Currently looking for a new mortgage and not particularly impressed with what our banks are offering. Can anyone from the hive recommend someone?

Before you ask, we’re based in Surrey (naturally) so if the MA is local then fine, but I guess it doesn’t really matter these days.

Ta v m

Friends have used Richard Bousfield at The Surrey Mortgage Broker and been very impressed.

JJ

Nice one, cheers JJ (or jjj).

Try Mark Downing at Toogoods, East Horsley. Very helpful, and seems to go the extra mile when necessary.

london and country were good for me http://lcplc.co.uk/

oh, and I know a really good solicitor in Wimbledon if you need a recommendation for one of them. She did my last move, my brother’s and my parents’ two recent moves. Vastly better than any others I’ve used.

Dave

London & Country are good. I usually speak to Nathan Moore

Based in Weybridge – James is da man but they all know their stuff.

Home

Excellent, cheers guys.

Out of interest, what do mortgage advisers offer that just looking online at all the mortgages doesn’t?

I guess if you’ve got a complicated situation, like you’re self employed or super duper rich and want to avoid tax or something, it might be worth it, but otherwise, are they realistically going to have access to any better deals than you, in this age of easily searchable online databases?

I can see in the olden days, when you might not necessarily have known that an obscure building society in Lancashire had a brilliant deal on (our last mortgage was with Marsden Building Society), an advisor who had a view of the whole market might be useful, but nowadays, what do they offer?

And as for mortgage ‘advice’ from the bank – what kind of idiot would do that, it is obvious that they won’t do a good deal unless you happen to be at the bank that has the best deal anyway.

what kind of idiot would do that,

FTR I’m not an idiot as I too don’t expect to get the best advice/rates from them. What I was asking for was reputable “experts” that 1) answer your questions, 2) actually listen and understand to what you say, and 3) illustrate the best deals based on your circumstance/expectations coupled with how they see the market at the time.

Like you say, you can do your research online but a good MA/FA might just be able to point you in a better direction if you need a bit of guidance blah blah.

Like you say, you can do your research online but a good MA/FA might just be able to point you in a better direction offer you the best deal that has the highest proc fee for them……..

FTFY

PS Market is stagnant at the moment. Interest rates predicted to stay low for next 3 to 4 years. Fixed rates are now being priced the same as trackers. Cost of money to purchase money for mortgages remaining static, hence pricing is steady.

PPS all high street lenders cutting cost of deals at the momemnt to ramp up market share, they are taking a hit on their margin as the government not happy with current volume of gross lending. Look at nationwide, halifax and HSBC – you wont go far wrong with them at the moment.

I work in the industry funnily enough as a mortgage advisor in a banks head office. No-one gives true advice they just ask you questions to find out what you really want and then recommend the lowest rate. You never get actual advice coz no-one knows what the rates are gonna do. If you’re happy with ur partner and happy to have a mortgage for the next five years then take a five year fixed rate, john charcoal’s website gives rates over the whole of the market. Mortgages are a lot less complicated than people think. Independent advisors will just give you the rate for the lender that pays the biggest proc fee or try and rip you off with lots of life insurance.

If the mortgage adviser is straight they’ll say up front what fees they earn from the deal, I was surprised how little they got given we had 3 appointments and ours did lots of research about porting existing product etc etc

I was a complete sceptic until we used one recently. Each to their own, not everyone is an expert at everything and time is precious. Etc …….

I’m currently using this guy and have done the last two times. I can certainly recommend him, very helpful and a top bloke too.

Ask for Graham.

http://www.modsols.co.uk/

http://www.charcol.co.uk/?gclid=CL2pmMb78bQCFe3KtAodRxMA3w

Look at the above site, then go direct to who is offering what you think is a good deal. Saves commission.

Also recommend the below for life cover, pay the upfront fee and save in the long run.

http://www.cavendishonline.co.uk/

http://www.rmbfm.co.uk/ are who we’ve used but It’s my nephew.

Anyway, if you contact them ask for Charlie & tell him his fantastic uncle Jimmy sent you. 🙂

Alfabus, any chance you could add name and contact for that solicitor of your in Wimbledon? Have had offer accepted and now need to get the ball rolling.

Thanks