The Importance of Changing Your Address in Harrogate
Moving Home Mortgage Advice in Harrogate
When taking out any kind of mortgage, your lender will check your credit score to help them determine what sort of applicant you are. They often base it on trustworthiness so that they can work out whether you are the type of applicant that will be able to meet their mortgage payments month-on-month.
You may think that they just look at your income, and expenditures when assessing your credit file and finances, however, this is not the case, they will look at everything!
What can affect my credit score?
Your credit file is usually based on a score from 1-1000. This score is calculated through an in-depth analysis of your finances. They will look at your current financial situation such as your bank balance (including other accounts like your savings) and whether you are in debt. Usually, they will also factor in your monthly income, expenditures, and current financial agreements using your bank statements.
Amongst other small bits here and there, your recent addresses will also be factored in. It is quite clever actually!
How do my previous addresses affect my credit score?
On your credit file, there will be a list of your previous addresses; unfortunately, the more addresses that are on there, the more likely that your credit score will be affected. The reason for this is that lenders may see that you were unable to stick down a property. This could affect your more if you are a younger applicant too.
Don’t take this the wrong way though! As a mortgage broker in Harrogate, we have seen applicants deliberately leaving off addresses from their files to try and increase their chances of getting accepted for a mortgage; it is important that you do not do this.
For those who choose to leave off an address, it is usually where they have moved out of their parent’s home into rented accommodation. Normally, not changing to their new address on their bank statements, credit card and electoral roll.
So, why does this affect your credit score? If your lender can see on your credit file that half of your accounts are linked with one address and the other half are linked with a different address, where do you actually live? They need to know where you currently live and want everything to line up correctly.
Best practices when updating your address in Harrogate
All of our mortgage advisors in Harrogate would say the same thing – “check everything!”. From your delivery addresses in your Amazon account to your online car/home insurance search, anything where you have to enter an address in, use your current one.
We would also recommend double-checking that all of your credit cards and store accounts are linked to your current address. This way, when you are looking at moving home in Harrogate, everything matches up and your lender can’t pull you up on your addresses not matching.
As a mortgage broker in Harrogate, when going through the mortgage process with you, we will make sure that all of your addresses line up and help you make the correct changes so that you stand the best chance possible of getting the mortgage that you want.
Impress the mortgage lender
Remember that lenders are looking for reliability and someone who has their finances in order. Keeping your addresses up-to-date can sometimes be a painstaking task, however, it always pays off when you come to submitting your mortgage application and you don’t have any trip-ups.
Getting mortgage advice in Harrogate is always an option when it comes to situations like this. Our advisors would love to help you through your mortgage application to overcome any mortgage hurdles you may face along the way.
Moving home mortgages in Harrogate
We have been helping applicants in Harrogate for over 20 years prepare their mortgage applications. Whether you are a first time buyer in Harrogate or looking at moving home, we are here to help!
At Harrogatemoneyman, all situations are considered, and anyone can qualify for a free mortgage appointment with a mortgage advisor in Harrogate. Just give our team a ring or book your free appointment online, it’s up to you how you get in touch.
How to Improve your Credit Score in Harrogate
Mortgage Advice in Harrogate
What is a credit score?
A credit score is a tool that lenders use to measure whether or not an applicant can afford a mortgage or not. The higher your credit score, the more likely it is that you’ll get accepted for a mortgage. Which means that if you have a low credit score, your chances of getting a mortgage are lowered.
Having a high credit score may sound great, however, it doesn’t guarantee you a mortgage in any way. Each lender has their own unique lending criteria and it’s more than likely that you won’t meet all of them. Sometimes it’s down to your circumstances and not just your score.
Matching lender’s criteria
It is more than likely that each lender will have completely different lending criteria. Lenders have almost carved out their own niche market. You could end up matching with lots of lenders or it may only be a couple, but all that matters is that you match with one and get an amazing mortgage deal from it!
Whether you receive help from a Mortgage Broker in Harrogate or go solo and use your bank, it’s their job to help you compare deals and match you with a lender.
As a Mortgage Broker in Harrogate, we would always recommend taking up our free mortgage consultation offer. This way, we can evaluate your situation and compare deals for you straight away. If you go to a bank, you could just be added to a waiting list.
