60% LTV - any point in using a mortgage broker?

60% LTV - any point in using a mortgage broker?

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Twilkes

Original Poster:

478 posts

140 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
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We have about £90k outstanding on a £160k house, both earning over £30k and only a few k on a credit card. Looking to repay over 10 years at around £900 a month. Is there any reason to go via a mortgage broker or would pretty much any mortgage provider accept us as a safe bet?

Current provider is offering 1.99% fixed for two years with no fees, and obviously no hassle of providing documentation/ID etc, but there might be some better deals on comparison sites with up-front fees.

lukefreeman

1,495 posts

176 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
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Twilkes said:
We have about £90k outstanding on a £160k house, both earning over £30k and only a few k on a credit card. Looking to repay over 10 years at around £900 a month. Is there any reason to go via a mortgage broker or would pretty much any mortgage provider accept us as a safe bet?

Current provider is offering 1.99% fixed for two years with no fees, and obviously no hassle of providing documentation/ID etc, but there might be some better deals on comparison sites with up-front fees.
I got a better rate using a broker, on 15% LTV, and having another house too.........

You know who to ask on here.

BoRED S2upid

19,731 posts

241 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
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Do your own digging find the best deal you can and see if a broker can beat it. This is what I do and he always finds something better.

Sarnie

8,058 posts

210 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
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Twilkes said:
but there might be some better deals on comparison sites with up-front fees.
.......or deals that you can't see as they are exclusive to brokers as well as lenders that are broker only that you can't apply direct to therefore do not show up on any comparison site.

The other side of the above is that there are lenders that are direct only and do not accept business from intermediaries, who may have rates lower than what's available to brokers.

Swings and roundabouts really.

Having had a quick look for a similar product to what you have referred to, I'd be discussing a 1.79% rate with no arrangement fee and free legals and valuation etc. So, it's cheaper but it may not be cheap enough for you to want to go through the mortgage process with a new lender.....but thats what the current lender hopes for when they price their retention products smile

Good luck!

irish boy

3,539 posts

237 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
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Coventry building society did me 1.59% on 59% ltv last month. Great company, they have no overpayment limit either.

Sarnie

8,058 posts

210 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
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irish boy said:
Coventry building society did me 1.59% on 59% ltv last month. Great company, they have no overpayment limit either.
That 1.59% rate isn't fixed though is it..... smile

And Coventry BS do have overpayment limits, 10% of the balance each year.

Your product is a Flexx variable rate product which doesn't have overpayment limits but all their other products do smile

Twilkes

Original Poster:

478 posts

140 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
quotequote all
Quick responses, thanks. Will spreadsheet up some comparisons and see if it's worth the hassle of changing, and then maybe go to a broker.

Realistically, is any lender going to refuse us a mortgage in our situation i.e. going through application and then being declined?

And any reason not to go for a (lower percentage) tracker at the moment? Imagine the folks with trackers have done pretty well the last few years but you never know what's round the corner I guess...

Sarnie

8,058 posts

210 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
quotequote all
Twilkes said:
Quick responses, thanks. Will spreadsheet up some comparisons and see if it's worth the hassle of changing, and then maybe go to a broker.

Realistically, is any lender going to refuse us a mortgage in our situation i.e. going through application and then being declined?

And any reason not to go for a (lower percentage) tracker at the moment? Imagine the folks with trackers have done pretty well the last few years but you never know what's round the corner I guess...
There are dozens and dozens of reasons why a lender could decline a seemingly straightforward application, you'd need to post all of your personal details for anyone to answer that question further.

The boat has been missed by about five years for trackers to be a significant benefit currently. Lenders are now wise to the potential falling market and most tracker products will have floor rates attached to them.......when the gap between tracker and fixed rates was 1%+ it was worth the risk perhaps but nowadays, the disparity between the two is often 0.2% or less.....

Rangeroverover

1,523 posts

112 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
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Always use a mortgage broker, he is a filter between you and "computer says no" keyboard operator at the lending side.

