The Costs of Buying a Home in Sheffield

Buying a Home Mortgage Advice in Sheffield

Have you ever wondered how much the costs of buying a home in Sheffield are? If you are a First Time Buyer in Sheffield, there is a list of fees to consider when buying a new home, including the fees and your deposit.

Make sure you have saved plenty to cover all the upfront costs. Let’s take a look at some of the costs of buying a home that you need to know about:

What mortgage fees will you pay?

Estate Agent Fees

The only time you will require an estate agent is when you want to sell a property. The fees of the estate agents differ from one agent to another. The fee of an estate agent may not be cheap and the ones that can be hired for a low rate are online-based because they don’t have their own established offices.

If you can afford it and don’t mind paying a high fee, then you should go for a local estate agent that has an office as they can provide you with a personalised service. However, this can cost you around 1 to 2% of your overall selling price.

The estate agent’s fee might be up for negotiating, especially in the “seller’s markets”. This is when many agents are competing to get instructions from you because there are not many houses left on the market for them to deal around with. So, if you are a Moving Home in Sheffield, consider the estate agency fees wisely.

Survey fees

First Time Buyer in Sheffield like yourself, will be made aware that before you take out a mortgage, the lender will need to know that what you are paying is actually the worth of the property. Some lenders might will offer this service for free but they might not share with you a copy of their reports.

If your lender is not offering a free valuation service, then you’re going to have to pay a fee. This fee can be as high as a few hundred pounds, which can be way above budget for many people. If you want a more detailed and informative report, it’s most likely that you’ll have to pay an even higher fee.

Here at Sheffieldmoneyman, our Mortgage Advisor in Sheffield will explain the different types and ranges of surveys consist of so that you’ll be able to make a decision that will be the most suitable for your current circumstances.

Depending on the condition that the house is in, you may have to upgrade the survey accordingly so that you get all information you need in the report.

A good survey is very expensive, but at the same time, it can provide important information about the property. If you end up buying a property without getting it checked, you could end up paying a lot more for the repairs you’ll have to deal with in the future.

Mortgage arrangement fees

The general rule of thumb is that the mortgages that have the lowest minimum interest rates are the ones that come with the highest fees. Fees required to set up a mortgage can actually range from zero to more than a few thousand pounds! If it’s an option, you may want to add your lender’s arrangement fee to your mortgage.

Your Mortgage Advisor in Sheffield will always aim to recommend the cheapest product that will meet your needs perfectly without any issues. They will also be able to calculate the total mortgage amount that will be required over a term.

Here’s a top tip: if you are borrowing a higher amount, you are going to want to try and keep the interest rate as low as possible.

Solicitor’s fees

If you are starting the process of buying a home in Sheffield, you will need to have a solicitor as well so that all of the legal work can be taken care of. For example, the legal aspects include who owns the property, who’s selling it and so on. Without a solicitor, people can sometimes get caught in illegal issues as well. So, you need to have one to successfully carry out your moving home journey.

Solicitor fees vary, some may appear quite expensive and this is because their quotes include the VAT as well. Though remember that not all solicitors are on “panel” for all lenders, so you need to be careful and choose the right one for your needs. Once again, your Mortgage Advisor in Sheffield will be able to help you make the right decision in this regard as well.

Stamp duty

There are purchases that will be subject to Stamp Duty. Stamp Duty is a tax that you pay to the government when you are buying a house. Often, First Time Buyers in Sheffield can get a bit confused about this fee. The rules regarding which purchases will have this tax change frequently so you can check it here: https://www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax

Broker fees

If you are a First Time Buyer in Sheffield who wants mortgage advice, you should also know about mortgage broker fees. Almost every mortgage broker will charge some sort of fee for their services and the amount that you will have to pay will mostly depend on how much the lender is paying the broker for the work that they will be doing on their behalf.

A lot of the Mortgage Brokers in Sheffield will only charge you a fee you if they are able to get a formal mortgage offer for you. You better check the online reviews about your chosen Mortgage Broker in Sheffield before you hire them.

Removal fees

You need to know about the removal fees too. There are lots of people who hire a van and move themselves, however, we advise against this idea. Removal companies will charge you more money, but their service is worth the money. They will make your moving day a lot less stressful in many ways.

