The essentials you need to know about credit checks before borrowing money

Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 10th of July 2024

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The information a lender finds during a credit check is important – it could affect whether you’re able to borrow money, including through a mortgage, and the interest rate you’re offered. Yet, they can also seem perplexing.

Indeed, a Royal London survey found that a third of Brits had never looked at their credit report.

The good news is that we can help you cut through the jargon, so you feel more confident next time you apply for a loan.

Lenders usually carry out a credit check to assess how much risk you pose

Lenders carry ...


2024/25 tax year planning - Retirement planning

Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 3rd of July 2024

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Don’t put it off

Retirement can often seem a long way off – but the choices you make before you stop working can have an enormous impact on the kind of life you enjoy when you finally call time on the nine to five. Our trusted and highly-skilled team of advisers are on hand to give you the best possible advice, making a potentially stressful process far easier.


There are several considerations you need to take into account as part of that planning process. So, we’ve put together a quick checklist to make sure that the decisions you make ...


The effect of psychology on investors

Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 26th of June 2024

You should base financial decisions on logic and facts. But psychology can have a much larger effect than you think, and it can lead to you making decisions that aren’t right for you. Read on to find out more about what behavioural finance is and how it could affect you.

“Behavioural finance” was first coined in the 1970s by economist Robert Shiller and psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. They used the term to refer
to how unconscious biases and previous experiences affect the way people make financial decisions.

It can be used ...


Are you self-employed? We can help you navigate the mortgage market

Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 12th of June 2024

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Do you feel like you have to jump through more hoops when applying for a mortgage just because you’re self-employed? And not sure which way to turn?

We’re here to help. We are mortgage advisers and we can help you navigate the self-employed mortgage market and any of the challenges you may face.

What is a self-employed mortgage?

There isn't a specific product called a self-employed mortgage, you will be applying for the same mortgages as those who are employed. The key difference is that lenders look at self-employed earnings differentl...


Don’t Fit the Mortgage Mould? We can help you.

Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 5th of June 2024

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If you've ever felt like you don't quite fit the conventional mould when it comes to securing a mortgage, you're not alone. In fact, more and more people are in the same boat, challenging the standard lending rules.

If you’re self-employed, had a credit blip or over 50 you may have encountered challenges when applying for a mortgage because traditional mortgages don't always cater to everyone's needs. Luckily, there are specialist mortgage products designed just for people like you and we can help.

Self-Employed?

Do you feel like you h...


General election 2024: 4 July

Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 29th of May 2024

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak surprised everybody on 22 May – including many in his party – with his announcement of a general election on Thursday 4 July.

At the start of 2024, Rishi Sunak said that his “working assumption” was that the general election would be held “in the second half of the year”. His unexpected choice of 4 July just passes that midway threshold, so what happens next?

Election timeline

The run-up to the dissolution of parliament will see a week of frantically trying to pass outstanding legislation (including the March Bu...


Are you self-employed? We can help you navigate the mortgage market

Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 22nd of May 2024

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Do you feel like you have to jump through more hoops when applying for a mortgage just because you’re self-employed? And not sure which way to turn?

We’re here to help. We are mortgage advisers and we can help you navigate the self-employed mortgage market and any of the challenges you may face.

What is a self-employed mortgage?

There isn't a specific product called a self-employed mortgage, you will be applying for the same mortgages as those who are employed. The key difference is that lenders look at self-employed earnings differentl...


2024/25 Tax planning is underway

Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 15th of May 2024

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Every year brings new possibilities – and at the start of the 2024/25 tax year, it’s time to maximise your financial options and opportunities. If you’re an investor or saver then there are plenty of tax perks you can take advantage of. But the clock is ticking before the tax year door slams shuts and our team of experts are on hand to ensure that you receive the information you need to make the best decisions for you and your finances.  

 

So, what should my priorities be?

Well, there’s little benefit to having an ISA allowance if you ...


Mortgage affordability

Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 1st of May 2024

How to improve your chances of passing a mortgage affordability assessment

Getting on the housing ladder can feel like one of the hardest and longest processes in the world and the cost of living crisis is probably not helping. You need to come across as attractive as possible for lenders to consider you but there are many factors that can reduce how much lenders are willing to let you borrow for your home, from debt to low household income.

So how do lenders decide whether to offer you a mortgage?

If you’re applying for a new mortg...


Considerations for first-time buyers

Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 24th of April 2024

Being a first-time buyer can be daunting. Not only are you about to make one of the biggest financial decisions in your life, but you’ll probably also have family members and friends offering their ideas on the right house, mortgage, lender, conveyancer, and even removal company for you.

We’ve put together some ideas to try and take away some of the stress and confusion and give you confidence to move through the home buying process as smoothly as possible.

Get the right advice

Of course, we’re going to say that - it’s what we do! We’ll r...


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