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When applying for any form of financial assistance, a current credit report is a standard requirement. This report provides a comprehensive overview of your financial history and money management practices, distilled into a numerical credit score ranging from 0 to 1000.
As a mortgage broker in Leeds, our daily encounters reveal a spectrum of credit scores, with variations from low to high, dependent on individual financial circumstances. It’s rare to find two individuals with identical credit scores in a group of ten due to the personalised nature of these assessments.
Credit scores, ranging from poor to excellent, are typically defined by credit reference agencies like Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. However, interpretations of a “good” credit score can vary among lenders, making it essential to consider individual perspectives.
The cornerstone of mortgage approval is reliability, and a commendable credit score significantly contributes to establishing your dependability in managing finances. However, it’s important to note that even an excellent credit score doesn’t guarantee mortgage approval.
Some lenders may offer exclusive products accessible only to those with a credit score surpassing 900, making professional advice from a mortgage broker in Leeds invaluable before pursuing such high-end options.
Possessing a low credit score doesn’t necessarily preclude you from securing a mortgage. While specialised deals with higher interest rates may be the route, the opportunity to obtain a mortgage remains. Individual circumstances play a key role, and each applicant’s situation is unique.
In some cases, it can be difficult to get a mortgage with bad credit in Leeds, if you are struggling to get accepted or find products you qualify for, make sure to get in touch with one of our advisors at Leedsmoneyman.
Younger mortgage applicants with lower credit scores, especially first time buyers in Leeds, may still find success, particularly when utilising government-led schemes like Shared Ownership.
Limited credit history may not be a hindrance, but instances of missed payments and defaults can impact mortgage eligibility. Seeking mortgage advice in Leeds before applying for various deals is prudent.
Defaults resulting from missed loan repayments can significantly impact credit scores, particularly when reaching a “poor” rating. A declined mortgage application and challenges in obtaining loans become likely in such cases.
Timely resolution of defaults or the issuance of a County Court Judgment (CCJ) as a last resort should be carefully managed. CCJs remain on credit files for six years, influencing lenders’ perceptions. Seeking advice from a mortgage broker in Leeds is advisable, especially when dealing with credit issues.
Remortgaging in Leeds with bad credit, even for homeowners, may present challenges due to the need for affordability assessments and credit score checks.
Individuals facing this situation might default to their lender’s standard variable rate of interest (SVR). Speaking with a specialist mortgage advisor in Leeds is recommended to explore potential solutions and specialist deals.
Lower credit scores may limit access to lower interest rates, typically reserved for those with “very good” to “excellent” credit. First time buyers in Leeds may still access favourable rates due to their limited credit history. Conversely, adverse credit, such as defaults or CCJs, often results in higher interest rates.
Higher deposits may be required to secure better rates, but bad credit can also necessitate a higher deposit to demonstrate reliability, potentially maintaining a higher interest rate.
Purchasing a property is a significant financial commitment, likely the most substantial one you’ll make in your life. Understandably, you may have numerous questions about the mortgage process.
As a mortgage broker in Leeds, we’ve helped a diverse range of buyers, and a common inquiry we come across is, “how long does mortgage approval take?” If you’re a first time buyer in Leeds grappling with questions like these, seeking expert mortgage advice in Leeds is important.
However, it’s important to note that not every question has a straightforward answer, especially when it comes to timelines, as it hinges on individual personal and financial situations.
Assuming you have a clean credit history, mortgage approval could take around 2-3 weeks. This timeframe is just an illustrative example; the actual duration may vary. Approval processes may extend if there are current or past credit issues.
In such cases, the mortgage lender meticulously examines your credit file to assess your reliability as a mortgage applicant. For those with adverse credit or a history of credit problems, the approval process might span several months.
It’s imperative to understand that there’s no fixed timeframe for mortgage approval; it is contingent on both the mortgage lender’s policies and your unique financial circumstances.
Securing mortgage approval today is a more intricate process compared to the days before the credit crunch. The days of mortgages being easily accessible are gone.
The current process is meticulous and time-consuming, aiming to gain a comprehensive understanding of your personal and financial situation.
Mortgage lenders delve into various aspects, including your credit, income (including occupation), and outgoings (examined through bank statements) to gauge your suitability for a mortgage.
This thorough evaluation is essential for lenders to determine the level of risk involved. It’s vital to bear in mind that you are just one of many applicants in the process.
As a mortgage broker in Leeds, our approach involves structured stages that guide you through the mortgage application process.
The goal is to make your mortgage journey stress-free, allowing you to focus on finding your dream property in Leeds while we handle the intricacies of the mortgage side.