Mortgage Advice in Sheffield

So, these are the main costs of buying a home in Sheffield. If you are a First Time Buyer and are looking for Mortgage Advice in Sheffield, get in touch with us and we will help you get everything done in the simplest and the most effective manner!

Buying a house is a very complicated and tough task, however, if the right steps are taken, the process could be completed smoothly with ease.

How much deposit do I need to put down?

First Time Buyer Mortgage Advice in Sheffield

First time buyers, home movers, landlords and the self employed will always ask the same question when it comes to applying for a mortgage – “how much can I borrow?”.

The answer varies depending on your individual situation. For example, how much you can borrow could change depending on your credit score, income, bank statements and your personal situation.

Let’s take a look into ‘how much you can borrow for a mortgage’ and how things have changed following the credit crunch.

Historic rules when borrowing for a mortgage

Long before the credit crunch, credit scoring was non-existent and mortgages were manually assessed by your local building society manager. Then, during the 1990s, lenders started performing income assessments to provide a consistent approach across applicants.

Maximum lending caps were also introduced. This meant that customers couldn’t borrow more than three to four times their annual income. Scary to think that before people could!

Despite these lending caps in place, in the early 2000s, lender’s income multipliers grew more generous. This meant that more and more people were borrowing more than they can afford to pay back. Furthermore, some lenders were even allowing some of their customers to ‘self-certify’ their income with minimal/no background checks such as payslips.

Of course, all of this went very wrong. Lenders were lending to applicants that couldn’t afford to pay them back, therefore the market crashed and all of sudden, it became extremely hard to get a mortgage from 2008-2010. Lenders tightened their margins and created a cautious (over-corrected) lending environment.

Nowadays approach to how much I can borrow

In 2014, the Mortgage Market Review (MMR) was introduced. This initiative helped the market get back up on its feet; it brought a new set of guidelines for lenders to adhere to. The old income multiplier method was scrapped and replaced with new, more sophisticated affordability calculators.

These new affordability calculators provided a closer look into an applicant’s spending habits and net disposable income. This meant that the lender could have an in-depth look at your bank statements to ensure unaffordable mortgages were not granted as they were before the Mortgage Market Review.

There is still a “lending cap” in place at about 4.75 times your annual income but your expenditures are also analysed. For example, lenders seem to penalise low-earners and even things like gambling showing up on your bank statements can sometimes affect your chances of being accepted. Some take pension contributions as a fixed outgoing so would often lend, say a public sector worker with a big pension deduction less than a private sector and so on.

Mortgage Broker in Sheffield

If you are currently trying to work out how much that you borrow, we would recommend trying our online free affordability calculator or speaking to us for a more accurate measure. A Mortgage Advisor in Sheffield will research the market on your behalf and try to find a lender that will lend you the amount you need.

Before you take out a mortgage you should sit down with a First Time Buyer Mortgage Advisor in Sheffield and work out your finances together to ensure that the repayments feel comfortable to you.

Gifted Deposit Mortgage Advice in Sheffield

How to get a mortgage with a gifted deposit?

First time buyers in Sheffield are relying on gifted deposits to get a mortgage. Find out what a gifted deposit is and how it can help your get onto the property ladder.

While the market has gotten tighter with rules, making it more challenging than it used to be to obtain a mortgage. It can still be possible to buy a property in certain situations.

For example, after spending over three years in the same rental property from the local authority, be that a housing association or council. You may be eligible to buy a property under the Right-to-Buy Scheme in Sheffield. We have seen that they may allow you to use the equity from that property in place of a deposit in some cases.

In most cases, people get around the long and stressful process of saving up their deposit by being given a Gifted Deposit. A gifted deposit is when a homebuyer receives money to use as a down payment on a property. Depending on the amount given, it could be used for the whole deposit or just a portion of it.

Gifted Deposits FAQs

Who can gift the deposit?

Most lenders will have specifications on who can and cannot gift a deposit. If you consider buying a house with your parent’s money ‘bank of mum and dad’, this is the source of funds people often ask. Other family members such as grandparents and siblings are usually allowed.

That said, More distant family members such as aunties and uncles are much less likely to be permitted. A mortgage deposit gift from friends, meanwhile, is improbable to be accepted.

If you’re a parent looking to get your children on the property ladder, a gifted deposit is a good way of doing so!

If the person gifting to you is aged over 55, they may look to take out Equity Release in Sheffield as a means of gifting you a deposit.