If you are struggling to match a lender’s criteria, it could be down to multiple things or maybe just one. The most common reason why people don’t match their lender’s criteria is that they have a low credit score. If this is your situation, then you need to find some ways to improve your credit score.
Improving your credit score
Avoid unnecessary credit searches
Having unnecessary credit searches on your file could negatively impact your credit score. Lenders don’t particularly like seeing repeated credit checks; they may think that there is a reason behind it and they may even start asking you questions about it. Even using price comparison websites could damage your score.
On another note, if you are applying for a mortgage, it is unwise to apply for any form of extra credit in the meantime of your application.
If you manage to pay back owed money before your application, it will look good on your file, however, if you are borrowing/paying back money during your application, it will have a reverse effect. If you borrow credit, some lenders’ could think that you cannot afford the deposit and are relying on the credit to help you.
Are you registered on the Voter’s Roll?
A great way to improve your credit score is to register onto the Voter’s Roll. Lenders love seeing applicants that are registered on it as it indicates stability. It’s really easy to get yourself registered and the fact that it can boost your credit score surely means that you have to sign up if you haven’t before!
Even if you are already registered, it’s always a good idea to double-check that you have entered all of your information correctly. If you have an old address on their system, lenders will easily spot this mistake and it could go against your score.
Don’t run too close to your maximum limit
Maxing out your card each month will have a detrimental effect on your credit score. If you are using a credit card, a lender would much rather that you pay off the full balance each month rather than cutting it short. Showing you can meet set payments each month shows reliability and can help your chances of being accepted for a mortgage.
On the other hand, if you are doing the opposite and exceeding your credit limits or overdrafts, your lender will think that you don’t take your finances seriously. This could massively impact your credit score, especially if you get declined by a lender due to this reason.
Check that your address is up to date
Your address should always be up-to-date. People usually get caught out when they move out from their parent’s house and forget to update all of their address’.
If you forget to change your address on things such as credit accounts, it will appear that you are living in two separate places. This can hurt your credit score once lenders see this so make sure that you are keeping on top of what address’ are linked with each of your accounts.
Close down your unused credit accounts
If you have any store/credit cards that are no longer in use, you should contact the provider and get them to fully close down your old account(s). These types of accounts are probably doing more damage than you think.
However, if you manage to close your account(s) it could still have a negative effect on your credit score as the credit reference can’t really tell if it’s you closing the account or the provider.
Don’t worry about this, if they ask, you will have to explain and it could work in your favour as you are proving that you want to improve your chances of being accepted.
Remember that it’s always good to check up on these types of things just in case. For example, you could’ve lost a card and you didn’t realise, then you fall victim for fraud. This could end up having a worse effect on your score.
Remove your financial link to others
People often don’t know that they are still financially tied to a family member or ex-partner. If this is the case, it can have a negative effect on your credit score without you even realising.
If the account that you are still tied to is still active, you must know that you will not be able to remove your link just yet. If you want to remove any of these links, then you should get in touch with the credit reference agencies and make a request.
Summary
As a Mortgage Broker in Harrogate, we know that some applicants see credit scoring as an unfair way of determining whether or not you’ll get accepted for a mortgage. For example, you may have a low credit score due to personal circumstances that couldn’t be prevented.
As a Mortgage Broker in Harrogate, we mostly see that it’s people that are Moving Home or Self Employed struggle with their credit score. However, if this isn’t your mortgage situation and you still need help with improving your credit score, you know to get in touch with.
Sending an up-to-date credit report to your expert Mortgage Broker in Harrogate could prove extremely beneficial to your mortgage journey. A great tool that we always recommend to our customers is checkymyfile.com.
The more your advisor knows about your finances the better. There are still some lenders out there that prefer to do things the old-fashioned way and will manually assess your application. They will still have rules that they stick by about the number of defaults and CCJ’s that they will allow.
A Mortgage Broker in Harrogate, like us, likes to do things the new way and will always aim to deliver you the same fast and friendly mortgage advice service that you are all used to. We hope to hear from you soon.
Why Isn’t it Easier to Get a Mortgage in Harrogate?
Mortgage Advice in Harrogate
During our multiple years of working as a Mortgage Broker in Harrogate, we have come across almost every single mortgage hurdle that you could think of. there are many different reasons to why a mortgage may be hard to obtain, let’s take a look at some of the most common reasons:
Passing lenders credit score
One of the first and many struggles of getting a mortgage is being able to pass a lenders credit score. Every single lender has their own individual requirements and criteria that you need to pass before they will offer you a mortgage. Each criteria is unique and it is more than likely that you won’t match every single one, even if you have a high credit score.