Initiating your mortgage process is easy; simply book a free mortgage appointment with one of our mortgage advisors in Leeds. This can be done online by selecting a suitable date and time or by contacting our team directly.
With appointments available seven days a week, you can choose a time that suits your schedule. During the appointment, which typically lasts 30-45 minutes, your mortgage advisor in Leeds will gather essential information to understand your goals and guide you along your mortgage journey.
Following your mortgage appointment, your mortgage advisor in Leeds will provide an important document – the mortgage agreement in principle (AIP). This document is indispensable when making an offer on a property.
It serves as proof to the estate agency that you’ve received pre-approval from a mortgage lender. If you’ve already identified your dream property, we can swiftly proceed to the next step.
Once your offer on the property is accepted, we’ll align it with the ideal mortgage deal from our extensive panel of lenders, encompassing both high street and specialist products.
The details of this tailored mortgage deal will be presented in a comprehensive mortgage illustration document, providing you with all the essential information.
If you’re satisfied with our service and the identified mortgage product, it’s time to initiate your mortgage application. Preparing this application involves attaching several documents to demonstrate your affordability for a mortgage.
Rest assured, we’ll help you in gathering all the necessary paperwork to ensure your application is complete. Upon readiness, we’ll submit your application to the mortgage lender.
Once your mortgage application is submitted, it’s now in the hands of the mortgage lender. Importantly, we’ll never propose a mortgage product that is likely to be declined. The lender will scrutinise the attached documents to verify your mortgage affordability.
They’ll also verify your ID and current registered address, and scrutinise the source of your deposit. If your deposit is a gifted one, the lender will require the last 3 months’ bank statements from the donor and a signed gifted deposit form.
Distinct from a house survey, a mortgage valuation survey entails the lender sending a property surveyor to assess the actual value of the property you intend to purchase. Different property surveys are available in Leeds, each suitable for different property types.
Your mortgage advisor in Leeds will recommend the appropriate survey for your situation. The purpose of the survey is to ensure the property’s value aligns with your offer. This step safeguards the lender in case of repossession, assuring they can recover their funds by selling your home.
As long as you consistently meet your monthly repayments, there’s no need to worry about losing your home.
After the lender completes their checks, successful applicants should receive formal mortgage approval. Your mortgage advisor in Leeds will promptly share this positive news with you.
Subsequently, you’ll be handed over to the solicitors to finalise the legalities, exchange contracts, and prepare for key collection.
Whether you’re a first time buyer in Leeds, looking to move, remortgage in Leeds, or invest in a buy to let property, understanding the mortgage process is key. As a mortgage broker in Leeds, we recommend commencing your mortgage process up to six months in advance.
This allows for the arrangement of your agreement in principle and early property searching within your budget. For instance, if you plan to move home in January, starting the process in the summer aligns with your timeline.
If you’ve had an offer accepted or are considering buying a property in Leeds, take action now! Book your free mortgage appointment online or by contacting our team today.
A mortgage in principle, also known as an agreement in principle (AIP), is a document given to you by your mortgage lender to show that you have passed their credit score to qualify for a mortgage. You may have also heard the term “decision in principle”, this is also the same thing.
Getting an agreement in principle can often help you negotiate the asking price with your seller. This is because the seller can see that you have the funds in place, have been preapproved by a mortgage lender and can continue immediately. Having an AIP and not having an AIP could be the difference between your offer getting accepted on a property and being rejected.
We find that our customers, particularly first time buyers in Leeds, are worried about their credit score having an impact on their ability to get a mortgage. Things such as credit searches may impact your credit score, and you will have to undergo one to obtain an agreement in principle.
However, you have to remember that a credit check will only have a negative impact on your credit score if something bad is found on your file. The severity depends on what the mortgage lender has found, for example, if you forgot to update your address for an old account, it won’t have too much of an impact on your credit score. On the other hand, if they find that you have large withstanding balances on your credit cards, you may see more of an impact.
As a mortgage broker in Leeds, when we arrange an agreement in principle on your behalf, we do not carry out any credit checks on you. We will, however, ask for your permission for the mortgage lender to carry one of these out on your credit file.
Credit searches come in two different forms; a soft credit search and a hard credit search.
Soft credit searches are not very in-depth and will only really look at your main information, such as employment, income, age etc. This is the type of search that price comparison sites use to verify that you are who you say that you are. More and more lenders are opting for this type of search nowadays when arranging an agreement in principle because they will likely perform a hard credit search on you further down the line.
Soft credit searches are hidden from your file, with only you being able to see that they have taken place. That means you can be unsuccessful in one instance and not worry too much about how it looks to others.
