Are you thinking about getting a mortgage in 2024? Taking some proactive steps to prep your application now can make the process way less stressful and might even open the door to some great deals.
In this blog, we’ll be sharing our go to prep advice so you can make your 2024 mortgage journey an easy one!
1 – Get Your Paperwork In Order
During your mortgage application, your broker/lender will always ask for paperwork. Making sure you have everything in order from the beginning, not only will save time but will make the process a lot smoother!
To start with, make sure you have:
- Proof of identity
- National insurance number
- Proof of employment
- Proof of income
- Proof of deposit
- All current debts
- Copy of current rent payments
- Any child benefit received proof
- 3 months’ bank statements
And if you’re self-employed:
- Two years of personal tax returns
- Two years business tax returns
- Profit and loss statement
- Balance sheets
- Business license
- Business insurance
Trust us when we say that being prepared goes a long way and plays a really important role in the difference between no delays and long delays.
You can download our FREE document checklist here to make sure you have everything covered.
2 – Watch Your Spending
When you’re getting ready to apply for a mortgage, keep in mind that lenders will look at your bank statements to check how you’re spending your money. It’s all part of making sure you can afford the mortgage. To up your chances of getting approved, try keeping an eye on your spending in the months leading up to your application to try and avoid getting into your overdraft. Ideally you want a surplus in your account at the end of the month before you get paid again.
Also, lenders might raise an eyebrow at certain payments, like on gambling sites or payday loans.
If you can, try avoiding these kinds of transactions. It might just make things smoother when you’re applying for that mortgage!
3 – Don’t take out anymore loans
Speaking of spending money.
Don’t take out any new loans in the months leading up to your mortgage application, this includes any new car finance.
Lenders will closely at your credit history / score which means they will look at your debt-to-income ratio. This means, how much your personal debt levels are, to your income. And, as we know, applying for credit can impact your credit score. A small reduction in your credit score or any amount of new debt for that matter could be the difference between being approved for a mortgage and getting declined.
AND
Although it is rare, it is also possible for a lender to rescind their mortgage offer until the day you have your keys so be cautious until that day comes.
4 – Your Credit Report
It’s a smart move to check your credit report sooner rather than later. Changes in your report can take a few months to show up, so tackling this task early on is a good idea.
Lenders will do a credit check to figure out how likely you are to keep up with your mortgage payments. What’s in your report can impact how much you can borrow, the interest rate you’ll get, and even if your application gets the green light.
Start by making sure all the info in your report is spot on. If you find any mistakes, like a wrong address.
It’s also worth looking into ways to boost your credit score. Simple stuff like getting on the electoral roll or closing accounts you don’t use can give your score a lift. There might be other steps you can take too, like bringing down your debt.
Access a FREE trial on us and download your credit report here.
5 – Speak To A Broker
It’s a broker’s job to get you the best mortgage deal available to you at the time of your application.
We (UK Mortgage Centre) work with mortgages day in and day out, they understand the lenders criteria and can search 1000s of products to find the best deal for you.
We’ll guide you through the entire mortgage process and keep you to date the entire time.
At UK Mortgage Centre we provide straightforward mortgage advice that’s easy to understand and with the aim of saving you money.
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