As a Mortgage Broker in Harrogate, we often find that people don’t realise that lenders have these strict criteria and end up applying to a lot of them. This can often have a negative effect as the more that you apply for, the more likely it is that you will get declined by some. If you are declined by a lender it can sometimes end up damaging your credits score.
This is why we always tell borrowers, especially First Time Buyers, not rushing into anything. If you are unsure on how to apply for a mortgage or don’t want to risk getting declined if you have had a bad credit history, it may be within your best options to approach a Specialist Mortgage Broker in Harrogate.
A second opinion from a mortgage expert may be exactly what you need to get the ball rolling. In fact, we have over 38 different lenders on panel that we can access for you, there is most likely a deal waiting for you amongst them!
Improving your credit score
Another mortgage obstacle that applicants commonly face is being declined a mortgage due to having a low credit score. What most people don’t realise is that having a low credit score is quite common and there are ways to boost it back up.
There are many different things that could cause someone to have a lower credit score, but remember, the only way is up! In some cases, it’s fairly easy to improve, however, in other cases it can be quite tricky and you may require a Specialist Mortgage Advisor in Harrogate to help you out.
Remortgaging
A First Time Buyer mortgage isn’t the only mortgage scenario out there, there are lots of different situations that we come across as a Mortgage Broker in Harrogate. Occasionally, it can be hard to get a mortgage arranged in all circumstances, however, one other mortgage situation that stands out is remortgaging.
Basically, remortgaging is just renewing your mortgage contract, this can be on the same deal or a completely different one if you are open to switching products. In most cases, people remortgage as their deal is approaching its end, however, it can be done midway through a deal if the homeowner wants to remortgage for home improvements, etc.
Remortgaging can be quite stressful, searching through lots of different deals can catch up on you. We do encourage in doing this though, searching through deals through external lenders could allow you to land an even better rate. We always recommend shopping around before rushing into renewing your deal.
If you are struggling to find a better remortgage deal or just don’t want to shop around, you can always try a Mortgage Broker in Harrogate like Harrogatemoneyman. We will sort out everything for you and search through 1000s of remortgage offers in order to try and find you a competitive deal that will be worth your time. 9/10 times we get it right and we find our customer a great mortgage deal that they thought they could never get.
It’s not always the applicant’s fault…
Sometimes, we find that it’s not always the applicant’s fault. A major factor that could determine the outcome of your mortgage is how the economy is performing during the time of your application.
For example, during the coronavirus pandemic, we saw 90% for several months which eventually eased towards 95% with time.
A suffering economy and getting a mortgage do not go hand in hand. In terms of saving money and making the most of your mortgage journey, it may be best to wait it out.
If you take a look back to the mid-2000s (just before the credit crunch), it was ridiculously easy to get a mortgage, anyone could get accepted. Now times have changed and the credit crunch has made lenders realise that they should be much more careful when accepting applicants for a mortgage.
Struggling yourself?
If you are struggling to get your mortgage application started and need some help from an expert Mortgage Advisor in Harrogate, we are always here to offer a helping hand. We know that the mortgage process can be daunting in sometimes scary, so don’t ever hesitate to call us.
Whether you’re a First Time Buyer, Home Mover, Self Employed, looking at Remortgaging or a Buy to Let landlord, we are here to help. Our amazing team of Mortgage Advisors in Harrogate are available 7 days a week and will be ready to answer all of your mortgage questions. Contact us today for a free mortgage consultation.
Which Property Survey to Choose? Mortgage Advice in Harrogate
What is a Property Survey?
When an offer is accepted on a property, usually the next step of to get a property survey sorted. Having this carried out will determine whether or not the property price is accurate or it needs adjusting due to the condition it is in. In the case where there is something found on the survey, the buyer does have the right by law to approach the seller to negotiate a price for the works required.
This is carried out by a property surveyor who will make you aware of any minor damages that need to be sorted
Property Survey Types
As a First Time Buyer in Harrogate, you may have been unaware of the different property survey types. Below are the three main types of property surveys available to you.