A hard credit search provides the mortgage lender with a much more in-depth look at your credit file. Any company that wants to perform a hard credit search on you must get your permission first before doing so. This is because they could have an impact on your credit score.
During a hard credit check, the mortgage lender will take a complete look at your financial circumstances. If you pass this check, you have much more chance of seeing mortgage success.
The downside to hard credit checks is that they will likely leave a credit footprint on your file. If someone looks at your file in the future, it will show that there has been a hard credit carried out. The outcome of the search will not show in your file, meaning that other financial institutions looking at this may be worried, especially if there are lots of them.
Mortgage lenders do not like seeing lots of different credit checks on your file, because it could suggest that you have been applying for lots of credit all at once. This is something that can put off a mortgage lender.
This isn’t to say that having a few will be drastically negative, you won’t need to worry a lot about this, it’s just always best to make sure you are cautious with it.
An AIP or mortgage in principle does not guarantee you a mortgage. Remember that you are being agreed in principle of being able to support your affordability. Mortgage lenders will require you to provide evidential documents such as your P60, bank statements, etc., to prove that you can afford the mortgage after you have an accepted offer.
If you are self employed in Leeds, the documents that you need to provide will be slightly different. It is always worth speaking with a mortgage advisor in Leeds to discuss your affordability for a self employed mortgage.
Yes, you can make an offer on a property in Leeds without an agreement in principle, however, we wouldn’t recommend it. The estate agent and the seller will want to make sure that the person making an offer on the property is serious about their purchase and has the ability to advance through to the sale of the property. If you do not have a mortgage in principle, you are not able to go straight to the next stage of the process, you haven’t even been agreed in principle as of yet.
As a mortgage broker in Leeds, we are able to arrange an agreement in principle for you within 24 hours of your free mortgage appointment.
Your agreement in principle will roughly last between 30 and 90 days. Once your AIP expires, it is a simple process to get it renewed.
All that you need to do is get back in touch with our mortgage advisors in Leeds, and we will arrange a new one with you straight away.
We always recommend getting an agreement in principle as early on in the process as possible. Even if you are thinking of moving house in Leeds, before you take up property viewings, make sure that you have your agreement in principle at the ready!
The earlier the better; having an AIP and not having an AIP could be the difference between your offer being accepted on a property and being declined.
First time buyers in Leeds may find the home buying process a little bit daunting. It is no surprise, you need to make sure your credit score is good enough, and that you have a reasonably large deposit saved, amongst other things. The latter is what we will talk about in this article.
To work out how much you need to save for a mortgage, you are going to need to work out your monthly disposable income. Once you have deducted your expenses and monthly expenses from your monthly income, you will be able to calculate and estimate how much you can allocate to your mortgage savings. This allows you to set clear and realistic goals for how much you need to save each month.
As a rule, when taking out a mortgage with a high street lender, you must provide at least 5 percent of the property cost. We tend to find most first time buyers in Leeds aim to save a minimum of 20% of the property price. The larger deposit you put down, the lower your monthly payments will be. If your credit is bad, your lender may want you to provide a larger deposit. This might be somewhere around 15% – 30% depending on your circumstances.
One of the reasons it may be better to save for a larger deposit is that you will have more access to competitive mortgage deals, some with lower interest rates. To work out the maximum amount of how much you can borrow for a mortgage, speak to a mortgage advisor in Leeds.
It is also worth saving some additional money to put towards the additional costs of buying a property. As well as your mortgage and protection advisor in Leeds will offer you insurance or cover for you and your property.
With a range of different government schemes available it is worth seeing if you are entitled to any of these schemes.
There is the Shared Ownership Scheme which provides the opportunity for those who can’t afford a mortgage or 100% of the home. Unlike the Equity Loan Help scheme, this type of scheme allows you to buy a portion of your property (usually between 10% and 75% of the value of the home) and make up the remaining share through rent. Further down the line, you do have the option to buy larger shares if you can afford to.
If you are looking for more information about these schemes, please feel free to contact us or book yourself a free mortgage appointment with one of our expert mortgage advisors. Another alternative is to browse the government’s OwnYourHome Web site.
A gifted deposit from a family member or friend can be a significant help when buying your first home. As the name suggests, gifted deposits are given with the understanding that the money does not need to be paid back and the amount you would like to gift is entirely up to you.
Flick through all the bills and subscriptions you currently have. You might find that you can find cheaper deals for your mobile phone and broadband packages. It is helpful to shop around for these. More leisurely services such as gym memberships or streaming services are best to see if you get the value of your money or if there are other cheaper alternatives out there. This frees up more money to save on a deposit.
