What is a mortgage broker
A mortgage broker represents individuals or companies looking to broker mortgage loans. Mortgage brokers function to find banks or lenders that will willingly make the exact loan an individual requires. If you work with a mortgage broker in Trumps-Green, it won’t be so difficult to get a great deal on the mortgage loan you require. If you have a poor credit score or any other problems that could have an impact on your mortgage application, the right mortgage broker can increase your chances immeasurably.
Because professional mortgage brokers are regulated to assure compliance with banking and financial laws in the jurisdiction of the consumer, you can be assured you’re in good hands.
What Is A Mortgage?
A mortgage is simply a loan. Quite unlike personal loans however, a mortgage is used as guarantee against a loan, because it is linked to a piece of property. Failure to pay when due can result in your mortgage provider taking back (repossessing) the property, as would be their legal right.
Mortgages are usually set for a set period of 25 years, but can sometimes be set for longer or shorter terms. As soon as you borrow the money, a plan for repayment is implemented. Even though the available mortgage plans vary, those that involve repayment plans on a monthly capital basis are very popular.
You will be required to pay interest on the loan A mortgage is a debt instrument, secured by the collateral of a specified property that the borrower is obliged to pay back via a predetermined set of payments. Mortgages allow individuals and businesses to purchase sizable properties, without paying the entire cost at once. The loan and interest attached needs to be paid back over some years before the borrower can own the property without a mortgage. The lender can repossess the property against which the mortgage is secured if the borrower does not keep up with mortgage payments.
If the home buyer does not keep up with mortgage payments, the lender can take the property back, as there are bank charges against it. The home’s tenants may be evicted by the bank, the property sold, and the equity used to clear the mortgage debt if there’s a repossession.
Mortgages come in many forms. Even though there are longer fixed rate mortgage terms available, the borrower would have to pay the same interest rate for the initial terms of two, three or five years. Monthly payments remain constant during the fixed rate term. If market interest rates rise, the borrower’s payment does not change on a fixed rate. An increase or decrease in the market interest rate will not affect the borrower’s mortgage repayments if they have a fixed rate.
When the fixed rate is over, your mortgage return to a ‘standard variable rate’, which is usually set by the bank or lender from whom you borrow the money. This rate can go up or down whenever the lender sees fit, so if you have a diligent broker or good diary system in place, remember to re-mortgage or call your existing lender and change the rate by looking around three months before that rate increases to the variable rate. This will save you paying much higher monthly payments.
In fact, the initial interest rate is usually a low rate, which can make a mortgage appear less expensive than it is. If interest rates rise later on, the monthly rates may become too high for the borrower to pay. Because the variable rates can change at any time, the monthly payments are unpredictable after the initial term.
Interest-only mortgages, tracker rates, offset mortgages, secured loans, buy to lets, and bridging loans are less-common types of mortgages that could be available, so contact an independent broker to discover your options. In Trumps-Green, our mortgage brokers can assist you in finding the ideal mortgage deal to match your unique circumstances and specifications.
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. Find out just how much your mortgage repayments are going to be, dependent on your interest rate and full loan amount, using this handy calculator. Just enter those values together with your term and press ‘Click to calculate’ to instantly see how much you’ll need to repay each month.
Why Use A Mortgage Broker?
There are a wide range of benefits to be enjoyed from working with a mortgage broker in Trumps-Green with regards your mortgage application. Of these benefits, some of the most evident include:
Save Money
The possibility of saving money is the most obvious advantage of working with a mortgage broker. You only need to provide a few details, before an experienced professional committed to protecting your interests handles the hard work.
Some people worry about how true this is, considering the entire idea of mortgage brokers is still misunderstood somewhat around the globe. So, where is the catch? Even though this line of thought is understandable, you can rest easy, because not working in your best interests is in no way profitable to a mortgage broker.
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 mortgage deals not found on the high street can be unearthed by many mortgage brokers, which could potentially cut the cost of the entire loan for the client. Reputable mortgage brokers communicate how they expect to be paid for their services, as well as outline the details of the entire loan. Filing the pockets of a broker is of little value to a mortgage advisor company when compared to making sure customers have a positive experience.
