The Mortgage Store

A mortgage broker plays a crucial role in helping clients navigate the complex mortgage market. We basically provide expert advice to secure the right mortgage terms, making the home buying process smoother and more efficient for our clients.

We help clients in assessing their borrowing needs and financial situation. A mortgage broker’s role is to meet with a client, understand their financial situation, needs and goals and review financial details to determine their borrowing capacity. 

Once we know that, we could provide mortgage options. We research and compare various mortgages from different lenders and provide a range of options to suit your needs. When the customer finds a property, we manage the application process.

Brokers assist clients in gathering all the necessary documentation for the mortgage application, and submit it to the lender. We also offer expert advice on the types of mortgages, different rates, repayment terms, and any fees involved with the process.

If any issues arise we’ll make customers aware. We facilitate the approval process, following up with lenders to track the progress of the application and keep clients informed. We coordinate all the other parties involved with the home buying process.

The benefits of using a mortgage broker is access to multiple lenders, plus expert advice to save you time and effort. By negotiating better terms and rates with lenders, we could potentially save clients money over their lifetime of their mortgage. And of course, you gain a fully personalised service – we tailor advice based on your needs and financial situation.

The key advantage of using a mortgage broker is that you have limited options with direct lenders. When you go to a local bank, they could only offer products from their specific range. This limits your options – and obviously they cannot recommend any products from other lenders. 

Mortgage brokers have access to a comprehensive range of mortgage products, with exclusive rates and some niche products that are not available to direct customers. Because brokers handle much of the work that would otherwise be done by the lender, that saves time and resources which translates into cost saving for the customer.

Brokers provide a personalised service to the individual needs of the client. Each case for us is unique. We focus on meeting customer expectations and requirements throughout the mortgage process. This approach ensures that clients receive the right possible advice and mortgage options.

So while High Street lenders offer the convenience of dealing directly with a known entity, mortgage brokers provide a broader range of options and personalised service. That could be particularly beneficial for clients with unique financial situations or people seeking the right deal.

We offer a free initial consultation, where you could book an appointment, come to speak to us and have a chat. We’ll give advice and recommendations based on your needs and wants. 

We’ll then support you from start to finish on your mortgage journey, with regular updates. This approach not only saves you a lot of time, but also ensures you’re well supported throughout the process.

Clients do usually come back to speak to us. I always encourage customers to stay in touch
regularly, especially if their buildings and content insurance is due to renewal after a year. 

Or, for example, you might be planning to extend the property or buy a new kitchen. We keep in touch. When it comes to remortgaging, we’ll catch up at least six months before your deal is due to end, because this gives you a win-win situation. If we shop around and secure a rate early, we could still change the rate up to three or four weeks before exchange if they improve. If rates go up, we’ve secured you a lower rate six months ahead.

Clients sometimes want to buy an additional property as an investment, and come back for advice on Buy to Let. Sometimes, it’s all new to them and they just want to find out a bit more. Once we explain how the process works, most people think it’s very simple. They often say that they wish somebody had explained it earlier, because they thought the process was more complex than it actually is.

Yes. I always advise on mortgage protection. It’s something I’m really passionate about. I have seen various different scenarios through my job where clients have struggled due to injuries or illnesses because they didn’t have protection in place – or were not advised on the right protection. 

It’s something that I spend a lot of time on with my clients, ensuring they understand the importance of protection and what will it cover them for if something happens later on in life. I offer advice on life insurance, critical illness, income protection and family benefit.

The right time to see a mortgage advisor is when you’re starting to think about buying a property. We’ll explain the process we’re going to take you through. First Time Buyers, for example, won’t understand how it all works until somebody explains it to them. 

Even if you’re halfway through an application and change your mind about something, you could still come to us for help, as long as you haven’t exchanged or completed the purchase.

But for the right advice, come to us to get an idea of how much you could borrow and what’s affordable. We will then obtain a Decision in Principle or an Agreement in Principle, which is an informal decision from a mortgage lender that confirms the maximum amount they are willing to lend, based on initial checks.

That’s beneficial, because it provides confirmation for estate agents that you’re serious about buying, you’ve sat down with a mortgage advisor and you understand your buying position. That gives you more power.

Preparation is key, especially if you haven’t gone through the process before. It could be daunting if you don’t know what to expect. We go through a quick presentation before we start putting in some numbers, explaining all the different types of mortgages, what to expect at every stage, and what you should be looking out for.

The Mortgage Store Bedford is a brand new venture for me. It was always in the back of my mind – my dream was to own a business in my community, where I’ve lived for many years. 

I have over a decade of experience in the finance industry, with few years as a mortgage advisor for a national estate agent.

I’m really excited to bring my expertise and passion to my local area. This new chapter allows me to provide personalised mortgage solutions and support to my clients, supporting them with my extensive background knowledge to support their property journeys.

There are no fees for an initial consultation. We are very proud to offer initial advice for free, as that gives you the assurance of how we could help you before you incur any costs. 

If you decide you would like us to handle the mortgage application, we do charge a fee. Once you’ve found a property, put an offer in, have had it accepted and you’re looking to proceed with the application, that’s when we do charge a fee. All the initial advice is free of charge.

If anyone listening needs some advice, just give us a call. We could have a chat, put your mind at rest and answer any questions you might have. We just want to make sure the whole journey from finding the house to moving in is as easy and stress-free as possible – we know how complex it could be sometimes.

Something I would like to add is that I’m Italian, so I’m a bilingual professional. I do work a lot with the Italian community and I am uniquely positioned to support clients with their mortgage needs in both English and Italian. 

So wherever you’re looking to secure a mortgage or ‘mutuo’ in Italian, I’m here to assist you every step of the way. My goal is to help you to get on the property ladder with ease and make your journey as stress free as possible. I want to provide a service that is second to none, ensuring that all your questions are answered. There’s never a stupid question – the more questions you ask, the better the knowledge you will get.

We’re here to bridge any communication gaps for Italian nationals. We have a friendly approach and we’re really patient, and you could ask as many questions as possible until you become an expert too.