Buying with a friend or partner is a suitable option for many first time buyers in Leeds to get on the property ladder and can also help when it comes to saving for a deposit. Because you buy with another person, it makes savings for a deposit faster than saving from a single income. However, if one of you defaults, the other person may be responsible for the full mortgage.
There are several types of mortgages designed for those who want to buy a property with their friend or partner, these include but not limited to:
This includes both individuals who own the entire property and have equal shares in it. If one of the owners dies, the property will automatically be passed to the remaining owner. From a lender’s point of view, you are one unit so you both must agree if you want to sell or remortgage the property.
Both owners have a certain share of the property here. This can be a popular option for relatives or friends who buy together. Because you do not have an equal share, you can act individually and have the right to sell or give away your share.
Getting a mortgage with bad credit in Leeds may be possible, however, it is likely that you have higher interest rates that could cause you to need a larger deposit. It may be best that you start by improving your credit score. Below are some ways to improve your credit score:
This can show lenders that you have stability, so registering on the electoral roll is helpful. Make sure all the information on the form is correct with your name spelled correctly and your current address is registered. All this can be done online.
Maxing your card every month can have a negative impact on your score. It’s best to use a credit card and pay off your balance in full each month.
Paying on time and in full is a great way to show a lender that you are a responsible and reliable borrower. Older and well-managed accounts usually improve your score.
It can be a challenge for companies to assess you if you do not have a lot of credit or none. Some people do not have as much of a headstart and find this a problem for reasons like car finances, credit cards and bills.
If you do have any credit cards you no longer use, you must contact your providers to close the account. This can have a temporary negative impact on your score because if you close your account or provider, the credit reference cannot decipher. This should not put you off doing this as it can be a wise thing to do as it can prevent you from falling potential victim to fraud.
One of the factors that could have a negative impact on your score is being financially linked to a family member or ex-partner. Remember that you will not be able to do this if the account is still active. To do this, you must contact the credit reference agency to make a request.
Here at Leedsmoneyman, we can provide the help you need when going through the mortgage journey. We offer all our customers a free mortgage appointment which you can book yourself in for through our ‘Get Started’ process on the website. During this appointment, you can speak to one of our knowledgeable mortgage advisors in Leeds who will provide you with the support you need toward your mortgage goals.
If you’re a first time buyer in Leeds who has managed to save up for a 5% deposit and are ready to start making offers on properties. However, you are still being let down and being asked for a larger deposit. Not being enough to save for a lerger deposit could be down to anything, e.g., sellers’ preference, other competition or your credit history.
From in-depth discussions about utilising the government schemes to simple points such as saving more money and waiting, here are some ways that can help you obtain a mortgage with a small deposit.
Taking advantage of government schemes can really help you through your mortgage journey. There are lots of schemes available that come under the ‘Own Your Home’ umbrella. These schemes were designed to allow opportunities for first time buyers and home movers to get themselves onto the property ladder.
The Shared Ownership scheme is very different. Shared Ownership lets you take a mortgage out on a percentage share of a property (usually between 25%-75%) and then pay the rest back via rent.
Since you are only taking out a mortgage on a smaller percentage of the property, your total deposit amount should be lower. Also, it’s worth knowing that you can increase the share of the property that you own further down the line if you want to. This can be a great stepping stone to get you onto the property ladder.
The scheme is a little complex in some cases. So, we’d recommend that you speak to a mortgage advisor in Leeds like us before diving headfirst into the scheme.
A Lifetime independent savings account should be introduced when you’re thinking of moving or buying your first home in Leeds.
This is because it’s a savings account where your money grows year on year interest-free. You can put as much money in it as you’d like each month, as long as it doesn’t exceed a total of more than £4,000 over the year. This is the maximum that you can save each year.
Each year, the government will top up what you’ve saved by 25%. So, if you save up to the maximum you will get an extra £1,000 for free. The savings from the account can be used for one of two things: buying your first home or saving for later in life.
If you set up a Lifetime ISA at the very start of saving for a deposit, you may only require a small deposit as the lifetime ISA can cover some of it for you!
If you’re currently living in a council house and planning to make an offer on the property, you may only be required to put down a small deposit, or in some cases not one at all.
This is because some lenders offer a right to buy in Leeds discount through the government since you’ve already been living in the property.
This government-led scheme allows you to get a mortgage with just a 5% deposit. Therefore, if you go down this route, there shouldn’t be many reasons why you’ll be declined.
Of course, getting a mortgage is not guaranteed in any way shape or form. You’ll still be required to pass credit checks, affordability assessments etc.