Finds The Most Advantageous Deal
For a mortgage broker, your interests – rather than those of the lending institution – are paramount. They should act not only as your agent, but also as a knowledgeable consultant and problem solver. A broker can offer the best value when it comes to repayment amounts, interest rates and loan products. This is because a large variety of mortgage products are accessible to them. You’ll be required to meet with the mortgage broker to document your needs, as well as your 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
Any problems that may arise can be dealt with by a mortgage broker, who will oversee the whole process, guiding the client through any situation along the way. For example, if borrowers face credit issues, the broker will know which lenders offer the best products to meet their particular needs. Borrowers who find they need larger loans than their bank will approve can also benefit from a broker’s knowledge and ability to successfully obtain financing.
Save Time & Hassle
It’s never just about money. As much as it’s important to save some extra money, your time and sanity are important as well. Imagine how much time it would take to find out about the numerous types of loans available from multiple lenders. You’d only need to complete one application with a mortgage broker, instead of filling out forms for every individual lender. The loans recommended can be formally compared for you buy your mortgage broker. This will serve as a guide to the information which correctly shows cost differences, with present rates, points and closing costs for each loan illustrated. Your broker will set deals from major and less popular lenders side by side in order to discover an agreeable deal, with rates and total costs that are lower.
You don’t have to burden yourself with all the work, as outsourcing is a viable option to take in order to gain expert advice. Mortgage brokers do the legwork for you by supporting you throughout the application and pre-approval process. This includes completing all paperwork, answering questions, helping you apply for government schemes and shedding light on options and loan features you may not have considered or even known about. These features can include drawdown facilities, the option to make extra repayments and offset accounts to name a few. Features like these can make a huge difference to your mortgage costs and overall experience. If you don’t know much about these concepts and how they can work for you, reach out to your broker over the phone for clarification and answers.
Access to exclusive non-advertised deals
Brokers have access to exclusive deals that aren’t advertised by the banks. The brokers are charged with selling the products, as the deals are pushed on to them by the banks. Going to the bank directly could cause you to miss out on added benefits such as these, which you can procure by speaking to a broker.
While banks can only provide their own deals (and not the deals offered by other banks), brokers can scour the entire market to discover the most suitable deal.
Better chance of pre-approval success
If you’re knocked back after requesting an Agreement in principle/Decision in principle of a loan, this will leave a mark against your credit rating. Brokers have the knowledge and experience required to give you the best shot at being approved at the first attempt.
Access to expert knowledge
Helping people secure loans is what mortgage brokers do for a living. Helpful information and exclusive deals you won’t find yourself are accessible to them. If you aren’t looking for them, you’re likely to miss the subtle details that come with loans. The difference to your mortgage could ultimately be made by these subtleties. Having the services of an experienced professional who can point these out for you is a huge benefit.
Rather than sacrifice a chunk of your day researching thousands of loans and lenders (and still potentially missing out on key subtleties), why not let someone with industry experience handle the work? For home loan requirements, a mortgage broker is the best ways to go, just as a hairdresser is for replenishing damaged hair and a plumber for fixing leaking pipes.
About Mortgage Saving Experts
Mortgages and insurance might seem really complicated at first, but they’re not. This is the reason you need to find a widely experienced, knowledgeable and honest adviser. Your entire journey can be made stress-free and simple by our mortgage savings experts. Why complicate things more than necessary, after all? Let us simplify everything for you and ensure we get the best deal possible.
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. At Mortgage Saving Experts, we treat each mortgage and insurance application as if it were our own. We’re all about this. 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. Assisting you is the reason we’re here! Essentially “Get information about 1000s of mortgage deals by taking 15 minutes to speak to 1 adviser.”
Our Team of Brighton Mortgage Experts
We make sure we help you get the best available deal the market can offer, as we are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). 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
Our team of mortgage insurance experts is made up of honest, passionate, enthusiastic and widely experienced individuals.