- Mortgage Valuation
- Homebuyer’s Report
- Full Structural Survey
Mortgage Valuation
The cheapest option available is a basic valuation. This is a regular survey that you need to have carried out before the mortgage offer is received and is different to a full survey. By doing this, it confirms to the lender that the property is worth at least what they are lending to the buyer. You may find that your mortgage lender will offer a free basic valuation as part of your deal.
One thing with mortgage valuation is that it will not make you aware of any repairs that are needed. On the flip side, it may mention obvious that is recommended to be investigated further.
Homebuyer’s Report
If you are wanting your property to be checked over for structural safety and let you know of any problems like dampness along with anything that doesn’t meet the current building regulations, a homebuyer’s report is perfect for this. This will provide you with an independent report of the property written by an expert.
You need to make sure that the two surveys aren’t being paid for by asking the mortgage companies surveyor who will carry out this report. Usually, this can take up to a day to complete if it’s a large property.
Full Structural Survey
A Full Structural Survey is suitable for older properties and those made from non-standard construction. The duration of a full structural survey depends on the property size and type, but it can take as long as a day to complete.
Even though a Full Structural Survey is the most expensive property survey, it will provide you with a detailed report. This report will highlight the overall condition of the property as well as highlight any major repairs that need to be carried out.
If you are looking for a surveyor to carry out a Homebuyers report or building survey through the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Do I need to get a survey on a new build?
When it comes to new build property, surveys would work slightly differently. You may think that you won’t need a property survey carried out because it’s a new property. It can be best to do this just in case.
A Snagging Survey is designed for new builds. You will be provided with a report that gives insight on the property’s overall condition, highlighting both minor and major issues. The survey will mention something as simple as a missing door hinge to a crack in the ceiling (which is unlikely to find in a new build).
For those moving into a new build that’s already been built, it would be best to get a snagging survey carried out on the property prior you move in. Having this will support you further when it comes to negotiating the price if there are any issues with the property.
How can our Mortgage Advisors in Harrogate help you?
A Mortgage Advisor in Harrogate can help you find the most appropriate property survey for you. Book your free mortgage appointment online or give us a call to connect to an expert advisor.
Here at Harrogatemoneyman, we have helped lots of First Time Buyers and Home Mover in Harrogate find the most appropriate property survey for their new home.
Why Should I Use a Mortgage Broker in Harrogate?
There are multiple reasons as to why you should use a Mortgage Broker in Harrogate. However, there is still the chance to go direct to a lender if you wish to, with the added option of doing it either in branch or online. Within this article we will include the pros and cons of both methods.
Pros and cons
When choosing the option of going direct to your bank or building society, you won’t have to pay the Broker fee, so that is an advantage in itself. Years ago, the bank manager would know your finances better than anyone but that is not the case since credit scoring was introduced. Another advantage of doing this would be the fact that some lenders offer exclusive mortgage products that would only be available by going direct. They also use this technique with Brokers too, so that exclusive offers are only available through them. This is put into place to maintain a good spread of business from both customers and brokers.
From 2014, lenders were banned from selling mortgages on a non-advised basis when customer interaction is involved. Up until this point, some applicants were under the impression that they had received advice when in fact they hadn’t and as a result of this, they weren’t able to benefit from parts of the consumer protection that goes along with proper advised mortgage sales.
This change had meant that lenders had to get used to a different system which meant longer waiting times for an appointment and this can still be the case in contemporary settings. This can be a struggle if you’ve just had an offer accepted on a house. The frustration that came with waiting for an appointment led to a rise in applications being made via Brokers due to the same day mortgage service being available.
Before the days of credit scoring and such it was much more difficult to compare mortgages whereas nowadays it’s a lot easier to find a competitive mortgage online. On the other hand, there is an increased difficulty in finding a lender whose criteria and mortgage product is tailored to your circumstances. It is important to keep in mind that the deals with the lowest rates tend to carry high arrangement fees.
Affordability
Affordability is another key point to take on board. A lenders deal could be amazing for you but if they won’t lend you enough money then it’s useless. Most mortgage applications these days aren’t straightforward, for example, you may have:
· Poor credit history
· Self Employed Income
· Mixed source of deposit (savings/gift)
· Let to Buy (keeping your current house and buying another)
· Contract workers/zero-hours contracts
· Affordability
Will lenders be lenient?