There are other ways besides using government schemes to get a mortgage with a smaller deposit.
An agreement in principle (AIP) or also known as a decision in principle (DIP), can boost your chances of getting a mortgage with a smaller deposit.
An AIP shows that a lender is willing to lend to you given that you can provide sufficient documentation to prove that you’ll be able to afford a mortgage. If you’re making an offer on a property, you may be putting yourself in front of someone who’s also put in an offer who doesn’t have an AIP in place.
In this situation, it’s not really about the deposit. The indication to the seller will be that they’ll be able to continue through the process quicker by choosing you. Either way, they’re selling their home, choosing you will just speed up their process!
An obvious alternative would be to carry on saving up. Even pushing back your home buying journey for a further 6 months could boost up the total amount of your mortgage deposit.
Your small deposit could become much bigger if you knuckle down and save for just a little longer, in fact, it could get you over the edge that you need.
If there aren’t that many houses on the market that are appealing to you, there’s even more of a reason to wait for a little longer.
Remember that the 5%-mark changes depending on the property. If you want to move into a larger home, you may need to save up more anyway.
We firmly believe that there are many positives to taking on the services of an expert mortgage broker in Leeds, more than there would be to going direct. That’s just our opinion though, of course we’d say that!
In reality, there are positives to going elsewhere, so it definitely is worth exploring your mortgage options. Thankfully for us, the majority of people will opt to speak with a mortgage broker in Leeds. That being said, we will take a look at the pros and cons of both routes.
The first tick in the column of Team Mortgage Broker is that whilst most high street banks can be approached directly, not all mortgage lenders can be.
This means that to get the best deal across all lenders, you’ll benefit from speaking with a mortgage broker in Leeds, though a mortgage lender may still have some deals you cannot get going to a mortgage broker.
An experienced mortgage broker in Leeds will typically require a fee, whereas this likely won’t be the case when going direct. That being said, we can help to recommend other services that you’ll need for much cheaper than they might be with a lender.
Previous arguments could be made saying that “the bank manager knows my finances inside out,” but this was a nullified argument once credit scoring was introduced.
If you know what you are doing and what you are looking for, going direct can be a quick and easy process. On the other hand, if you do not know what you are doing, you could harm your chances of ever obtaining a mortgage, as you won’t match all lenders criteria.
A trusted mortgage broker in Leeds will be able to review the different lenders mortgage criteria and will be able to match you up with the most suitable mortgage deal. We always aim to get this recommendation right first time, which more often than not, we do.
In days gone by, mortgage advisors from high street banks would approve you for a mortgage, whether they were adequately qualified or not. You would not benefit from correct mortgage advice or consumer protection.
As 2014 arrived, this type of practice was banned by the government. Only experienced mortgage advisors could go about providing mortgage advice to customers, making recommendations for products.
The downside to having to now having to only speak with specific individuals at a bank, meant you could be waiting months, just to speak with someone. That’s not good if you’re keen to get it done quickly!
Because of this, usage of a mortgage broker in Leeds rose, becoming a much more popular option. As a company ourselves, we offer various time slots throughout the week, allowing you to pick a time that is convenient to you, and not months in advance!
Quite often, if you’re lucky when booking your free initial mortgage appointment, you’ll be able to speak with someone the same day.
Nowadays, the hardest part of the mortgage process is matching up against the right mortgage lenders criteria. It’s also important to remember that deals with the lowest rates often have higher arrangement fees.
At the end of the day, a deal may be really good, but you’ll need to pass affordability checks and be eligible for that deal in the first place. With the help of a mortgage broker in Leeds, you’ll be able to find deals that are suitable for you.
Thanks in part to the regulations that followed after the credit crunch back in 2008, mortgage applications perhaps are not as straightforward as they used to be.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, as it makes for fairer lending and less chance of anyone falling into arrears, which both customers and mortgage lenders alike would much rather do without.
That being said, there are still a handful of situations that could cause some issues for applicants, of which a mortgage broker in Leeds may be able to help with.
Over our time as an expert mortgage broker in Leeds, we have seen mortgage lenders demonstrating their competitive prowess, trying to offer better interest rates than their fellow mortgage lenders.
Once again because of the changes to regulations, the other difference between these lenders, is their mortgage lending criteria and whether or not the customer can match up with it.
Examples of how these may differ, is that some mortgage lenders may have more products for self employed applicants than others, whereas others may not but will be more lenient to something like bad credit mortgages.
Whatever your situation may be, it is unique to you. When you get in touch with a mortgage broker in Leeds and discuss your case, we may have encountered something similar before and will use that knowledge to help.