Can it be a loan rather than a gift?

In most situations, it will need to be a gift, with the lender requiring that the donor sign a letter (which we can help prepare) to confirm the funds are non-refundable, and they will not put a “charge” on the property you are buying. There are exceptions out there, with at least one notable lender who will accept this.

That said, you must be careful, as taking out a personal loan just before applying for a mortgage will most likely negatively affect your credit score, which could lead to a mortgage application being rejected. 

Also, the mortgage lender will have to take the monthly payments for the loan when they are calculating how much they will lend you.

How much can be gifted for a deposit?

There is no maximum limit on the amount of gift you can receive. But most lenders will insist you put in at least a 5% deposit from your funds.

Are you looking for a Mortgage Advisor in Sheffield?

As an open and honest mortgage broker in Sheffield, we can utilise our extensive panel of lenders to search through 1000’s of Right-to-Buy Mortgage deals for you.

We aim to offer help and guidance during the process, answering any questions you may have along the way. We even aid with other services when necessary, such as conveyancing.

Getting Prepared for a Mortgage in Sheffield

Mortgage Advice in Sheffield

So, you are now ready to take a further step up the property ladder and be one step closer to achieving your mortgage goals. Whether you are a first time buyer in Sheffield, new to the experience, or a home mover in Sheffield looking to sell your current home and live somewhere else, you will still need to start getting prepared for your mortgage.

As a open and honest mortgage broker in Sheffield, here are some expert tips:

Know Where You Stand Ahead of Your Mortgage

As an experienced and well trusted mortgage broker in Sheffield, we always recommend taking advantage of mortgage advice as early on in the mortgage process as you can. This will allow you to get an idea of how much you could possibly borrow and what your estimated monthly costs may be.

You need to prioritise getting an up-to-date credit report, as you will need to know what your current credit score is and what you could potentially do to improve it, if necessary. The better your credit score is, the higher chance you have of your mortgage application being accepted.

There are a lot of different ways that you could potentially improve your credit score in Sheffield and to the surprise of many, it isn’t always too difficult to do so. In some cases, it is even possible to obtain a mortgage deal despite having a low credit score, though this ultimately depends on your lender and the way they look at your circumstances.

By ensuring you have both a mortgage advisor in Sheffield by your side and an up-to-date credit report to hand, you could increase your chances of being accepted for a mortgage in the future. A trusted mortgage advisor in Sheffield will be able to work through everything on your behalf, guiding you throughout the process.

Getting Organised for a Mortgage

Here at Sheffieldmoneyman, we have the ability to obtain a fully credit-checked agreement in principle for you, something we can turn around within 24 hours of your initial appointment. A dedicated mortgage advisor in Sheffield will help you to get prepared for everything prior to submitting your mortgage application.

In doing this, your mortgage lender will want to see some proof of identification, so that you can prove you are who you say you are, along with where you are living and the amount that you earn from your job. In knowing this, you can now prepare for all the necessary documents you’ll need. These are as follows;

Proof of ID

In terms of proving who you are you’ll need to produce some photo ID. Acceptable types of ID include a driving license or valid passport.

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

Lenders will always have a keen interest in what your spending habits are, compared to anything else.

They need to be absolutely sure that you will have the ability to regularly maintain your monthly mortgage payments on top of everything else you have going out. They will analyse your bank statements very carefully and take everything into consideration.

Lenders aren’t too fond of seeing gambling on your bank statements. It’s something we often see catching people out, as they haven’t realised that it can harm your chances of obtaining a mortgage down the line. They also don’t like seeing customers go over their overdraft limit, as this basically means your spending money that isn’t there.

It’s reasons like this why we always advise that you be careful and make sure that your statements are going to appeal to a mortgage lender, rather than put them off from lending to you.

Proof of deposit

You will have to prove you have the funds in place for the deposit and also be able to 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 a more complex process than it needs to be.

Lenders take a preference to applicants who are able to evidence that they have been saving for their deposit. It shows that you have a good understanding of how to put money aside every month and not spend money you don’t have. You’ll also need to factor in any large credits into your accounts.

Quite often we find that the money for a deposit has been gifted by family members. These funds will also need to be evidenced, with the “donor” being required to sign a letter for the lender. This will be to confirm that the funds are strictly a gift and not something they will be needing back from the mortgage applicant.

