Blue Q Mortgage

Once you have been living in your home for a few years, you may want to consider remortgaging. Switching mortgage providers is actually quite common and there are a number of different reasons why people choose to remortgage, such as; their circumstances have changed and they need to reduce their mortgage repayments, their current mortgage is no longer competitive or they’re interested in releasing some of the capital tied up in their home. 

Regardless of your reasons for wanting to remortgage, there are a few things you can do to make the whole process of switching mortgage providers as easy as possible. Below we have put together a list of our top tips for remortgaging your home. 

Work with an experienced mortgage adviser 

There are so many different things to consider when choosing a new mortgage product and finding the right deal isn’t always easy. When you enlist the help of an experienced mortgage broker, you can ensure that you’re opting for a mortgage that meets all of your specific requirements and that has the most competitive terms. 

Ultimately, a mortgage broker can shop around for you, saving you a lot of time and stress, and they can help you get the best new mortgage deal. In addition to providing you with sound and impartial advice, some mortgage brokers may even have access to exclusive schemes which aren’t currently available on the high street. This is undeniably advantageous. From start to finish, a good mortgage broker can make the whole remortgaging process as smooth as possible. 

Always check for penalties you may incur

Whilst you can switch mortgage providers at any time, you may find there are some penalties associated with remortgaging your home at certain times. If you have a fixed rate deal, for example, remortgaging midway through this deal can sometimes be quite costly and you need to take into consideration any additional costs when weighing up your options. Depending on your circumstances, it may be beneficial to wait a little bit longer to switch providers. 

You can generally expect to come across fees such as; Early Repayment Charges, valuation fees, arrangement fees and legal fees, when you’re remortgaging. A mortgage broker will explain all of these extra costs to you and they will help ensure there aren’t any nasty financial surprises when you decide to switch mortgage providers. 

Plan ahead before remortgaging 

When remortgaging, you need to make sure that you’re finding a new mortgage deal far enough in advance. When you currently have a fixed-rate mortgage, if you don’t plan ahead you may be moved to your lenders’ standard variable rate, which will likely increase the cost of your monthly mortgage payments. So, you should ideally start comparing the options on the market three to four months before you plan to switch mortgage providers. 

It’s important to note that when you remortgage, affordability and stress testing will still be undertaken. All of the information that was required when you took your original mortgage will be required again at this time and it’s useful to get prepared. If you’re not sure what a mortgage lender will want to see, a mortgage broker can inform you of standard requests. 

Switching mortgage providers

If you’re interested in remortgaging your home and you’d like some assistance when doing so, don’t hesitate to contact us here at Mortgage Required today. Our team of experienced mortgage brokers will gladly provide you with the guidance you need when switching mortgage providers and you can rely on us to make the whole process as hassle-free as possible. Since 2001, we have been helping clients get the most competitive mortgages available to them and we review the whole market, comparing hundreds of products to ensure you find the right solution for your individual needs. What’s more, our advice is free, so get in touch with our team of experts to find out how we can help you remortgage. 

People tend to assume that getting a mortgage as a first-time buyer will be really straightforward and, for the most part, this is true. However, some will find it much more difficult to get mortgage offers from lenders. If you’re looking to buy your first home and you’re wondering what can potentially stop you from getting a good mortgage deal, we have looked into some of the most common factors to be aware of. 

It is worth noting from the outset though that it isn’t necessarily impossible to get a mortgage should you relate to any of the below and the right mortgage advisor can still help you to get on the property ladder.

Bad credit history or a low credit score

You probably won’t be surprised to hear that if you have bad credit history then you may struggle to get a mortgage. There are a number of different things that can negatively affect your credit score and ultimately, every time you make a late payment on financial commitments, such as electricity bills and mobile phone contracts, it can count against your credit score. Thankfully, there are ways that you can improve this score and specialist mortgage advisers can help you get a mortgage on competitive terms with a bad credit history too. 

Zero hours working contracts

Due to the unpredictability of zero hours contracts, they can sometimes make it more difficult for you to get a mortgage offer. Lenders like to have peace of mind that you will make all repayments on your mortgage, but there is a higher risk that you will fall behind on mortgage payments when you’re not guaranteed a set number of hours at work each week/month. You may find that if you have worked for the same employer for a long period of time and your Loan To Value is not too high, you may still be able to get a competitive mortgage.

