly chat.
About Mortgage Saving Experts
Mortgages and insurance are not as complicated as they might first seem. For this reason, it’s necessary to find an honest and knowledgeable adviser, with ample experience. Our mortgage savings experts will ease the process for you and make it as simple as possible. After all, why make everything more stressful than it ought to be? Let us make everything easy for you and ensure you get the best possible deal.
Mortgage Saving Experts provide our clients with honest and transparent services that leave you feeling mortgages and insurance are less complicated than they first appear. All mortgage and insurance applications are handled like they’re our own at Mortgage Savings Experts. This is what we’re all about. It doesn’t matter what the situation is – whether you’re a first-time buyer, a landlord, re-mortgaging or moving on to a new phase altogether – Mortgage Saving Experts are here to help. Providing help is why we’re here! Basically “Take 15 minutes to talk to 1 adviser and find out about 1000s of mortgage deals.”
Our Team of Greenwich Mortgage Experts
Because we’re regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), we strive to get you the best possible deal on the market. We are required to justify our reasons for making the mortgage recommendations we do to both you and our regulators, so you can understand why you have the mortgage you have.
“Down to Earth Mortgage”
We are an honest team of mortgage insurance experts, who are enthusiastic, passionate and widely experienced.
Our mortgage and insurance experts pride themselves on listening to what your current and future objectives are. These goals will be achieved when we work with you intently.
Why chose Mortgage Saving Experts?
After taking out a mortgage, you’ll get an initial rate for the first couple of years. At the end of this initial rate, this returns to the lender’s variable rate. Three months before this rate is up for renewal, our team will contact you again to put a new deal in place before your rate and monthly payments increase. Included below are the plus points of working with us:
- You’ll save some money, as the deal you get is better than the bank variable rate.
- We will help you keep abreast of the expiry dates for deals, so you won’t have to worry.
- We can take care of the hard work for you while you relax.
- We know our business, so you’ll only be advised by qualified mortgage experts.
- We undertake comparisons and then advise and arrange the best mortgage for you, choosing from thousands of deals.
- You’ll receive expert advice and support throughout the entire mortgage process.
Our Approach to Mortgage Advice
The services we offer are personalised and take into account your unique needs. Three simple steps are taken in our approach to mortgage advice:
- Let’s have an Initial Chat, so we can get to know You and What Your Requirements Are
- We Search the Entire Market to Find the Best Deal for You
- We’ll Present you with the Cheapest and best Deals Available for Both Mortgages and Insurance Cover
How Mortgage Saving Expert Brokers Can Help you:
What makes our services superior to those of other mortgage brokers in Greenwich includes:
- Learn about your situation and needs via fact-finding.
- Spell out the costs buying and selling involves.
- Request all documents related to the application.
- Recommend and explain all about the prospective mortgage.
- Proffer replies to any questions you might have.
- Collect an agreement in principle.
- Submit your full mortgage application.
- Communicate with your solicitor, mortgage lender and estate agent to respond to any questions through to completion.
Mortgage Types We Provide Expert Advice On
We advise expertly on a vast selection of mortgage products. Working together with us, finding the most suitable mortgage product to suit your needs won’t be difficult at all. Mortgage types that we’re frequently asked to handle include:
First time buyers
Most mortgage lenders put people in the First Time Buyers category if they have either:
- Never owned a property or
- People who have owned a property in the past, but not owned one for six months or more.
Different lenders have different ideas and rules regarding this. There usually are no issues in being a First Time Buyer. In order to qualify for stamp duty relief, it’s necessary for First time Buyers to have never been property owners before; this applies anywhere in the world.
Mortgage processes may look tough to negotiate, but they really don’t need to be. The prospect of buying your first home comes with a lot of excitement, so if you manage to find a competent broker who can oversee the process at a reasonable price, then go right ahead. The reason you should use one is fairly obvious. If you have no knowledge about cars and yours develops a fault, you would call a mechanic rather than attempt to fix it yourself. The same applies to mortgages. Mortgage brokers can help you save money, time and effort, so why don’t you use one? There are no charges for the initial consultation.
Buying a home
You should brush up your knowledge of mortgages if a home purchase is a viable option for you any time soon (or a few years down the line). Get to know what to do before your mortgage application, during the application process itself and the way in which to use it after buying the property. If you would rather not take this approach, then instead contact an adviser, who will be able to walk you through the process.
Your credit is vital.
A mortgage is of major importance. Since the subprime mortgage crisis in 2008, banks have trodden more carefully in terms of risking money up front. For mortgage eligibility, good credit helps, but isn’t vital. We can also provide guidance about the amount you can afford to pay for your new home and what should be your maximum offer, based on your current circumstances. We won’t just facilitate the purchase your dream home, we will also help you fund it with the lowest cost and most favourable mortgage deal on offer.
Re-mortgage your home
Simply put, all you’re doing with this is changing from one lender to another to get a better rate or cheaper deal. They don’t necessarily have to be paired together. Let me clarify this. It may seem unwise to pay an arrangement fee to another lender to get on a lower rate if you have a small mortgage. You may realise that it’s less expensive to go on a slightly higher rate than paying any lender an arrangement fee. It’s always best to speak with someone before deciding which deal to go for, as you don’t want to be caught out by being tied to a more expensive deal overall, even if the rate is much lower.
Pay close attention. A notable benefit of re-mortgaging is the absence of solicitors or valuation fees, even though some people are not eligible for this. The reason is that it is based on your disposition alone at the time of re-mortgaging. So, please ask your adviser about it.
Performing a re-mortgage in time is a practical way to reduce your mortgage costs significantly. Even though a re-mortgage deal is accompanied by various benefits, it might not the best choice for you, depending on your unique circumstances.
- Based on your specific needs, such as…
- Mortgage debt isn’t considerable.