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 done by providing the lender with your last 3 months’ payslips and most recent P60. Lenders often take into account regular overtime, commission, shift allowance and bonus.

A list of your expected outgoings

Make sure that you do plenty of research ahead of time. Preparing for your mortgage and making a note of your anticipated outgoings after you move house puts you in a great position prior to starting the application process.

You can work out an estimate of how much the council tax and utility bills will be. In addition to that, you can also work out your regular expenditures, such as any food and drink you will be buying. This will demonstrate how much disposable income you have available to pay your mortgage from.

You need to accommodate lots of time to prepare for your mortgage application. It can sometimes be a lot quicker and much easier to approach a mortgage broker in Sheffield who can take the bulk of the process and do it on your behalf.

Mortgage Advisors in Sheffield

A mortgage advisor in Sheffield will be able to work out how much everything is potentially going to cost you and guide you through the entire mortgage process, doing their best to work hard and try to secure you a competitive mortgage deal.

Getting ahead and planning early will always impress your mortgage lender. Let an expert mortgage broker in Sheffield help you out. Get in touch to book your free mortgage appointment with a trusted mortgage advisor in Sheffield today.

How to Improve Your Credit Score in Sheffield

What credit score will I need for a mortgage in Sheffield?

The higher your credit score is, the more likely that a lender will accept your application for a mortgage. This is different from the likelihood of someone with a poor credit score finding the same success. A mortgage lender will study your application carefully to determine whether or not you can afford a mortgage.

However, there is still no guarantee to be accepted the first time. Even if your credit score is pretty high. Each mortgage lender will have their own specific criteria that you need to match to obtain their deal, and it is unlikely that you will meet the criteria for all lenders across the panel.

Each lender’s criteria are different from another and they have developed their own unique ways of figuring out whether you match what they’re looking for or not. In some cases, you might actually find yourself matching up with the majority of them and in some cases, maybe you only match up with a few of them.

Speak to a Mortgage Broker in Sheffield

Here at Sheffieldmoneyman, our mortgage advisors in Sheffield will work alongside you and find the most suitable lender who offers the best deal for your circumstances, with criteria that you can meet. It is the job of your dedicated mortgage broker in Sheffield like us, to search for thousands of deals and hold your hand throughout the entire process, and always have your best interests at heart.

You will be kept in the loop at all times with what’s going on, so you’re not left stressed and confused about the process. It’s one of our many aims during your mortgage journey to make sure everything goes as smoothly and stress-free as it possibly can.

Whether you are a First Time Buyer in Sheffield, planning on Moving Home in Sheffield, or Self Employed, we will do our best to provide you with helpful tips and tricks to help you improve your credit score and eventually, secure an amazing mortgage that you’ll be thrilled to be walking away with.

Credit Score Mortgage Advisor in Sheffield

There are a variety of different credit reference agencies in Sheffield you could go with, though the most popular ones are Experian and Equifax. Before you rush into anything, make sure that you do some research into each agency as some of them may be holding incorrect data and it could help you identify any discrepancies.

We personally would suggest using a platform called Check My File, as this collates data from all the major ones like the aforementioned two, giving you a wider overview of how your credit file is looking. In signing up, you will receive a free 30-day trial, followed by a monthly fee of £14.99. Your account can be cancelled at any time prior to the end of the trial should you see fit.

There are lots of different things you can do to improve your credit score. Here we have some for you to have a look at:

Avoid Unnecessary Credit Searches

You will find that having multiple credit searches taken out against you could actually end up having a negative effect on your credit score in the long run. Even the use of price comparison websites is a factor that could harm your credit score.

If you are planning to apply for a mortgage, we strongly suggest that you avoid applying for any other credit in the meantime. Paying your credit back is a good thing for your score in the long run, providing that you can show lenders that you are able to maintain your monthly repayments.

That being said, borrowing during a mortgage application is something that could make the lender think that you cannot afford the deposit and are relying on the credit to give you a financial boost.

Check You Are On The Voters’ Roll

A great yet very simple way for you to get a boost to your credit score, is to register yourself for the electoral roll. It can demonstrate stability and this is something that the lenders like to see. You must make sure that your name is spelled correctly, and you must include your current registered address, not your previous one.

If you are not registered on the voters’ roll, you should definitely sign up for it. It is very easy to do online and it is something that could contribute well to improving your credit score.