Asking to borrow too much 

Simply put, Loan to Value is the amount that a lender will consider loaning you as a percentage of the property’s value and if you’re asking to borrow too much, then they won’t provide you with a mortgage. Generally speaking, the larger your deposit, the better when applying for a mortgage as this will reduce the amount that you need to borrow. Typically, most lenders require a deposit of 10%, however, some lenders allow mortgages with as little as a 5% deposit, which can be reduced further when taking advantage of the Government’s Help to Buy Scheme. 

The term of a mortgage

The term of a mortgage can vary from 5 years up to 40 years. Lenders will take your age into consideration when deciding how long a term they’re willing to offer you and typically, most lenders won’t extend a loan past your retirement age. Unfortunately, this means the older you are, the harder it will be to get a mortgage with a long term on a standard mortgage, although there are more and more mortgages for older applicants coming to market as people are tending to live and work longer. You do of course have the option to accept a mortgage with a shorter term which will mean your monthly payments will increase.

Monthly spending habits 

When deciding whether or not they’re happy to give you a mortgage, there are lots of different aspects of your lifestyle and financial situation that lenders will consider. One of these factors is your monthly outgoings and if you spend too much, you might not get the mortgage you were hoping for. Again, this is due to the fact that lenders like to know you can afford your mortgage payments and they prefer their customers to be sensible. So, simply cutting down your outgoings and living within your means can improve your chances of getting a mortgage. 

Looking for a Mortgage Advisor in Chelmsford?

Should you require the assistance of an experienced mortgage advisor in Bracknell, don’t hesitate to contact us here at BlueQ. We provide a whole of market mortgage service to our customers and our expert mortgage advisors will gladly answer any questions that you may have. We are proud to be our customer’s first choice for all of their mortgage planning needs and we can assure you that you will be in the very best hands when you turn to our team for hassle-free mortgage advice. 

To discuss your mortgage requirements in more detail, book a free consultation with a qualified mortgage adviser today. Simply use the booking calendar on our website to select an appointment type and time that is convenient for you, it couldn’t be easier to get the tailored advice and guidance that you need. 

Getting a foot on the property ladder is becoming more and more difficult for people of all ages. Not only is the price of property in many parts of the UK continuing to rise, but the majority of businesses still only pay their employees minimum wage, so many fear that they will never be able to own their own home. Thankfully, there are lots of different options available to explore if you’re a first-time buyer trying to get a residential mortgage on a low income:   

Look into the different Government schemes available 

There are a few ‘help to buy’ schemes available that are specifically designed to help people get on the property ladder. A new Government scheme was introduced in April this year and it is set to run until March 2023. Simply put, this scheme involves the Government lending buyers up to 20% of the value of their new home, and 40% in London. 

This scheme provides buyers with the opportunity to pay a 5% deposit rather than a 10% deposit, which makes saving for this initial payment much easier when you’re on a low income. With a lack of 95% mortgages available these days, this scheme is really beneficial. 

Opt for a ‘part rent, part buy’ solution  

Another scheme that falls under the help to buy umbrella is shared ownership. For lots of people, this is a great option to consider and simply put, with shared ownership, you will own part of a property and pay rent on the remainder. This significantly reduces the deposit you need to save and also the amount you need to borrow from a lender. 

Commonly, the shares offered in a property are between 25% and 75% of the value, and you often have the ability to buy a larger share in the future; this is known as staircasing. Not to mention, you can also sell back your share later down the line and use this money as a deposit for a new property. 

Consider a family mortgage

Many don’t realise that family mortgages, like the Family Springboard Mortgage from Barclays, exist and they are another brilliant solution for anyone who is on a low income. With this type of mortgage, you won’t need to save for a deposit and instead, a family member will put 10% of the purchase price into a savings account with the lender.  

After a set period of time, which is usually 3 to 5 years, if you have kept up with your mortgage repayments then your family member will get their money back, along with any interest accrued during this time. With a family mortgage, you will still own the property in the same way you do with any other type of mortgage too. 

Ask for a guarantor on the mortgage 

Another option to consider when you’re on a low income is a guarantor mortgage. This is a similar concept to a family mortgage, however, it involves a family member underwriting your mortgage repayments. You will need to save for and put down a deposit as normal on a property when you opt for a guarantor mortgage though. 

The good thing about this type of mortgage is that you will often be able to get a bigger loan when you have a guarantor than you would independently. Due to the fact the guarantor provides the lender with the added comfort that they will always get the mortgage repayments, they’re more likely to offer mortgages with a higher Loan to Value. 

Trying to find a mortgage broker in Essex?