- There have been significant changes in financial disposition.
- Early repayment charge that’s costly.
- Home value reduced.
- You’re dealing with credit problems.
- Already on a suitable current rate.
- We will guide you when deciding to re-mortgage or not.
Buy to Let
A property purchased in order to be rented to tenants is a ‘buy to let’. According to the law, you cannot live in the property. You can purchase a buy to let property as a First Time Buyer, but you’ll be restricted to the number of available lenders, while extra checks will be made by the lender in such situations.
- There are a few things you may need to be aware of when purchasing a buy to let property.
- The amount of rental income you receive more or less affects how the loan amount you’re able to borrow.
- Other than your regular stamp duty, you will have to pay an extra 3% stamp duty on top.
- You’ll still have to pay the extra 3% of the purchase price, even if the property isn’t valued as it should be for the stamp duty to be liable.
TIP: You should ask your solicitor/conveyancer to figure out how much you must pay when considering buying a second property. A knowledgeable adviser will help find the right mortgage to suit your requirements by asking you the relevant questions. Get in touch with our advisers to see if you’re eligible.
How Much Do Mortgage Brokers Charge?
Many mortgage brokers are paid commission from lenders, which represents a percentage of your mortgage loan. While the figure varies widely, it is generally set at around 0.33%, depending on the type of mortgage you require. For example, this could be a residential mortgage or buy to let and would take into account whether you’ve had any credit troubles recently. Most independent brokers charge a flat fee, which is typically around £500. Remember to ask brokers how they want to be paid. They should be honest and up front, telling you the amount owed and the fee structure they have in place.
For our fee structure, we charge clients £695; any commission we receive from mortgage lenders is subtracted from that figure If we are paid a commission less than £695, the client is then asked to pay the necessary difference to top it up to £695. For example, if we received a commission of £495, we would then ask you for a fee of £200 which is payable on production of your mortgage offer, so we are only paid on results.
How Much Can I Borrow?
This is based on a number of factors, such as the amount you deposit, your income, the number of children you have, and any current debts you might have. What determines the amount a lender will agree to lend is a full affordability assessment. This will help them understand your loan or credit commitments, as well as income and everyday household expenses. In addition, they also perform a credit check to make sure your credit rating is suitable for mortgage purposes.
To be sure of how much you can borrow, obtain a decision in principle, prior to completing a full application. Arrange for an appointment with one of our certified mortgage experts today. We can provide an initial estimate, without the need for any credit checks to begin with.
The Latest Best Mortgage Rates
Our services are available whether you want to re-mortgage, move home, purchase a buy to let or procure a first-time buyer mortgage. We compare thousands of the latest mortgage deals, so you can find the one you’re after.
Request a free quote from Mortgage Saving Experts, your Greenwich Expert Mortgage Broker
What Our clients say About us
We have a list of clients in Greenwich that is both lengthy and diverse. If you doubt that we are the professionals most capable of finding you the best mortgage deal in Greenwich at the lowest price, check out what some of our customers have to say about their experience with us. For a first-hand experience of just how amazing our services are, give us a call today.
Latest Mortgage News
The more information available to you when trying to secure the best mortgage deal, the more advantages you’ll enjoy. To provide insight and help you get started, find recent news on mortgages below.
Mortgage Regulatory Information
The majority of mortgages in the UK are made available by banks, building societies and specialised mortgage lenders. In total, there are roughly 200 financial institutions that provide mortgages in Britain, even though the biggest share of the market is owned by Lloyds Banking Group and Nationwide Building Society.
Even with regulations in the UK that closely guide banks and building societies, a regulatory scheme was set up just for mortgages (as a result of the Financial Services Act 2000) by the FCA (the former Financial Services Authority).
The FCA monitors the professional conduct of mortgage providers. Tough rules are in place concerning checks that ensure customers are fairly treated in terms of contracts for financial services, as well as misleading and unfair adverts and promotions. Regulations were originally set out in the rules for Mortgage Conduct of Business (MCOB), but these were overhauled as a result of the FCA Mortgage Market Review (MMR) in 2014.
In terms of their financial conduct, organisations collecting deposits in the UK fall under the Prudential Regulation Authority, the FCA’s sister organisation.
They ensure firms have adequate capital levels to balance out their lending risks. The first step in tackling any issue you have with regards your mortgage provider is to take it up with them. If you think it hasn’t been sorted out satisfactorily, you can take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service if necessary. Some mortgages are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority such as moist Buy to Let mortgages and if you make a complaint about these you are unable to take these to the Financial Ombudsman Service Get in contact with the Mortgage Saving Experts in Greenwich. You can reach them by dialling 01273 738 072 today for a friendly chat.
What to Ask Your Greenwich Mortgage Broker?
What happens if you don’t respond to my messages within that timeframe?
How quickly will you respond to my messages?
How much hand-holding is involved during the buying process?
Why should I choose you rather than another broker?
- “Why exactly are you the best?”
- “In what way do you deliver great service?”
What sort of clients do you specialise in?
What will the true cost of my home loan be?
How much can I borrow?
How many loans have you written during that time?
How much experience do you have?
Get in contact with the Mortgage Saving Experts in Horsell. You can reach them by dialling 01273 738 072 today for a friendly chat.
Other Areas We Cover
- Mortgage Brokers in Friern-Barnet, London
- Mortgage Brokers in Fulham, London
- Mortgage Brokers in Gants-Hill, London
- Mortgage Brokers in Golders-Green, London
- Mortgage Brokers in Greater-London, London
- Mortgage Brokers in Gunnersbury, London
- Mortgage Brokers in Hackbridge, London
- Mortgage Brokers in Hackney-Marshes, London
- Mortgage Brokers in Hackney-Wick, London
- Mortgage Brokers in Hackney, London
