Getting independent mortgage advice
If you’re in search of a new mortgage, independent advice can be worth its weight in gold. Find out what to expect regarding mortgage advice before you start.
Take control of your home-buying journey with our simple mortgage calculators.
Use our mortgage repayment calculator to work out what your repayments will be, based on how much you’re borrowing, the interest rate and fees of the deal, and the term of the mortgage.
Use our Stamp Duty calculator to work out how much you'll have to pay when you buy your property.
Use our Base Rate calculator to find out how your mortgage repayments will be affected by changes to the Bank of England Bank Rate.
Our savings interest calculator will show you how much interest you could accrue on your lump sum or monthly savings, and how long it might take to save towards a specific financial goal.
How much you could borrow
What properties you could afford with your current deposit
The cheapest mortgages we can find that fit your borrowing needs and property price
Details about your household income
The number of applicants
Your outgoings and commitments
What you have saved
How many years you want to borrow over
Our affordability calculator will give you a rough idea of how much money you could take out for a mortgage. However, lenders will also look at closely at:
Your credit score and history: This gives them an indication of how you manage your money and pay your bills. It also helps lenders understand if you'd be a reliable borrower
Your income: Lenders will need to know the amount you earn, including any bonuses and tax credits
Your outgoings: They'll scrutinise how much of your monthly income you spend, including financial commitments like childcare costs, credit cards, and cars you have on finance
How much lenders will allow you to borrow depends entirely on your own financial situation. But it's a good idea to abide by these rules...
Only borrow what you can comfortably afford to pay back. With our affordability calculator, you can get a good idea of how your monthly repayments could affect your budget
Think about the effect of a change in circumstances. Consider how you'd manage if you, or your partner, were to lose your job, for instance. Or if you had an unexpected expense
Factor in other home-buying expenses. Don't forget you’ll have to cover mortgage arrangement fees, conveyancing costs, and possibly stamp duty on top of your deposit
As well as considering the key factors of your credit history, personal income and wider outgoings, there are other areas lenders will consider to see if you’re suitable for a mortgage. This includes:
If you’re a first-time buyer, lenders are likely to require you to have a deposit of at least 5%. A low deposit like this can be backed up using the government’s mortgage guarantee scheme; this way, the government guarantees the 95% loan providers give to buyers, with the aim of helping them onto the housing ladder.
Lenders will want to see exactly what income you have. If you’re buying with a partner or friend, they’ll assess affordability based on your combined income. Usually, lenders will offer up to 4.5x the total amount for a mortgage. Lenders will ask to see a P60, showing your annual income.
If you’re self-employed, you’ll need to provide evidence of two or three years’ worth of tax receipts, and possibly prove that your earnings will continue to grow. If you are out of work or claiming benefits, then you’ll need to rely on the earnings of a partner in order to secure a joint mortgage.
When assessing your credit score, lenders will also want to know about any outstanding debt, such as loans and credit cards. They’ll need proof that the cost of servicing this debt will not impact your ability to pay your mortgage every month.
The deposit you'll need will depend on the lender and your financial circumstances. But to give you some idea of what you might need to save, data from OnTheMarket recently revealed that...
The average deposit for first-time buyers around the country now stands at £53,414
In London, the average deposit is £108,848, while in the South East you need a deposit of £59,075
The region that requires the lowest deposit was the North East, where the average is £29,740
Some lenders will offer a wide range of options, including 95% or even 100% mortgages. But generally, the higher the deposit, the lower your LTV and interest rates, meaning that you’ll have to give back more manageable monthly repayments.
Determining how much to borrow might be trickier for those who are self-employed. This is because you don’t have a fixed salary that you take home every month.
If you’re using our mortgage calculator, think about what your annual wage could realistically add up to. This way, you’ll have an initial idea of how much you could afford to borrow, including the possible cost of future repayments.
You may also want to use a mortgage broker, as they’re more likely to know what mortgage providers are looking for. Based on this, you’ll be able to identify those lenders who are more inclined towards lending money to self-employed homebuyers.
MoneySuperMarket has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an independent seal of excellence, which recognises businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
The salary you need to afford a house depends on the kind of home you’re buying and where you’re buying it, as prices vary depending on size and location.
As a rule of thumb, lenders tend to offer up to 4.5x your annual salary. If you’re buying with someone, they will combine your salaries to reach a figure they would be happy to safely lend.
For example, if you earn £30,000 per year, lenders will consider loaning you £135,000, multiplying your salary by 4.5x. If you and your partner both earn £30,000, lenders will multiply your joint salary of £60,000 by 4.5x, to reach a figure of £270,000. The latter would allow you to buy a £300,000 property with a 10% deposit of £30,000.
You can get a mortgage with bad credit. However, specific mortgages aimed at those with a poor credit history or lots of debt tend not to be advertised. Rather, they are offered on a per case basis, with lenders assessing your exact financial situation.
Be aware that if you have bad credit, lenders will likely charge a higher rate of interest and require a bigger deposit, in order to protect themselves in case you have trouble paying it off.
You can read more in our comprehensive guide to mortgages with bad credit.
While comparing rates and understanding what you can borrow with MoneySuperMarket is a great starting point, it always pays to go via a mortgage broker.
Brokers have access to the very latest deals, which often change day by day, and will be able to advise on the best lenders to approach depending on your circumstances. Best of all, they can speak directly with lenders with whom they have a good relationship, circumventing their algorithms and getting underwriters to understand your circumstances.
Mortgage brokers are paid a percentage by lenders when you take out a deal, meaning they don’t need to cost you a penny. And the deals they get will almost always be better than if you went directly.
If the mortgage results on our calculator are lower than you hoped for, don’t feel discouraged.
As mentioned, our mortgage calculator is only here to give you a rough indication of what you can expect to borrow. But more importantly, there are different ways in which you can find a way to gain a bigger mortgage.
Firstly, try saving up for a larger deposit. For instance, if a lender is only willing to offer you 80% of the property’s total price, you’ll need a deposit that can cover 20% of the house’s full cost. For the time being, you could spend less on entertainment and non-essential expenses. You may also want to consider living in shared accommodation with friends or moving back in with your family.
Alternatively, if you’re not able to save enough money, you could opt for a guarantor mortgage. This means you’ll need to find a guarantor, usually a parent or guardian, who will be responsible for payment of the mortgage if you are unable to cover the costs yourself.
What’s more, you could also speak to a broker, as they are bound to know which mortgage provider is likely to lend you a bigger mortgage than others.