Most lenders try to stay relevant in the mortgage market by offering a better deal than their competition. The way they do this is by differentiating themselves on Lending Criteria. For example, some will be more lenient with Self Employed applicants or take a more sympathetic view on faults on a credit report.
Every mortgage situation is unique but if you approach an experienced Mortgage Broker in Harrogate then they will be able to reflect on past cases to see if there is a similar solution to decide the best outcome and hopefully find the lowest rate that’s available.
But it’s not just about getting the mortgage. Even if an application itself is straightforward, we find that our customers rely on us for many other things. For example, we sit down and discuss how much they are going to offer on the property that they are buying. We often recommend other professional services too such as Solicitors and explain the different types of survey and protection available.
Speak to a Mortgage Advisor in Harrogate
Another key aspect which benefits customers is responsiveness which you are guaranteed with one of our Mortgage Advisors in Harrogate, with our Mortgage Broker in Harrogate we make sure that out of hours and weekend appointments are available along with responding to clients’ emails on an evening outside of office hours.
An overlooked factor of why a Mortgage Broker in Harrogate might be preferable is purely for the fact of time. Everyone is prone to have periods in their life when they’re just too busy and a mortgage application can sometimes be stressful and time-consuming.
Our Mortgage Advisors in Harrogate aim to take this stress away and handle the full transaction for you. Professional applicants see the real extent of the advantages of this as they have customers of their own that they charge out their services to so they see the reasons to have an expert on board.
Lenders are on par with Brokers in some departments but in others they are yet to step up. Perhaps lenders may want to advance ahead of Mortgage Brokers and will most likely avoid staffing up their branch networks and instead make investments in technology to transact with customers online which may be a disadvantage for customers who prefer a more face to face approach that’s available with our Mortgage Advisors in Harrogate.
Remortgage For A Home Office in Harrogate
The rise of COVID-19 has meant that a lot of people are now having to change the way they work whilst at the same time, warming up to working from home due to the benefits that it holds. Certain benefits can include:
– Home Workers are often more productive
– No lost travelling time
– Less travelling is also better for the environment
– Telephone and Video meetings tend to be shorter, again good for increased productivity
– Flexible
– Better for families
In the past, relocating for work or for a better living environment isn’t an uncommon situation. However, now that the general public are realising that working from home means this doesn’t have to be the case means that they are able to shape their home to fit in a new workspace such as a home office which will help shape their home around this situation. This brings more value to the statement of ‘improve, not move’.
The price of converting an existing room can be somewhat low cost and can range between £5 – 15,000. Recently interest rates have been dropping for a considerable amount of time and remains to be low which could mean that upcoming monthly mortgage payments will increase by an affordable amount.
Assuming an interest rate of 2% is possible over 25 years it might cost you:
– £21pm for £5,000
– £64pm for £15,000
How to remortgage for a home office
You will have to remortgage a property to be able to raise additional funds in order to remortgage for a home office. These funds will let whichever room is chosen to be converted. The most common choice is a spare room or a garage.
The first step of the process will be to find a remortgage deal. If you choose to go on your own and go directly to a bank, you will only be allowed to access deals that are offered by them. By going further than your bank you’ll be opened up to more deals that could potentially mean that you’re better off in the long term.
Our Mortgage Broker in Harrogate is able to be on hand to be able to look through thousands of remortgage deals so that you end up with the one that will suit you the most. We make it so as our Remortgage Advisors in Harrogate only keep your best interests at heart.
The costs of a home office
For the cost of a home office, you will need to find out an estimate of how much the work that will be carried out will cost. Such things as room size and how much work will be needed on the room in order to get it in shape will also be needed to be taken into consideration.
Some of the lowest rates that have been present in the mortgage market are present right now and so the money that you are able to save by converting will extend further than your remortgage.
Are you looking to remortgage for home improvements?
If you’re thinking about setting up a remortgage then our Mortgage Advisors in Harrogate have accumulated experience from numerous years of been in the mortgage field. By approaching our Mortgage Broker in Harrogate, we’ll assist you with the process as you may find the lender might extend the time frame of your remortgage process.
The Different Types of Mortgages Explained in Harrogate
When you start out looking for a mortgage/remortgage in Harrogate, you will soon realise that there are lots of different options available and each has advantages and disadvantages depending on your individual situation.
What is a Fixed-rate Mortgage?
