The Mortgage Store

Mortgage brokers like myself and John are here to find the best mortgage to suit your needs, by searching a complex market where there are literally thousands of deals available. It’s our job to find the most competitive product for you.

A high street lender such as a bank or a building society can only really give advice on their own products. They won’t tell you if a more competitive mortgage from another bank could suit you better. As a broker we scan the whole market to get the most suitable mortgage for you.

The estate agency market has changed dramatically over the last few years. Now, people find it difficult to put in an offer on a property unless they’ve got an Agreement in Principle. 

It puts you in the strongest position to purchase your dream home – without that Agreement in Principle some estate agents won’t even let you view a property. It’s really important to sit down with a broker to get that Agreement, so that when you’re ready to offer we can move very swiftly with the lender to get that mortgage in place.

It’s almost like a health check. You could see it as a certificate to say you’re fit and well and ready to go and purchase a home.

Yes – it’s all about the service we give, so repeat business is the best compliment: people just keep coming back as their circumstances change. That tells us we’re doing a good job and we’re first and foremost in their mind. If they’re thinking about mortgages, and achieving their goals, they remember John and Louise.

This is one area that often gets undervalued. It’s so important to protect the biggest asset that you’ll ever buy. Not many people fully understand this. It’s not just about life insurance, it’s critical illness cover, income protection and general insurance too.

If they fall ill, that’s outside of their control, but that mortgage still needs to be paid. What if they can’t work ever again or need to adapt the house? They may need capital to do that. So having the appropriate protection in place at the start of that mortgage term is really key.

We’re big believers in that process. We not only make sure our customers have the most suitable mortgage product, but also that the asset they’ve purchased is protected at the same time.

It really depends on individual circumstances. For example, with an existing mortgage whose product is coming up for review, we would contact them seven months before that maturity date. Then we can scan the market and move them onto the most suitable product at that particular time. 

For a First Time Buyer we would recommend you contact us three months before you’re ready to buy. We’ll get you an Agreement in Principle so you’re in the strongest position possible. Everyone’s circumstances will be different. 

We were expats ourselves, so if you are looking to come back to the UK we know it can take six months, maybe even 12 months, to get you ready for a mortgage. We can put you in the best position possible and make the process as stress-free as we can. 

It’s actually never too early to have a chat with us. It delights us to start the journey with you. So if you’re thinking you’d like to buy in 12 months time, we can guide you through the things you can do today to be more financially equipped and ready. It’s always nice to sit down, have a coffee and listen to your dreams and aspirations.

Our office is in Nantwich and we live here too, in a beautiful little town in East Cheshire. With today’s market, people often prefer to do things online or on the telephone. We offer a very personal, face-to-face service too, which I think is really important. When you go to the leading lenders, particularly on the high street, most things are done remotely, but we still offer face-to-face advice and support. We’re willing to help anybody.

We do have a number of clients overseas and we hold video calls with them, so we can help you wherever you are. We provide a real hybrid model – there’s still a lot of people that prefer face-to-face, while others prefer the technology route.  We offer that balance, to meet what the customer wants.

Louise: What comes with age is experience…. And I’ve actually been in the banking and financial world for over 25 years, nearly 30. I started work with a high street bank which took me to Hong Kong. I then specialised in personal banking and international mortgages. Then I went self-employed, focusing on coaching and sales management. At the root of everything is the fact that I enjoy seeing customers, helping to plan their dreams and making sure they achieve them. I’m super excited that we’re on this journey together. John: We met each other in financial services when Louise was working at Lloyds Bank and I was working for one of their subsidiaries. I’ve been in financial services for over 35 years, with 20 of those in the UK prior to going to Asia for 15 years, working in Hong Kong, Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia. Setting up different financial business models in each territory. I’ve also worked in the mortgage and protection market, which was a huge growth area with so many people in Asia being underprotected. So to come back and be in a position to help customers fulfil their personal dreams and aspirations is a real pleasure and a really exciting opportunity. We’re really focused on the client experience and that’s what differentiates us from our competitors. Communication is critical – we will keep our customers engaged in the process constantly so that they’re fully aware of what’s happening. We’re really excited to be launching this new service in Nantwich, Cheshire and being available to customers across the UK and globally.

The initial consultation has no fee and we actually do a lot of mortgage clinics to show people what is out there.

Our job is to show you what we can do and how we can help you. That doesn’t cost anything and we’re here to help as many people as we possibly can.

In terms of First Time Buyers, do seek our support as soon as you can, because the mortgage market is so complex today. There are many parts we haven’t really touched on, such as equity release, where parents or grandparents can help release money to get you onto the property ladder. This can be a tax efficient process too.

There’s so many different topics to understand in today’s market. People like ourselves can help guide you through whatever your questions are. We’re here for you and happy to help.

Think carefully before securing other debts against your home. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up with your mortgage repayments.

You may have to pay an early repayment charge to your existing lender if you remortgage.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate most Buy to Let Mortgages.