As a part of our service, we aim to go above and beyond for every customer who gets in touch with us. Customers rely on our help, so even if it seems relatively straightforward as far as cases go, we will still give it our absolute all.
During your process, one of our mortgage advisors in Leeds will be able to discuss what your budget is for making an offer on a property and recommend additional services such as trusted solicitors and the right property survey to undertake.
They can also run through any potential insurance options with you, helping prepare you and your family for the future, in the event of anything unfortunate occuring that could hinder your families financial state.
A further aspect of our service that is worth shouting about as a mortgage broker in Leeds, is how responsive we are to our customers. Oftentimes going direct can leave you unsure of what is going on and not always being able to make contact.
Our trusted mortgage advisors in Leeds will always keep you in the loop, with availability from early until late, every day of the week, responding as soon as they possibly can, no matter what you need them for.
Additionally, an overlooked factor as to why people may prefer the services of a mortgage broker in Leeds, is that nowadays people just seem to be so busy. It’s often easier to use a professional service, to take the stress off your shoulders.
This is especially beneficial for professional applicants who are dealing with customers of their own, perhaps not having the time to run through their process themselves.
If you would like to go direct, that is great! Generally though, whether a customer is a first time buyer in Leeds, self employed in Leeds, or looking to remortgage in Leeds, they prefer to enlist the services of an expert mortgage broker in Leeds.
Book your free mortgage appointment today with a fast & friendly mortgage broker in Leeds and we will see how we can help you along your mortgage journey.
During the mortgage process, you will come across a “mortgage illustration”, but what is it? Although it can sound complicated, a mortgage illustration is simply a document that outlines every detail of your mortgage product.
As a mortgage broker in Leeds, we will be the ones who provide you with a mortgage illustration. The process works like so:
Your mortgage advisor in Leeds will run through all of this with you, so especially first time buyers in Leeds, don’t panic!
For a quick, simple explanation of “what is a mortgage illustration”, watch the video below. For more videos just like this, head to MoneymanTV on YouTube!
Your mortgage illustration highlights the main details of the product, the costs of taking out the product, your monthly repayments, legal fees and sometimes valuation fees.
Main details: The main details of your product include who you are taking out the product with, the length of your fixed term and the interest rate.
Costs of taking out a product: With most types of mortgages, you will be charged a fee for taking out the product, however, depending on the product, you may not be charged a fee. This will be outlined in your mortgage illustration.
Monthly repayments: Your monthly repayments are how much you will have to pay each month for your mortgage. These will be calculated by the total mortgage amount, interest rate and fixed-term.
Legal fees: Legal fees include the services of a solicitor. Your mortgage broker in Leeds will talk you through this and the other costs involved before handing you over to the solicitors.
Valuation fees: You will see details of property surveys and valuations fees inside of your mortgage illustration. These costs can change depending on the type of survey you choose to take out.
No, you do not. At this stage of the process, you have only been recommended a product, therefore, you are under no obligation to continue with it. In some rare cases, you may even want your mortgage advisor in Leeds to find you another deal.
If you choose to part with us and the deal, you will have to search elsewhere for another product.
Though we would like to, we would never guarantee someone a mortgage. A mortgage illustration is only an outline of your mortgage recommendation, therefore, you have not submitted your application yet and have not been approved by the lender.
Prior to receiving your mortgage illustration, you will have received an agreement in principle to show that a lender is willing to lend to you. This is not the same as a mortgage illustration.
This is also not a guarantee, they are agreeing in principle that you can provide sufficient evidence of your income and affordability. After your illustration, we will prepare your mortgage application with you if you want to continue.
As a mortgage broker in Leeds, it is our job to help you through the whole mortgage process. We will be on hand to answer any questions that you may have about the mortgage process.
Your free mortgage appointment includes a mortgage illustration. Book your free mortgage appointment online and we can get your process started today.
So, you have had your offer accepted on a property but, is the house actually worth what you said you would pay for it?
If you are wanting to know what the actual value is and the property’s overall condition, a property survey can help with this.
This survey will mention any significant repairs or alterations needed, like repairing the roof.
There are a plethora of survey options available, however, the most common types include mortgage valuations, homebuyer’s report and a full structural survey. You might find the survey is free of charge, however, this depends on the lender. For more information on the different types of surveys, check out the content below.
The surveys differ depending on the outcomes on the report. For example, you may receive a report that is more detailed and thorough, whereas you might get one that only mentions certain aspects. The more in-depth a survey is, the more it will cost.
Navigating your way through the process can be daunting and you might want to choose the cheaper option. As much as this will save you money at the time, it may not be worth it in the future and become far more expensive.
