We know mortgages can feel overwhelming – especially if it’s your first time. So we’ve broken things down into clear, jargon-free explanations.
And if you can’t find the answer to your question, just get in touch. We’re always happy to help.
A mortgage is simply a loan you use to buy a home. You put down a deposit, borrow the rest from a lender, and then repay it each month over an agreed period (usually 25–35 years). The lender charges interest on the amount you borrow. Different lenders offer different types of mortgages, and our job is to help you find the one that suits you best.
Lenders look at things like your income, outgoings, credit history, and how stable your finances are. They use this information to work out how much they’re comfortable lending you and what your monthly payments will be. We break all of this down for you so you understand exactly how the numbers work.
Yes – absolutely. You’ll usually need to show 1–3 years of accounts or tax returns, depending on your situation, but there are options. We work with lots of self-employed clients, including sole traders, limited company directors, and contractors. We’ll guide you through what you need and which lenders are most flexible.
Yes, there are several ways parents or family members can help. This could be through gifting a deposit, becoming a joint borrower, using their income to support the application, or securing a loan against their own property. We’ll talk you through the safest and most suitable options for your situation.
Many mainstream lenders offer shared-ownership mortgages, but each one has its own rules on income, deposits, and affordability. We work with a wide range of lenders and can help you understand what’s possible, how staircasing works, and what your monthly costs would look like.
This depends on your income, outgoings, credit profile, and overall affordability. Most lenders use income multiples as a starting point, but it varies quite a lot from one lender to another. We’ll run the numbers for you and give you a personalised, realistic figure so you can start looking with confidence.
Fixed-rate: Your interest rate stays the same for a set period (often 2, 3, 5 or 10 years). Your payments won’t change during that time.
Variable-rate: Your interest rate can go up or down depending on the lender’s rate or the Bank of England base rate. Your payments may change too.
There can be several costs involved, such as:
Valuation fees
Solicitor fees
Product or lender fees
Broker fees (ours are explained clearly upfront)
Moving costs
We’ll outline everything so there are no surprises.
Rates change depending on the economy, inflation, and decisions from the Bank of England. They can move quickly, which is why it’s helpful to get advice before your deal ends. We keep a close eye on the market and will always let you know when it’s a good time to review things.
Do you have more questions? Contact us
Pop us a message or give us a call – no pressure, no obligation. Just friendly advice from two people who genuinely care.