Choosing a Mortgage Lender
Just as there are many types of mortgages and mortgage deals to choose from, there are also many sources where you can go to get a mortgage. Your key choices are to use a mortgage broker, a more general financial adviser, or shop around yourself and go direct to the mortgage lender. For many people, choosing a lender means finding a mortgage company offering the lowest APR rate. If you decide to use an adviser you can choose between a specialist mortgage broker and a general financial adviser. A general adviser will look at all your financial affairs if you want, not just your mortgage. As opposed to lenders who can only offer their own products, an adviser can look at the whole market for you and consider mortgages from a number of lenders. Advisers can also offer you advice and information tailored to your needs. In the UK, All firms or Individuals arranging or advising on mortgages must be authorised to do so by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). If you are unhappy with advice from an authorised firm you usually have the right to complain and may be able to claim compensation. As an alternative to using a financial adviser, you can arrange a mortgage directly with a lender ? like a building society, bank or specialist mortgage company. A lender will only recommend their own mortgage products although they may have several you can choose from. When choosing a lender, you should consider the competitiveness of the lender's rates, their fees and penalties, their customer service and their reputation. You'll also want a lender you can trust, and someone you can work with effectively. Remember you'll have to deal with this company for many years to come. 1. Building Societies
Building societies are mortgage experts, they offer specialist advice and they usually offer very competitive rates. Many national ones have a branch in most major towns and cities while the smaller ones tend to specialise in catering for home buyers in particular areas. For example, the Cambridge Building Society specializes in helping people who live in Cambridgeshire. 2. High Street Banks
Banks usually have years of lending experience and they have more branches and greater coverage across the United Kingdom. Their standard rates tend to be higher than those of building societies but they often offer the best introductory offers on mortgage deals. Some of the big banks now have special arrangements with building societies where the building society is the one that handles all the mortgage business for the bank. 3. Specialist Mortgage Lending Companies
Specialist lenders lend to a particular type of niche market. Many of these specialise in providing mortgages for people in special circumstances who would not normally be offered a loan by their bank or building society. This includes people with adverse credit, the self-employed, part-time employed and those purchasing overseas properties. Many mainstream lenders have established specialist subsidiaries for non-standard mortgages such as these. You may have to deal with them over the phone, by mail or over the internet as most of them do not have a wide network of branches across the country. 4. Insurance Companies
Some insurance companies offer mortgages and other financial products together with their range of insurance products. They may sometimes offer certain deals in association with other financial institutions such as banks but they do not specialise in this area and they may not necessarily offer the best rates. 5. Intermediaries and Mortgage Brokers
Instead of going directly to the lender for a mortgage, you can approach an advisor or broker to search the market for the best mortgage deal for you. Some intermediaries are tied to particular lenders and they may only offer products from their lender. Others are independent so they have a much wider market to choose from. A credit broker is a firm or person who introduces you to a lender for the purpose of borrowing money. The task of the credit broker is to obtain the loan you require on terms that are acceptable to you. Whatever you decide, it's important to understand how mortgages are regulated and sold in the United Kingdom. Buying with advice puts you in a stronger position to complain and get compensation if you later discover that the mortgage is unsuitable. You can read some more articles about mortgages at: http://www.commercial-mortgage-guide.org.uk/mortgages/ © Copyright 2005, Bwalya Mwaba writes for the The Commercial Mortgage Guide. Visit our website for mortgage related news, articles, tools and more: http://www.commercial-mortgage-guide.org.uk/. This article may be reprinted as long as all the above links are active and clickable and this author box (byline) is not edited.
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Secrets Your Banker Wont Tell You - Which Loan is Best for You?
Recently I was driving in my Car and I heard an Ad for a Mortgage lender who claimed they would help you find the Best Loan out of over 400 Different Loan Types. 400 Different Loan Types now that has to be confusing. How do you find the Best loan for you. Clearly the Best loan for you is not the Not the best loan for your bank. Learn the Secrets your Banker doesn't want you to Know.
Is an ARM Right For You?
Let's start by taking a look at 7 key elements of an adjustable rate mortgage:
Tips for Finding the Best Agri Mortgage and the Best Agri Loan
The Research Rates of Agri Mortgage
Non-conforming Home Loans vs Conforming Loans
The simple definition of a "non-conforming home loan" is: You have a job and can make the payments. Your credit is used only to determine
your interest rate and the loan amount to value of the home ratio.
This ratio is referred to as your "LTV" or "Loan To Value".