Don’t Run Close to Your Maximum Limit

Maxing out your card each month is something else that can actually reduce your credit score. The lender will prefer to see that you are using a credit card and paying off the balance in full each month, as this will show that you are good with your money management.

If a lender sees that you are exceeding credit card limits or overdrafts,it might give them the impression that you don’t take your finances seriously. This once again could drastically harm your chances of getting accepted for a mortgage.

Check Your Address History is Keyed Correctly

Sometimes, if you have forgotten to tell a previous credit provider that you’ve moved into a new property, it can come across like you are actually living in multiple properties at the same time. Lenders don’t like to see this so you must make sure that you are on top of your address history so that it displays correctly on your credit report.

Remove Financial Links To Others

If you have a family member or ex-partner financially linked to you, this could be affecting your score without you even being aware of it. If the account is still live, then you won’t be able to get the financial association removed. If you want to remove any of these links, you should absolutely get in touch with the credit reference agencies and make a request.

Applicants see credit scoring as an unfair way to assess a mortgage application. Your mortgage lender would disagree with that, as at the end of the day, they are in the business of making money and they need to be sure you will be able to keep up your payments. It’s also much cheaper for them to operate through a computer-generated credit scoring system, as this keeps the process consistent and efficient.

Send an up-to-date copy of your credit report to your dedicated mortgage advisor in Sheffield ahead of time to increase your chances of being accepted the first time. The more your in-the-know your advisor is regarding your finances, the better it will be.

Also, there are still some lenders that prefer to operate the way companies used to and will manually assess your application. They will still have rules that they stick by regarding the number of defaults and CCJs that they will allow customers to have.

Shared Ownership – What is it? How does it work?

Introduced off the back of the credit crunch in 2012, the Shared Ownership scheme gives first time buyers and home movers the opportunity to buy a share of and rent a property.

Shared Ownership Mortgage Advice in Sheffield

What is shared ownership?

Utilising the Shared Ownership scheme will allow you to take out a mortgage on/purchase a percentage of a property and then pay the remainder back on rent. The percentage that you take out will usually be between 10%-75%. Although, in some cases, you may be allowed to take out a 10% share.

As a result of taking out a mortgage in this fashion, you’ll be able to put down a smaller deposit. This makes your task of getting onto the property ladder a whole lot easier!

Perhaps partial homeownership is the route that you need to take.

How does the scheme work?

Since it’s likely that you’ll only be purchasing a 25%-75% share in the property, the minimum required deposit should be lower; although, this can still differ depending on your credit history.

You’ll be accessing Shared Ownership through the ways of a mortgage, meaning that you’ll only need to take out a mortgage on the percentage that you’re buying. For example, if you’re buying a share of 50% on a £250,000 house, you’ll only need to take out a £125,000 mortgage. Plus, rather than producing a deposit that’s based on the full property price, you’ll only have to supply a deposit based on the percentage that you’ve taken out; in this example, if you were required to put down 5% or more, you’d only have to supply £6,250.

After you’ve put down your deposit and your offer is accepted, you’ll start paying back your mortgage month on month; just like any other mortgage. As an additional cost, you’ll also be paying rent to the housing association. Your rent plus your mortgage payments shouldn’t be as expensive as had you taken out a 100% mortgage.

Costs and fees

There are lots of different costs to consider when taking out any type of mortgage. In terms of Shared Ownership costs, you will have the obvious set-up/arrangement fees and maybe some booking fees. Also, you are likely to receive stamp duty tax if your property is above the stamp duty threshold and you’ll have to consider legal solicitor fees too.

Costs will vary depending on the property that you’re buying. Factors such as deposit size, monthly payments, arrangement fees will differ from property to property.

How can I apply?

To qualify for Shared Ownership, you will have to meet certain requirements:

• You have to be at least 18 years of age.
• If you live outside of London, your combined household annual income must be less than £80,000. If you live in London, this is upped to less than £90,000.
• You cannot own another property during your Shared Ownership mortgage application. You must either be a first time buyer in Sheffield or in the process of selling your current property.
• If you can afford a house on the open market, you will not be able to access this scheme. It was designed to help struggling homebuyers.
• You must prove that you are not in any kind of arrears, this includes mortgages and rent.
• You’ll have to provide evidence that supports a good, clean credit history. This means that you will struggle if you have a CCJ (county court judgement) associated to your name or have had previous credit problems.
  