A fixed-rate mortgage means that your mortgage payments are going to stay the same for a set period of time. You can set the length of which you want to fix your payments for, typically this being 2, 3 or 5 years or longer. And no matter what happens to inflation, interest rates or the economy you know that your mortgage payment, usually your biggest outgoing, will not change.
What is a Tracker Mortgage?
A tracker mortgage means that your interest rate will track the Bank of England’s base rate. So in other words, the lender that you are with does not actually set the rate themselves, you will be paying a percentage above the Bank of England base rate. In an example, if the base rate is 1% and you are tracking at 1% above base rate, that means you will be paying a rate of 2%.
Back in the mid-2000s, these deals were very popular, as the rate you where tracking was a fraction above that of the base rate. These deals aren’t as attractive anymore, however always remember that it is a variable rate so if the Bank of England base rate goes up, your mortgage payments will also increase.
What is a Repayment Mortgage?
When you take out a repayment mortgage this means that each month you are paying capital and interest combined.
So as long as you keep your payments going for the full length of the mortgage term, the mortgage balance is guaranteed to be paid off at the end and the property becomes yours.
This is the most risk-free way to pay your capital back to the lender, in the early years it is mainly the interest that you are paying and your balance will reduce very slowly especially if you have taken out a 25, 30 or 35-year term.
This situation switches in the last ten years or so of your mortgage where your payments are paying off more capital than interest and the balance will come down much faster.
What is an Interest-only Mortgage?
Whilst many Buy to Let mortgages are set up on an interest-only basis, it is much more difficult to get a residential property on an interest-only basis. Back in the ’80s and 90’s how a mortgage would work is that you would take out an interest-only mortgage, a mortgage were you just pay the interest.
The idea was that you would take out a separate investment vehicle, such as an endowment policy or pension to pay the balance back at the end of the mortgage term.
Whether there is going to be enough money to pay the capital balance will depend on the performance of your investment vehicle.
During the 2000s some of these investments didn’t perform as well as expected and some borrowers were left with a shortfall.
It is much less likely for lenders to offer an interest only product now, however, there are certain circumstances where this can be an option if you are going to downsize when you are older or have other investments what you will use to pay the capital back.
Lenders are very strict when it comes to offering these products now and the loan to values are a lot lower than back in the day.
What is an Offset Mortgage?
With an offset mortgage, the lender will set you up a savings account to go alongside your mortgage account. How this works is that let’s say you have a mortgage balance of £100,000 and £20,000 is deposited into your savings account, you only pay interest on the difference, so in this case £80,000.
This can be a very efficient way of managing your money, especially if you are a higher rate taxpayer. This also is a way of reducing the mortgage term because as that money is sitting in that savings account your mortgage term shrinks.
This mortgage option was popular in the late ’90s and early 2000s, it originated in Australia and became popular in the UK when introduced by lenders such as The Yorkshire Bank. Currently, this is not a very popular mortgage option, The reason for this is that people don’t save as much as they used to anymore, however in the right circumstances an offset can be the perfect solution.
Preparing for a Mortgage Application in Harrogate
Applying for a Mortgage | Mortgage Advice in Harrogate
So, you’ve saved up for your deposit (or got the green light from “Bank of Mum and Dad”) and made the decision to move home in Harrogate.
What’s the next step? It’s time to get prepared for your mortgage with our Mortgage Advisors in Harrogate.
Know where you stand
Speaking to an experienced Mortgage Broker in Harrogate as early on in the process as possible will be beneficial as you know how much you can borrow for a mortgage and how much it will all cost.
Obtaining an up to date credit report should also be at the top of your list, you don’t want a meaningless squabble with your mobile phone provider holding you back from buying a home.
Taking the above two steps will give you a meaningful expectation of how possible this is going to be and what your budget is.
Getting Organised
Your Mortgage Broker in Harrogate will obtain a fully credit-checked Agreement in Principle on your behalf but you’ll have to prove who you are, where you live and how much you earn.
There really is loads of paperwork for you to get together so it’s a good idea to open a file for yourself and start collecting everything in advance.
Proof of ID
In terms of proving who you are you’ll need to produce some photo ID such as a Driving license or passport, if you’re a non-UK national working over here on a Visa you’ll need that too.
Proof of Address
In addition to the above, you’ll need to prove where you live. You’ll need to produce a utility bill or original bank statement dated within the last 3 months.