1) They will get you a better deal
2) They will have acces to deals not open to Jo public
3) They know who has their loan book open at the moment, there are many lenders, still advertising, who in reality have all but closed their loan book for now.
4) Sarnie has to make a living

I'm not a broker, but sell houses for a living, a broker we can talk to always helps. For the avoidance of doubt we never take commision on broker referrals

Twilkes

Original Poster:

478 posts

140 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
quotequote all
Sarnie said:
Having had a quick look for a similar product to what you have referred to, I'd be discussing a 1.79% rate with no arrangement fee and free legals and valuation etc. So, it's cheaper but it may not be cheap enough for you to want to go through the mortgage process with a new lender.....
Based on those figures we'd save about £350 over two years, but that doesn't include any exit fees that the current lender might charge so could be a fair bit less. I have an appointment with current lender next week so will see what they come up with and then maybe take it to a broker.

Thanks!

Casa1862

1,073 posts

166 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
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I'd be careful not to take any advice even from your currents as it could mean effectively a new application, easiest way is to ask for 'execution only' and choose your own new rate from what the lender has. Normally easier to do it online or by phone, takes a few minutes. Downside is that you don't get some of the protection offered by the relevant authorities if it matters.

Roger Irrelevant

2,958 posts

114 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
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Twilkes said:
And any reason not to go for a (lower percentage) tracker at the moment? Imagine the folks with trackers have done pretty well the last few years but you never know what's round the corner I guess...
I always find it a little bit odd when people are nervous to go onto a tracker mortgage because of the risk of interest rate rises, but are then happy to pay a bit more for one that's fixed...for all of two years. I take the view that if your budget can absorb rate rises as and when they occur then trackers are the way you're likely to pay the least over the lifetime of a typical 20-25 year mortgage. It seems to me that with a series of short-term fixes you're always paying extra for a guarantee, but are never protected from rate rises for long. YMMV etc, hope you find something that works for you OP.

Sarnie

8,058 posts

210 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
quotequote all
Roger Irrelevant said:
I always find it a little bit odd when people are nervous to go onto a tracker mortgage because of the risk of interest rate rises, but are then happy to pay a bit more for one that's fixed...for all of two years. I take the view that if your budget can absorb rate rises as and when they occur then trackers are the way you're likely to pay the least over the lifetime of a typical 20-25 year mortgage. It seems to me that with a series of short-term fixes you're always paying extra for a guarantee, but are never protected from rate rises for long. YMMV etc, hope you find something that works for you OP.
Because a fixed rate caps the maximum they can pay for a defined period of time, but a tracker doesn't.....

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

247 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
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Twilkes said:
Current provider is offering 1.99% fixed for two years with no fees
I wouldn't. No way are interest rates going to rise very far in just two years and at the end of that what happens next? If rates have risen significantly and are forecast to go on rising you could be completely screwed.

I'd be looking for a much longer duration and wouldn't fix. But each to their own.

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

247 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
quotequote all
Essentially my view is that same as this,

Roger Irrelevant said:
It seems to me that with a series of short-term fixes you're always paying extra for a guarantee, but are never protected from rate rises for long.
In reality the apparent safety of fixing is an illusion.

bmwmike

6,985 posts

109 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
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Ozzie Osmond said:
In reality the apparent safety of fixing is an illusion.
Agree

5yr is minimum window for a fix IMO. 2yrs is pointless unless you are maxed out.


rsbmw

3,464 posts

106 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
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I don't disagree with the points above, but currently for just about every LTV the lowest rates are all 2 year fix, with the arrangement fees for trackers (at higher interest) not being much lower, if at all. At that point, 2 year fix is the best option, surely?

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

247 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
quotequote all
rsbmw said:
2 year fix is the best option, surely?
Not if after the two years are up, rates have risen and you get royally shafted.

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

247 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
quotequote all
[quote=Ozzie Osmond]

Not if after the two years are up, rates have risen and you get royally shafted.

bogie

16,407 posts

273 months

Wednesday 1st June 2016
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
Essentially my view is that same as this,

Roger Irrelevant said:
It seems to me that with a series of short-term fixes you're always paying extra for a guarantee, but are never protected from rate rises for long.
In reality the apparent safety of fixing is an illusion.
Yeah, I agree, the only time ive fixed in the last 30 years I lost out. The rest of the time ive just ridden out SVR, which has been 2.5% for 8 years or so with current lender.

the fix is an illusion of safety paid for by those that need the security....a bit like any insurance really

If you really can forsee the future, fix and win against the odds the lender has bet on....well, you should choose a career as a professional investor and get rich quick, pay that mortgage off wink