Our mortgage and insurance experts are particularly good at listening to your current and future goals. To achieve these objectives, we will then work hand in hand with you.
Why chose Mortgage Saving Experts?
When you take out a mortgage, you’ll be subject to an initial rate for the first few years. The rate is raised to the lender’s variable rate after the initial rate ends. You will be contacted by our team approximately three months prior to the renewal time to agree a new deal, before the monthly payment and rate are increased. Other benefits of working with us include:
- You can save extra cash, because you’ll get a preferable deal to the bank variable rate.
- You won’t have to remember when the deal is due to end, as we will do this for you.
- You can sit back and relax, while we do all the hard work for you.
- This is our area of expertise; you’ll always receive advice from a qualified mortgage expert.
- We compare thousands of deals, so can advise you accordingly and arrange the very best.
- You’ll be provided expert advice and support right through the mortgage process.
Our Approach to Mortgage Advice
We provide personalised services and pay attention to all your specific needs. Our approach to mortgage advice involves three simple steps:
- 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:
The things that make our services the best amongst mortgage brokers in Trumps-Green include:
- Get to determine your situation and requirements by fact-finding.
- Clarify the costs related to buying and selling.
- Request applicable documents to aid the application.
- Provide explanations and recommendations for the prospective mortgage.
- Respond to any questions you might have.
- An agreement in principle should be obtained.
- Send in your entire mortgage application.
- Work with your estate agent, solicitor and mortgage lender to answer any questions comprehensively.
Mortgage Types We Provide Expert Advice On
We dispense expert advice on a wide range of mortgage products. In choosing to work with our team, finding the ideal mortgage product to meet your needs will be relatively easy. Some of the most commonly requested mortgage types we help with include:
First time buyers
First Time Buyers are classed by most mortgage lenders as people who 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.
The ideas and rules differ from lender to lender. Normally, being a First Time Buyer is no issue. First Time Buyers must not have owned property anywhere in the world before to be eligible for stamp duty relief for stamp duty purposes.
The mortgaging process might appear to be challenging, but this isn’t necessarily so. Buying your first home can be exciting, so if you come across a suitable broker who can handle the process for you at a fair price, do take advantage of their expertise. Why you should use one is pretty obvious. Besides, if your car breaks down and you have no knowledge of cars, you wouldn’t attempt to fix it yourself; you would use the services of a mechanic. With mortgages, it is exactly the same. You can save on time, effort and even money with mortgage brokers, so you should use one. The initial consultation is free of charge.
Buying a home
If you’re considering a home purchase in the near future (or even within a few years, you should certainly brush up on your mortgage knowledge. Learn what to do before applying for a mortgage; what to watch for during the process; and how to use a mortgage after you’ve bought your home. 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 important.
A mortgage is a major issue. The banks risk a lot of money and have been increasingly cautious since the subprime mortgage crisis in 2008. Qualifying for a mortgage is boosted by good credit, but it isn’t compulsory. Depending on your present circumstances, we can be your guide on how much you can afford to pay for your new home and help set your cost limit. In addition to assisting you with the purchase of your dream home, we will also help with financing at minimum cost and the most agreeable mortgage available.
Re-mortgage your home
Basically, what you’re doing here is changing lenders to get a more suitable rate or cheaper deal. The two of them don’t have to go hand in hand. Let me make it clearer. If your mortgage is a small one, you might find that it isn’t profitable paying an arrangement fee to a lender to secure a lower rate. You might find it cheaper by going on a slightly higher rate and paying no arrangement fee to the lender at all. Even with a lower rate, you could end up having a costlier deal in total, which is why it’s always prudent to talk to someone before you make any decisions. Take extra caution.
One upside to re-mortgaging is that your usually not required to pay for valuation or solicitors fees, although some people don’t qualify for this. The reason is that it is based on your disposition alone at the time of re-mortgaging. So, please make enquiries with your adviser.
A re-mortgage completed on time is a smart way to significantly reduce the cost of your mortgage related bills. Although it can be a good thing – depending on your individual needs – a re-mortgage deal might not be the most suitable choice.