In the event that you find something on your survey about your property that you weren’t notified about, by law, you can approach the seller and negotiate a fairer price.
The most basic property survey is Mortgage Valuations. You usually have this carried out on when you are working out how much a property is worth. This is helpful to the lender as they need to be sure that the property price matches the amount you are set to borrow from them.
For instance, if you put an offer above the property’s actual value, the seller will likely accept your offer but, your lender won’t. Unless you have the funds to make up the difference, the lender will pull out of the deal which is known as down valuation.
The one drawback with this survey is that it doesn’t highlight any apparent repairs and damages. On the other hand, it can let you know of any obvious structural defects that will require a further look at. If you are looking for a more in-depth property investigation, you will need to pay extra to upgrade your survey. This could be worth it in the long run.
A Homebuyers Report looks at safety. It checks out how safe the property is and if it is suitable to live in. Surveyors will want to know of any mould problems, damp issues or something that does not pass the current building laws.
The report will be carried out by a property expert. They will examine the property from to bottom to see if it’s safe for you to move into.
You might have made an offer on an older building. As a Mortgage Broker in Leeds, we would strongly advise that you undergo a Full Structural Survey.
With the whole property being surveyed, this does make this survey type the most expensive one. This property survey will provide a lot more detail compared to the three primary surveys with showing what condition the property is in and the changes that will need to made if the property price goes through.
A Full Structural Survey can take as long as a whole day, depending on the property size.
It can take a surveyor as long as a whole day to carry out a Full Structural Survey, however, this does depend on the property size.
When it comes to new build properties, surveys work a bit differently. There is a property survey designed for new builds called a Snagging Survey. This will inform you of any minor and significant issues. The issues could range from a crack in the ceiling to a missing hinge on the door.
The new build might be built and ready for you to move into which, in this case, means you would want to look at getting a snagging survey carried out prior to moving in. By doing this, you are able to negotiate the price if there is anything wrong with the property.
If you are wondering which survey is the best one for you, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with our team. We have extensive experience helping many first time buyers in Leeds and people looking to move home in Leeds find the most appropriate property surveys.
You can receive the services of a surveyor to carry out a Homebuyers report or building survey through the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Over the years as a Mortgage Broker in Leeds, we have found an increase in people paying a lot more attention to their credit rating. As a result of this, we have found that many people who get in touch with our team have already researched online to find a copy of their credit report.
There are many different credit reference agencies to choose from, but the two most popular companies you may know are Experian and Equifax.
Our team highly recommend that new customers who contact us look to use Check My File. By doing this, you’ll find a report that offers customers a collation of information from various sources (the aforementioned two included) in an easy understandable colour-coded report.
You sign up for a 30-day free trial with Check My File and after the 30 days, you will be charged £14.99 a month. This can be cancelled at any time before the end of those 30 days.
Try it FREE for 30 days, then £14.99 a month – cancel online anytime.
When dealing with customers, our Mortgage Advisors in Leeds are often asked if they will be doing a credit search on them. This is usually a customer who knows that too many searches can negatively impact their credit score.
Our mortgage advisors will always get permission for the customer to run a credit check, whereas the lender will run their own checks. There are two types of credit searches, one is hard searches and the other is soft searches. Below we will explain the difference between the two as well as how they can help.
A hard credit search is a type of credit check that provides an in-depth look at your credit report. All financial institutions that carry out one of these will need to seek your permission before undertaking this check.
One of the benefits of a ‘hard’ search would be how detailed it goes. Having this carried out and passing it can increase the chance of you being successful with a mortgage, however, this is not always guaranteed).
After passing this, the only thing that could go wrong with your mortgage process is if you cannot provide the required documentation to back up the information that you have presented to the lender, or it turns out you have provided incorrect information altogether.
Another advantage to having a hard credit search carried out will leave a ‘footprint’ on your credit file meaning that anyone looking at your report can see that this search has already been done on your file.
Having this mark on your file is not a bad thing at all, however, if your credit file shows that there have been multiple searches carried out in a short period of time. By having these displayed, it could give the impression to the mortgage lender that you are applying for lots of credit at the same time which wouldn’t work in your favour.
An important point you need to know about the ‘footprint’ is that it will not leave a note to confirm whether or not your application was successful. Therefore, having several searches highlighted on your report can result in the lenders’ systems assuming wrongly that you are being declined regularly. Think about it; why would you apply for credit with a second lender, unless you’d been declined by the first?
If you have the occasional hard footprint on your record it’s not going to be a massive issue which is why you don’t need to worry about it too much. It’s best to be careful not to have too many of these taken out.