Last 3 months’ bank statements
Further to the Mortgage Market Review of 2014 the analysis of your spending habits has become one of the most important determining factors in whether you’ll qualify for a mortgage or not.
Your bank statements should evidence your income and regular expenditures.
Lenders will not be happy to see gambling transactions on your account and nor will they like it if you go over an agreed overdraft limit or if your direct debits bounce regularly.
Proof of Deposit
You will have to prove you have the funds in place for the deposit and also evidence this for anti-money laundering purposes.
Try not to move money around your various accounts too much as it will make evidencing the audit trail more difficult. Lenders like to see your savings building up so you’ll need to account for any large credits into your accounts.
Quite often money for deposits has been gifted by family members. These funds need to be evidenced also and the “donor” will need to sign a letter to confirm it’s a non-refundable gift, not a loan.
Proof of Income
In terms of affordability, the most important thing is to be able to prove your income. If you are employed this tends to be by way of your last 3 months’ payslips and most recent P60. Lenders can take into account regular overtime, commission, shift allowance and bonus.
If you are Self Employed then you’ll need your Accountant’s help to request your tax year overview.
A list of your expected outgoings
It’s a good idea to do your homework and write down an estimate of your anticipated outgoings after you move house. You can work out an idea of how much the council tax and utility bills will be plus your regular expenditures such as food and drink and demonstrate how much disposable income you have available to pay your mortgage from.
As you can see from the above, it’s a real paper trail when you are applying for a mortgage but if you want your application to run like clockwork you’ll need to put the time aside to get everything together.
It’s better to get all this at the outset and collate everything that the Lender could possibly ask for. As this saves time and frustration later down the line if you’re subsequently asked for paperwork you could have had ready at the outset.
Buying a Property in Joint Names in Harrogate
Helpful Mortgage Advice in Harrogate
Statistics show that in recent years property prices have increased at a faster rate than wages. We have found that many people look to purchase in joint names with a partner or friend in order to be able to afford a suitable home at a more reasonable price.
Purchasing in joint names usually will increase your maximum borrowing capacity, as the lender will look at all parties income and take this into account when running the affordability calculations.
How Many People Can Co-Own a Property?
Surprisingly, we work with some lenders who will accept up to 4 people co-owning a property. If for any reason, one of the co-owners of the property decides to no longer contribute to the mortgage repayments, any joint owners will still have the legal right to reside in the property unless this is ruled otherwise by a court.
If you would like to increase the mortgage at a later date, you must gain consent from all co-owners involved. It’s therefore essential that you make long term plans about what will happen in the future should you end up wanting different things.
Joint Tenancy or Tenancy in Common?
We find the most popular Tenancy for married couples or those in civil partnerships is ‘Joint Tenancy’. With this type of tenure, if either party were to pass away, the property would be handed over to the co-owner. If you have taken out relevant life insurance, at this point, your mortgage would be repaid.
With ‘Joint Tenancy’, when looking to remortgage or sell the property in the future. It would be required that all names on the tenancy agree to this.
When purchasing with relatives or friends, we find that ‘Tenants In common’ is the most popular tenure. You will still jointly co-own the property but are have the flexibility to do so not with equal shares. This works well if one party is making a more significant financial contribution than the other.
With ‘Tenants in Common’, another positive aspect, is that you can act independently. For example, you can choose to sell or give away your share of the property to someone else without the need to consult other parties.
Do I have to pay the mortgage if we separate?
All mortgage borrowers are jointly and severally liable for mortgage payments. If you find yourself paying all future payments without a co-owner, you will still be liable. You are preventing the mortgage from falling into any debt. As mortgage arrears showing on your credit file could have the potential to stop you from obtaining a mortgage in the future.
It is best to think of it like this: You don’t own 50% of a property, you own 100% jointly.
How do I remove my ex-partner from a Joint Mortgage?
Lenders will need to be confident that you can keep up with monthly payments on your own before they can approve of this happening.
When purchasing a home with a partner, it’s a whole new chapter starting in your life and can be a great way to start fresh with another individual. In all the excitement of moving home, it can make you wonder about the justifications if things go sideways.
As seen from above, a mortgage is a big financial commitment and making changes is going to be a challenge.