Reasons for remortgaging your property
- Depending on your unique needs, like…
- Mortgage debt is considerably small.
- There have been significant changes in financial disposition.
- Significant early repayment charge.
- A drop in the value of your home.
- You’re dealing with credit problems.
- Present rate is just fine.
- We will advise you whether to re-mortgage or not.
Buy to Let
‘Buy to let’ properties are those you wish to purchase and then rent to tenants. You aren’t allowed to live in the property by law. The number of available lenders will be restricted if you’re a First Time Buyer, purchasing a buy to let property. Also, extra checks are made by the lender in cases like these.
- There are some things you might want to know when purchasing a buy to let property.
- The loan amount you can borrow is dependent on how much rental income you receive.
- You’ll be required to pay a 3% stamp duty after your normal stamp duty.
- If the property is below the value at which stamp duty becomes liable, you will still have to pay the extra 3% of the purchase price.
- TIP: If you’re looking to buy a second property, you should ask your solicitor/conveyancer to work out the amount you have to pay.
- A good adviser will know the exact questions to pose and will find a mortgage that fits your exact requirements.
- To see if you’re eligible, reach out now to our advisers.
How Much Do Mortgage Brokers Charge?
Most mortgage brokers get paid commission from lenders, which will be a percentage of the mortgage loan you receive. Even though the figure isn’t set in stone, it is usually about 0.33%, based on the type of mortgage you require – for instance, a residential mortgage or buy to let. Also, any recent credit issues you may have had would be taken into consideration. Most independent brokers charge a flat fee, which is typically around £500. Remember to ask brokers how they want to be paid. The should be totally transparent, disclosing the amount to be charged, as well as their available fee structure.
We have a fee structure based on charging our clients £695. From that figure, we then deduct any commission received from the mortgage lender 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. If for example, we are paid a commission of £495, we would ask you to pay a fee of £200, payable on production of your mortgage offer. Please note, we only take payments on a results-based arrangement.
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. The amount a lender will agree to lend is determined by a total affordability assessment, which will provide insight regarding your income, regular household expenditures and any credit card or loan commitments you might have. Other than this, they will also carry out a credit check to ensure you have an agreeable credit rating for mortgage purposes.
To be sure of how much you can borrow, obtain a decision in principle, prior to completing a full application. Make plans to meet with one of our experienced mortgage experts now. At the initial stage, we can give you an estimate, without needing to perform any credit checks.
The Latest Best Mortgage Rates
Whether you want a re-mortgage, move home, find a mortgage for a first-time buyer or purchase a buy to let, we can help. We compare thousands of the latest mortgage deals to help you find exactly what you need.
What Our clients say About us
Our list of satisfied clients in Trumps-Green is lengthy and diversified. If you’re not yet persuaded that we are the experts who can get you the best mortgage deal in Trumps-Green at the cheapest cost, see what some of our customers have got to say about working with us. Reach out to us today for a personal experience of how effective our services are.
Latest Mortgage News
Having more information at your disposal when looking for the most ideal mortgage deal places you in a more advantageous position. Below is the latest insightful mortgage news to help you get started on the right path.
Mortgage Regulatory Information
In the UK, most mortgages are provided by building societies, specialised mortgage lenders and banks. In Britain, there are around 200 different financial institutions that make mortgages available, even though Lloyds Banking Group and Nationwide Building Society has the biggest portion of the market share.
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 professional services of mortgage providers are monitored by the FCA. 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 formerly presented in the rules for Mortgage Conduct of Business (MCOB), although they were changed due to the FCA Mortgage Conduct of Business (MMR) of 2014.
Deposit-taking organisations in the UK are under the jurisdiction of the Prudential Regulation Authority (a sister organisation to the FCA) for their financial conduct. They ensure firms have adequate capital levels to balance out their lending risks.
Taking up the matter with your mortgage provider is the first step to take if you have any complaints about them. If you feel it hasn’t been dealt with to your complete satisfaction, there is a complaints procedure which can be referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service. 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
What To Ask Your Brighton Mortgage Broker?