This may seem like quite a lot, however, it’s only the same as most other Help to Buy schemes. Some requirements differ, but at the end of the day, the scheme was made for a specific target audience. For example, if you do have bad credit problems, there are different ways to go about getting a mortgage rather than trying to use the Shared Ownership scheme.

Speak to a Shared Ownership Mortgage Advisor in Sheffield

We have been working within the mortgage industry for over 20 years now and have successfully helped many applicants get through their Shared Ownership journey.

Shared Ownership sometimes comes under the umbrella of ‘Help to Buy’, so for Help to Buy mortgage advice in Sheffield, you should get in touch with our fantastic team.

We offer a free Shared Ownership mortgage consultation to all customers; take advantage of this 7 days a week! We hope to hear from you soon.

What is a property survey and which one should I choose?

Property Survey Mortgage Advice in Sheffield

Once you’ve had your offer accepted on a property, you are going to move onto the next stage of the mortgage process… getting the property surveyed.

A property survey is carried out to determine whether the true value of a home correlates to the amount that a buyer has offered for it. The survey will also show the overall condition of a property, highlighting defects and damages (if there is any).

Types of property survey

There are lots of different types of property surveys, however, three stand out as the most popular amongst the crowd:

• Mortgage Valuation
• Homebuyer’s Report
• Full Structural Survey
  
  

A property survey may be carried out free of charge depending on the lender that you use. If you are offered a free survey, you may be limited to what you can see on the report, or sometimes the lender may not give you a copy.

Each survey differs, some will provide great detail and tell you everything that you need to know about your property, whereas others will not. Usually, the more that you pay for a survey, the more in-depth the report will be.

If your survey shows something about the property that you weren’t told about, by law you are allowed to approach the seller and work out a price reduction is necessary.

Mortgage Valuation

A Mortgage Valuation is the simplest property survey and usually the cheapest. They are carried out to find out the true value of a property.

Before committing to lending to you, your lender will need to find out whether the property’s value matches how much you are set to borrow from them. If you put in an offer above the property’s value and it gets accepted by your seller, it’s good for them but not for your lender, therefore it’s unlikely that your lender will accept your application. This is because they will have to lend more than the property is actually worth; this is called a down valuation. If you can make up the difference between what you said you’d pay and the mortgage amount, you’ll be able to go ahead with your lender, although, if you can’t then the lender will pull out of the deal.

Unfortunately, a Mortgage Valuation survey will not point out minor damages or repairs, it will just show clear structural defects that will require attention as soon as possible. If you want a report that goes further in-depth, you will have to pay more to upgrade to a different survey.

Homebuyers Report

A Homebuyers Report focuses on the safety of the property and how safe it is to live inside of it. The report will include problems such as mould, dampness or something that does not pass the current building laws.

This survey will be carried out by an expert. They will thoroughly examine the property from top to bottom so that they know exactly how safe it is to live in.

Full Structural Survey

As a Mortgage Broker in Sheffield, we usually recommend a Full Structural Survey, especially to those who are purchasing an older building. You sometimes need to be aware of everything.

This survey is the most expensive of the three and usually them all. This is because your surveyor will look at the whole property, often spending a whole day to determine its worth and to find out what’s wrong with it.

If the purchase goes through and you now know everything about the property, you may have saved yourself a lot of money in the long run as if you didn’t know about the damages, you couldn’t act on them meaning that they could worsen overtime.

Do I need to get a survey on a new build?

New builds usually requires a different type of survey called a snagging survey. This will highlight both minor and major issues. It could be from a missing door hinge to cracks in the ceiling.

If the new build has already been built, it would be wise to have a property survey carried out on it before you move into it. Just because the property is a new build doesn’t mean that there is nothing wrong with it. As a Mortgage Broker in Sheffield, we would always advise that you have some sort of survey carried out on a property.

Mortgage Advice in Sheffield

Whether you are a first time buyer in Sheffield or moving home in Sheffield, if you are struggling to choose the right property survey or just need general mortgage advice, feel free to get in touch with our team. Sometimes, it can be difficult to get the ball rolling when it comes to moving home, so make sure to get in touch if you need any help!