There are many lenders who will lend to borrowers who are in
foreclosure or who are currently in a bankruptcy.
What is a Buy To Let Mortgage?
A buy to let mortgage is a mortgage on a property which is to be let out or rented, rather than occupied by the owner. A buy to let mortgage is exactly as it sounds - a mortgage that allows you to buy a property in order to let if out to a tenant.
Shopping for A Mortgage? Do Your Homework First
If you happen to be shopping around for a mortgage, it is very important that you first take the necessary time to do your homework.
Mortgage Information for the First Time Homebuyer
Inflation in the United States is increasing rapidly and home prices are soaring! There are millions of american families that are unaware of the many mortgage programs that are available for first time homebuyers.
Mortgage Elimination- A Horrible and Sure Way to Lose Your Home to Foreclosure
"Own your home free and clear in 3 to 4 months. Note paid in full!"
Mortgage Brokers or Banks: Which is Right For You?
When you're looking for a home loan, you might work with an officer at a bank or other lending institution, or you might choose to work with a mortgage broker. The end result is the same - a new house, but the two types of jobs differ.
Should You Get a Home Inspection?
It's very important, and in my opinion, mandatory to have a home inspection done before you close on a house. The inspection helps with giving you an objective evaluation of any problems with the home before you move in.
Escrow Accounts, Do You Absolutely Need One?
With escrow accounts the money for your home insurance and property tax is added to your monthly mortgage payment and is paid out each year. With that said, you may think that having an escrow account takes the responsibility off your shoulders because the bank will make the payment for you each year from your escrow savings account. But beware, because many people have found that their property tax and home insurance have not been paid on time or at all!
Getting the Best Homeowner Loan for Your Money
With so many lenders out there, it can be hard to tell if you're getting the best homeowner loan for your money. Banks, finance companies, and online lending services all offer competing loans, but determining which offers you the best homeowner loan can be tricky.
Why Choose a Home Improvement Loan?
Many people choose to take out home improvement loans so they can give their house a new look before selling.
Top 5 Methods to Manage Your Home Equity
As your home appreciates in value, you gain equity. You can look at this equity, as a portion of the value of your home, which becomes an asset that is not burdened by debt. Therefore, this is a critical financial vehicle that cannot be ignored.
Reverse Mortgages ? a Reversal of the Mortgage Process
Mortgages have assumed a number of characters from the time of their inception. The traditional mortgages used to be of the repayment type. Every month the mortgagor used to pay a certain amount towards both principal and interest. Sensing the hardships that people have to face in making these payments, mortgage providers came up with interest only mortgages. But the present day customer is more pampered. He needs a mortgage where he enjoys the cash, but is not required to pay a penny towards the repayment.
Stop Foreclosure - 7 Tips to Save Your Home
Faced with the threat of a foreclosure on their home, with all the weight of the mortgage industry and its army of attorneys against them, the average homeowner might feel like David facing Goliath.
Refinance Mortgage Loan ? Tips on Refinancing Your Home Mortgage
Refinancing your home mortgage can come with some great perks. If you do it with no money out of pocket, you can skip one to three mortgage payments. You can save money on your payment or pay off your entire mortgage faster when you have better terms. Here are a few things to pay attention to when you refinance your mortgage loan, to make sure that you don't overlook anything that you might regret, or that can cause you problems later:
Mortgage ? What, Why, When, and How?
What is a mortgage? Here's what The New Merriam ? Webster Dictionary definition is: "a
transfer of rights to a piece of property usu. as security for the payment of a
loan or debt that becomes void when the debt is paid." That's as plain and
simple as it gets, you pledge the property that you're buying to the lender
until your home loan is paid off then the mortgage is released and you own the
property free and clear. The term "Mortgage Loan" usually pertains to the loan
used to purchase a home.
Mortgage Refinancing Companies -- Choosing The Right One
Searching for a mortgage refinance company can be a daunting task. In a moderately sized city, there could be at least several major refinancing companies and several smaller local refinancing institutions. In a larger city, you can easily have hundreds of refinancing companies. If you add in the access to mortgage companies via the Internet, the options are truly limitless. With so many options, how can you find the right lender to refinance your home mortgage loan?
How Much Interest is Your Home Equity Earning?
How much interest are you earning on your home equity? If you answered nothing, zero, zilch, zip you are correct. What would you do if you could get triple compounding on your equity? Would you take action and build a fortune that would allow you to pay off the mortgage and create a retirement fund?
|