This is a logical follow-up question. Again, insist on a specific reply.
And once you’ve received answers to these questions, ask if the broker would be willing to put both claims in writing. That will indicate how seriously those claims should be taken.
If a problem arises during the loan application process, you’ll want your broker to respond quickly – hence this question.
Again, demand a specific answer – “Within three hours”, say, rather than “Quickly”.
The reason for this question is so you can discover whether the broker will closely guide you through what is a complicated and stressful process – or expect you to figure it out for yourself.
Organising finance and purchasing property can be complicated and stressful, so you want to know you’re in safe hands. That’s why, before you settle on a particular broker, you should challenge the broker with this question.
Don’t let the broker get away with vague statements like “Because I’m the best” or “Because I provide great service”. Use follow-up questions to demand detail. “What specific things make you better than other brokers? What, specifically, do you do to deliver great service?”
Another important question to ask. That’s because while most brokers focus on ‘plain vanilla’ clients, others might focus on, say, sophisticated investors or borrowers with credit problems.
Hypothetically; Broker A might have done 450 vanilla loans and 50 bad-credit loans, while Broker B might have done 50 vanilla loans and 250 bad-credit loans. So if you were a borrower with credit problems, you might be better off with Broker B.
Next, probe them about their customer service standards
A great way to utilise the knowledge and experience of a broker is to get them to work out the true cost of your home loan. Based on whether you’re paying Repayment or interest only, how much of a deposit you have, the length of your loan term and the rates payable your broker will be able to obtain a mortgage illustration which will have the true cost on it. This is normally depicted by the Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
By maximising your deposit amount and minimising your loan term, you stand to significantly reduce the overall cost of your loan. However, there is much more to answering what the true cost of your home loan will be. Upfront fees such as valuation fees, conveyancing and legal fees need to be added to the total cost. Ongoing fees such as those you can incur for using a drawdown facility.
While it’s impossible to forecast the entire cost of your mortgage to the penny – and let’s not forget how life circumstances and changes can affect your ability to pay your loan too – a broker can can help clarify the big picture details. Mortgage Saving Experts can recommend any protection or insurances to protect you and your family to cover life unfortunate eventualities and our team of advisers can use this information to help you decide which loan is best for your circumstances.
The big question plaguing home buyers tends to be, ‘how much can I borrow?’ Each lender is massively different in this area so as a maximum depending on many factors. In the majority of cases, you can borrow up to around 5 times your gross annual salary but in some instances, you may borrow up to 5.5 times your gross annual income
Once you speak to us, however, we’ll be able to give you a much more accurate indication of your borrowing capacity. Brokers act as the go-between for you and the lender. Lenders will need to know your living expenses, debts, credit score and whether you have dependents. A broker can factor all these things into the right loan.
A broker can also explain home loan terms you’ll need to know, such as LTV, which is the initialism for Loan-to-Value and refers to the percentage of the total loan amount you seek to borrow as a percentage of the property purchase price or value. They can also explain things like the differences in interest rates and repayment types such as Interest Only and Repayment (Capital & Interest)
This is a good follow-up question to ask, as it will give you a better understanding of the mortgage broker’s experience.
For example, imagine two brokers joined the industry in 2013, but that Broker A had written 500 loans during that time and Broker B had written 300. In that case, even though both parties would be able to claim five years of industry experience, there would be a clear difference in hands-on experience.
This is a good place to start, because a more experienced broker will generally be more knowledgeable than a less experienced broker.
Press the broker to give you a specific answer, such as “Eighteen years” or “I’ve been a broker since 2007 and in the mortgage industry since 2001”, rather than something vague like “I’ve got a lot of experience”.
Load More
Barry Webb
After nearly 20 years in the financial services industry, I started Mortgage Saving Experts. I thrive on helping people save money and come up with simple and clever little ideas which make massive savings to my clients. I want the company’s core focus to be great customer service. You don’t get good customer service anymore and this is about time that changed, It’s about taking responsibility and always going the extra mile.