You can obtain the services of a surveyor to carry out a Homebuyers report or building survey through the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

What is a Mortgage Agreement in Principle, and how can it help?

What is an Agreement in Principle? 

An Agreement in Principle (AIP) is a statement or certificate from a lender to say that, in principle, they would lend you a certain amount and proves a First-Time Buyer in Sheffield like yourself that you are credit-worthy.  

If you are looking to get one, you need to get in touch and provide us with information about your mortgage needs and situation. Then, once we have processed your details, we can suggest how much you may be able to borrow. 

As a devoted mortgage broker in Sheffield, we can usually turn around an agreement in principle for you within 24 hours of your enquiry. Your Agreement in Principle can last anywhere between 30 and 90 days, depending on the lender. If your Agreement in Principle expires before you use it, it can be easily refreshed by speaking to your mortgage advisor in Sheffield. 

Does an Agreement in Principle affect my credit score? 

When applying for an Agreement in Principle, the lender will run a credit check to evaluate your eligibility. You will need to ask what level of credit survey they do. If the lender runs a hard credit search, it will leave a ‘footprint’ on your credit file visible to other lenders.  

A search footprint is a record left by a credit reference agency every time your credit report gets searched, either by yourself or by others. If there are a high number of hard searches in a short period, it can harm your credit score as it could signal that you’re struggling to get accepted by other lenders. 

However, if the lender has chosen to run a soft search, it won’t leave a footprint, and it won’t impact your credit score. 

Is an Agreement in Principle guaranteed? 

An AIP cannot guarantee that you will get a mortgage offer – you will still need to go through the entire mortgage application process when you find a property you want to buy, but this will help strengthen your chances.  

An AIP usually is valid for up to 30 – 90 days, and our mortgage adviser in Sheffield will be able to use the information as part of your mortgage application process. However, they will want to make sure the details are still correct.  

Some factors may affect the lender’s decision when making a complete application, such as their lending criteria or personal circumstances that have changed.  

Mortgage Broker in Sheffield – Our Service 

You may be a First Time Buyer in Sheffield, or you might be thinking of moving to the area and are looking for excellent mortgage advice. If this is your situation, we believe that you will benefit from our dedicated mortgage advice service in Sheffield. 

We offer a free initial mortgage consultation with one of our expert mortgage advisors in Sheffield, so please get in touch today and let us get the ball rolling on your mortgage application so that we can secure you an agreement in principle. 

Do Gambling Transactions Look Bad on My Bank Statements?

Lenders will look at various aspects when it comes to your bank statements. Their main job is to decide whether or not you are the kind of person that they are going to want to lend to. They want an applicant who can manage their finances responsibly and is going to be able to keep up-to-date with their mortgage payments.

Regarding your bank statements and what lenders look for on them, let’s take a look at gambling transactions and how they can sometimes affect your ability to get a mortgage in Sheffield.

Mortgage Questions to Consider

What has it got to do with the lender whether I gamble or not?

Whether it’s a once every couple of months or a regular occurrence, gambling in large amounts can often trip your mortgage application up. This also applies to you if you are frequently gambling. Whether you are losing money or not, you may be declined due to your gambling habits.

At the end of the day, no one can tell you how to live your life, although, it is always advised that you ‘gamble responsibly’. Remember that a lender needs an applicant that doesn’t oppose risk to them. They need someone who’s going to meet their mortgage payments month on end; they want no risk of repossession.

Put yourself in your lender’s shoes, would you lend money to someone who has the tendency to gamble frequently with large sums of money or someone who’s always on top of their payments and doesn’t gamble their money?

Is it still possible to get a mortgage if I’ve got gambling transactions on my recent bank statements?

It is in no way illegal to gamble, therefore, the occasional gambling transaction on your bank statements will not mean that you’ll get automatically declined. They will assess the gambling transactions though, looking at whether they are reasonable and responsible. They will look at how frequent you gamble, the size of the transactions and how they relate to your income.

If you are infrequently gambling in small amounts, it should make no significant difference to whether you get accepted or not. Lenders may even just brush it under the rug. On the other hand, if you are a regular gambler, their viewpoint may be the opposite. You can’t be eating into your overdraft due to gambling either, it will reflect badly on your application.

Is there anything else lenders wouldn’t want to see on my bank statements?