Since being established back in 2001, here at BlueQ we have been providing professional and friendly mortgage advice to our customers. If you’re looking for a Mortgage Adviser in Chelmsford who can help you get a mortgage deal, regardless of your current circumstances, be sure to get in touch with our team and we will do all we can to assist you. Unlike other mortgage brokers, we provide a whole of market service for mortgage deals and we are dedicated to delivering first-class customer service. 

Why not book a free mortgage consultation with a qualified Mortgage Adviser today via our website? You can either meet us in one of our offices or we can arrange a telephone meeting, whichever is more convenient for you. Whether you’re buying your first home or looking to upsize your current home, we look forward to hearing from you. 

If you’re new to buying a home, you may hear lots of familiar phrases that you don’t fully understand. One of these phrases commonly used is ‘the property chain’. If you’re unsure what this is and why it’s talked about so much, we explain here.

As a first-time buyer, purchasing a new home is relatively straightforward. Once you have your deposit and, perhaps, your government-funded Equity Loan, you just need a valuation for the mortgage and a mortgage offer and your lawyer will do most of the rest. The housebuilder finishes the home and then sells it to you. Simple.

But what about when you are buying a home from someone other than a housebuilder?

Well, in this instance things can get more complicated. In most cases, the person you are buying from is likely to be selling to move to another property and the person they are buying from might be doing the same – and so on. This can sometimes result in a long chain of transactions, each dependent on the completion of the one before.

Most experienced home owners will be wary of long chains, simply because if just one buyer pulls out of their transaction it can cause all the other transactions to stall or even fall through completely. For this reason, buying from a housebuilder or selling to a first-time buyer with no house to sell, can be a very attractive proposition. Cash buyers are also attractive for the same reason, as is selling at auction, although this brings with it its own drawbacks.

For a chain of transactions to work well, it’s important to have a good understanding of everybody else’s needs and desires. For example, one buyer in the chain might be moving conditional upon relocating for a new job, or another might be an investor that must sell before the end of the tax year. If you don’t understand these pinch points, chains can collapse and you may all be left with what is referred to as abortive costs for work undertaken by your conveyancer, solicitor, etc.

In a successful chain, all the people involved in the transaction will understand the needs of each other and will communicate difficulties honestly and promptly. An element of flexibility might also go a long way. Especially on timescale. When everyone is sure they can ‘perform’ as required (in other words, they know they will be in funds for the purchase, etc) they will exchange contracts for the sale or purchase. At this point all the terms are set, including move dates, etc.

It’s unwise to exchange on a contract unless you know you can fulfill its terms, although sometimes it’s necessary to exchange based on the exchange of contracts with another. If at some later stage you cannot fulfill the terms of your contract because of the breach of another contract made with you, there is a route by which you can pursue a claim for damages incurred as a result of these breaches. Hopefully, it never gets to that stage.

The UK Government’s new ‘Help to Buy’ equity loan scheme allows first-time buyers to purchase a new-build property with just a 5% deposit. The lender will lend up to 75% Loan to Value (LTV) and the Government will chip in the missing 20% as an ‘equity loan’. This equity loan can be up to 40% of the property’s value in London.

Unlike the previous Help to Buy Scheme, this scheme is only open to first-time buyers. A first-time buyer is defined as someone who does not currently own or has never owned a property or residential land, either in the UK or abroad.

The new Help to Buy Scheme also introduces regional price limits, with new buyers not able to use the initiative to purchase a home costing more than 1.5 x the average first-time buyer property price in their region.

These price caps range from £186,100 in the North East to £437,600 in the South East and £600,000 in London.

The equity loan element is provided by the Government, interest-free for the first five years. Borrowers will only pay a management fee of £1 a month for the life of the loan. Once the first five years are over, interest is charged at an initial rate of 1.75%. This will rise each year by inflation as measured by the Consumer Prices Index, plus 2%.

The loan, which is secured as a second charge against your home, does not have to be repaid until you sell the property, pay off your mortgage or reach the end of your mortgage provider’s loan term. You can even start repaying the loan sooner, but your repayments must be equivalent to at least 10% of the value of your home at that time, with the option to repay 10%, 20% or 30% at a time if you are in London and took out a 40% equity loan. There is also an administration fee.

The equity loan rises and falls in line with your property’s value, so you may have to repay more than you borrowed when you first purchased your home. Of course, the good news in this scenario is that your mortgage has remained the same or reduced in size but your property has gone up by 20% in value, most of which you own after the equity loan and mortgage is deducted.

The Help to Buy Scheme is administered by Help to Buy agents such as BlueQ. The scheme is open until the 1st of April 2023, so if this is of interest, contact us quickly to find out more information.

If you would like any details Contact BlueQ for an initial chat on 01245 218018.