With physical proof that you can maintain mortgage payments since your old partner moved, the lender may agree to your request to put the mortgage into your single name. However, Lenders like the idea that there are two people to pursue in the event of arrears occurring. To remove someone, they will carry out a brand-new affordability assessment, precisely in the same way as they would at the point of purchase.
Whilst a lender may not accept a request, it’s always beneficial to speak with a mortgage advisor beforehand, as there may be other lenders who could agree to your transfer request.
It can also be worth talking to family members to see if they can help you out to make life a little bit easier. They can do so by replacing your ex on your mortgage or by gifting you a lump sum to reduce the amount owed, meaning your savings can contribute to easing your future mortgage payments.
Can I remove my name from a Joint Mortgage?
If you and your partner split up and you leave the family home, then your responsibility is still shared for mortgage payments even if an agreement was settled with your ex that they will make all the payments.
If you are sending your partner money each month, you should keep an eye on your credit report to ensure they are paying the mortgage. If they default, then it will impact your own score.
Is your name still linked with an existing mortgage? Then the payments for that will be considered if you buy a new home of your own. That will mean Lenders might not lend you as much as you would like.
Buying a home with someone is different from renting with them. It’s always better to agree on what would happen to the house should things not plan out as expected. If you want some help from a Specialist Mortgage Advisor in Harrogate, feel free to contact us anytime!
Is Buying Better Than Renting in Harrogate?
When you reach that certain age and your parents are homeowners, then the chances are that they are encouraging you to look at Moving Home in Harrogate. Before you rush into anything, you should investigate the differences between buying and renting. However, today history suggests more people rent now.
Here we will discuss some pros and cons and look at both sides of the debate.
Should I investigate buying properties?
The property market has shifted, although history suggests that even if you buy at the very peak of the market if you can afford to keep the property, eventually prices tend to increase or decrease.
Consider discussing all possibilities with your Mortgage Advisor in Harrogate (and family) before being committed to the purchase; you could end up going through a rough time, and things don’t always plan how they should which could result selling the house.
It’s always important to plan far ahead
That said, we are talking about a Home here, not merely an investment, and the most critical driver is finding a suitable one for you given all your circumstances.
Is a Mortgage cheaper than renting?
Bear in mind mortgage payments will be cheaper than rent. Interest rates go up and down, which mean your mortgage payments can go up and down too.;
If you are worried about that then you should take out a fixed-rate mortgage, so your payments remain the same for a set period.
Then again rents either stay the same or go up – it’s a rare occurrence for a Landlord to reduce your rent.
Security
Some people feel in a more stable situation when they own their own home for them and their family. As the homeowner, there is no way that you can be made to leave if you can afford the mortgage payments.
While you do have some protection as a tenant in terms of how much notice your landlord needs to provide to you. If they want the house back, the security is limited.
It could be a very stressful situation, especially if you have a family, with children in the local school and work nearby.
In some cases, when a landlord chooses to sell their property. They will often speak with their tenant first and offer them the chance to purchase the property before they put in on the open market. It can save the landlord money on estate agency fees.
Flexibility
Renting is more flexible than owning, nothing can stop you giving your Landlord notice to leave if you get a job offer in other areas, for example.
It’s challenging for a Homeowner. You will have to decide whether you want to rent out your home or sell it, which can be time consuming and expensive.
Consider this if you aren’t planning on being around the area for the long term, is it worth buying?
Buying somewhere needs to be viewed as a long-term investment.
Repairs
As a tenant, your landlord should be responsible for any significant repairs. Some Letting Agents and Landlords are better than others when it comes to repairs, however, and even if you are renting, you might end up doing some minor maintenance of the property yourself.
It’s all down to the homeowner to ensure the property is in the best living condition of any mortgage taken out.
Consider the following
Contrary to what some people might say, owning your own home is not for everyone. If you are young and moving in with your partner for the first time, there’s nothing wrong with renting for a while. Things don’t always work out the way we plan, and it can be tough to get removed from a mortgage.
Buying a home is an enormous financial commitment, and you need to consider all the options before going straight in if you decide to rent though it might take you much longer to save up for a deposit.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and most people end up seeing more upsides to buying rather than renting.
Whether you’re renting or paying a mortgage, you’re making monthly payments to live somewhere, and most would rather see this go towards their benefit than someone else’s.
It’s sometimes just a case of getting your timing right and being in the correct financial position to be able to proceed.