Lenders will examine your bank statements carefully. They will be looking for lots of different things, but ultimately, they want to see your bank statements and get the confidence that you are a reliable applicant that they’d be willing to lend to.

If you are exceeding your overdraft limit month on month, your lender may begin to think that you struggle to take care of your finances. It’s likely that they’ll be okay with you doing so, however, we always advise that you be wary. They will also look for any other existing credit commitments that you have; it could be a credit card or a loan, etc. This is an important factor as you need to compensate a set amount each month to pay back the loan – the same as mortgage payments.

You should also look out for credit transactions from pay-day loan companies or otherwise known as “undisclosed” loan repayments. These can cause problems if you told them that you had no further loans to account for but then they appear on your bank statements. You need to be transparent with your lender and tell them everything prior to them viewing your bank statements.

What can I do to improve things?

As a mortgage broker in Sheffield, we will always say that the easiest way to improve things is to be sensible and if it’s possible, plan ahead.

Usually, your lender will ask for a minimum of three months bank statements. So, in theory, before you apply, you can get yourself prepared and maybe tone down on things such as gambling and dipping into your overdraft. All the little things can sometimes help.

If you use a mortgage broker in Sheffield like ourselves, they will help you with this whole process and recommend the option that will benefit you the most. There are some specialist lenders out there that will ask for fewer bank statements than others, a mortgage broker may be able to help you access one of these deals.

At the end of the day, the message to remember is to gamble responsibly and take care of your finances!

Get in touch with a Mortgage Broker in Sheffield

If you are a first time buyer in Sheffield and this is your first hands-on experience with the mortgage world, you should definitely get specialist mortgage advice from a mortgage advisor in Sheffield. They will guide you throughout the whole mortgage process and help you with your application and get you on track.

Help to Buy Mortgage Schemes

Help to Buy Mortgage Advice in Sheffield

The credit crunch put quite a lot of stress on the mortgage market leaving many home buyers and sellers in a situation where they didn’t know what to do. People just waited and waited for it to get better. Years later, the government introduced a way to try and almost reboot the market, this method was called Help to Buy.

Help to Buy consists of Help to Buy schemes, each with their own differences and ways to help people get onto the property ladder. Some schemes have stricter criteria, some are easier to access, you just need to find one that suits you best.

Help to Buy Shared Ownership

This Help to Buy scheme was brought in to allow applicants to buy a share of a property. The way this works is that you own a percentage of a property which is usually anywhere between 25%-75%, and then you pay the rest back on rent.

The remaining percentage of the property is likely to be owned by the housing association, however, you can eventually buy this percentage back further down the line if you wanted to. If you like the property and have long-term plans to stay there, you could buy the remaining share. People usually do this once they have the money and have settled in.

With the Help to Buy Shared Ownership scheme, you are essentially paying 100% of the ground rent plus the service charge on the property. No matter what percentage of the property that you own, you will still be charged 100% of the property, even with a 25% share.

Help to Buy Armed Forces

This scheme was introduced off the back of the Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme in 2014. Its aim was to help Armed Forces members get onto the property ladder.

If you are struggling to get yourself on the property ladder and are a member of the Armed Forces, this scheme could be perfect for you.As of the 1st January 2023, The Forces Help to Buy Scheme will become an enduring policy, ensuring its availability to all service personnel now and in the future.  As a Mortgage Broker in Sheffield, we know how much this scheme is valued and we hope that the decision is to keep it available.

Bonus: Lifetime ISA

The Lifetime ISA is a scheme that is often slept upon and forgotten about, yet it can be a great way to get yourself on the property ladder. Yes, it’s called the Lifetime ISA, however, you can actually use it to purchase your first home. So if you are a First Time Buyer in Sheffield, you should take a look at how this scheme works and see if it’s something that appeals to you.

The Lifetime ISA is basically a savings account where your money grows tax-free. As well as your savings being tax-free, the government will also top up whatever you have saved by an extra 25%. The maximum amount that you can save each year is £4,000, so if you manage to save this much, overall you will get £5,000 each year. If you save a little less, the government will still top up your savings by 25%.

Here is the criteria for the Lifetime ISA:

• The property has to cost £450,000 or less
• You have to buy the property at least 12 months after you access the Lifetime ISA
• You must use a conveyancer or solicitor to act for you in the purchase – the ISA provider will pay the funds directly to them
• The purchase must be used for a mortgage