The other type is a soft credit search. Opposite to a hard credit search, this would be a more straightforward approach by looking at your financial situation. These are normally done through price comparison websites, so you can find out what options may be on offer for you.
Another way it can be used is to verify your identity. Some mortgage lenders will carry out soft searches of their own. It can be common to find these days that even more lenders are changing to this type of credit search.
Even though the one drawback of a soft search is that you will get less information out of it in comparison to a hard search, if you managed to obtain an Agreement in Principle from a lender, this still can be a positive indicator that your application will be accepted.
The one factor that makes soft searches appealing to customers is that you are able to see soft searches that others have carried out on you (many are often surprised by how many have been carried out on them), but these searches will not be visible to other financial institutions like a bank or lender.
Because of this, you will be able to apply for an Agreement in Principle ahead of a mortgage in Leeds, without causing any damage to your credit score, whether you are successful or not.
In the case where you are a First Time Buyer in Leeds looking at making any offers on a property, our expert Mortgage Advisors in Leeds would highly recommend you get a mortgage Agreement in Principle before getting in touch with an estate agent.
It can be ideal to give yourself the best possible chance of securing your dream property at the lowest possible price. Therefore if you present yourselves as having your finances organised, it’s likely you will give yourself the upper hand in your mortgage situation.
Having an Agreement in Principle to hand can also help stop an estate agent from trying to cross-sell any of their own mortgage products to you.
After you’ve moved home, there’s always the situation of having to update your address on any account to match your new address, so that any posts, packages, and any other bits and pieces go to the right place. From your doctor’s surgery to any accounts that need an address, there’ll be plenty to work through.
We understand that missing an address can easily happen. When applying for credit, having less varied addresses on your accounts will look better on your credit score.
Because of the impact, it has on your credit score, this means it will also be beneficial for you when it comes to applying for a mortgage.
We tend to find first time buyers in Leeds, and home movers in Leeds would have a much better understanding of how credit scores work and the importance of updating their address sooner rather than later.
Whereas with other applicants have moved out of their family home and are now renting their own place. They don’t see the harm in leaving their bank statements, electoral roll information, and credit cards at their previous address. But having everything under the same address will give you an advantage during your mortgage process.
Every time you’ve moved house, there will be a record of it somewhere on your credit report. Any bills related to your name, like car insurance, any orders from places like eBay, Amazon, or even online food shops, will show up with a record of the selected address you choose.
If it looks like you are living in two places at once or have failed to disclose information to the mortgage lender, it may go against you during your mortgage process. After all, your mortgage lender needs to know you are reliable for a mortgage.
When looking to buy a new home, and applying for a mortgage, the best thing you can do is make sure all addresses under any account are up to date and accurate.
This includes checking all those shopping accounts, electoral roll, credit cards, and anything you can think of that has your address, are all up to date, and have the current address for you and your current home.
When it comes to updating your address to your new location on the electoral roll, make sure that you definitely get the right dates for when you moved in and out, as getting this wrong can also give off the impression that you are living in two places at once which may mess up your chance to vote.
Keeping all addresses up to date is a much more open and honest way of applying for a mortgage with a lender. Not only will it work in your favour, but it will make your process go a little bit easier.
As well as keeping your address up to date, there are other tips that could also be beneficial to first time buyers in Leeds, these tip can include.
Managing your bank accounts, avoid any unnecessary charges and limit any gambling transactions, (if that is something you do regularly). These can have a harmful effect on your mortgage process if you do the following too often.
Remember that your bank account will be a reflection of your ability to maintain payments, generate income and handle your finances appropriately. This is a large factor in determining whether or not you are able to get a mortgage.
A gifted deposit is a great way to help first time buyers in Leeds get onto the property ladder. A gifted deposit is where a close family member or friend, gifts a portion or the full amount of a deposit to a homebuyer. As the name suggests, a gifted deposit is purely to be a gift and not a loan to be repaid.
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We highly recommend that customers, whether new or existing, look to obtain an up to date credit report. Check My File can help pull together information from various sources, to get a more complete view of your financial state.
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UK Moneyman Limited is Registered in England, No. 6789312 | Registered Address: 10 Consort Court, Hull, HU9 1PU.
Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
We are entered on the Financial Services Register No. 627742 at www.register.fca.org.uk
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Leedsmoneyman.com & Leedsmoneyman are trading styles of UK Moneyman Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
UK Moneyman Limited is Registered in England, No. 6789312 | Registered Address: 10 Consort Court, Hull, HU9 1PU.
Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
We are entered on the Financial Services Register No. 627742 at www.register.fca.org.uk
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