RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGES

So, you’ve found your dream home. Whether it’s a luxury penthouse flat with a view to die for, or sprawling country pile surrounding by rolling hills, we can broker the right mortgage for you –  no matter your circumstances.

Whatever your mortgage needs – whether you’re looking to make a new purchase or remortgage your existing home – we can help negotiate the best rates for you. We understand that buying a home for yourself and your family is a significant decision and an important process. Our advisors will always discuss your long-term goals to ensure you receive the best product possible.

For a typical mortgage process, lenders will assess your income plus your outgoings to establish exactly how much you can access. As a general rule, you can borrow roughly 4.5x your total income. The minimum deposit you can make is 5%.

Ultra high-net worth individuals can also significantly benefit from releasing equity from their high-value real estate. Uncovering funds to invest elsewhere can boost your portfolio returns, making for a solid investment choice right now – particularly as interest rates are currently sitting relatively low.

Large mortgages qualify as £1 million and above, and are very difficult to garner from high street lenders, meaning private banking solutions are usually needed. These mortgages are usually available to clients who want to establish relationships with the private banks. Typically, you would need assets of over £3million, or an income of over £300k. 

Thanks to our extensive network of private and specialist lenders, we can deliver a mortgage product for your needs, negotiating bespoke lending solutions from one million to tens of millions. We can also offer solutions for complex ownership structures. This includes funds and foundations, limited companies, and onshore and offshore trusts. On top of this, we can supply pre-funded, rolled up and occasional use exceptions, as well as HNW Exemption.

Dry lending refers to mortgages offered without the need for assets being placed under management with the lender. It is not necessary to move any existing assets you hold with other banking groups, but they can be taken into account to support negotiating your interest rate.

This can be a strong mortgage option due to the fact that your entire portfolio is assessed, giving a more holistic view of your wealth and enabling you to receive better terms. It works well if your assets are tied up with other banks, and plan to transfer them across over time. Also, if you have more recently made a lot of money, it offers an opportunity to receive the private banking level of experience without having to put down assets.

We have built trusted relationships with a number of exclusive private banks all over the UK and Europe, allowing us to negotiate mortgages and financing solutions for almost any circumstance and tap into the best rates possible.

There are two ways to get a mortgage with a private bank: dry lending or assets under management (AUM). Typically, the criteria stands at £3million in assets or £300k income for a mortgage from £1million plus.

We can negotiate high loan-to-value private bank mortgages – up to 100% LTV in some cases – alongside private bank mortgages solutions for foreign nationals, expats and non-UK residents. 

We also have experience with complex income and wealth scenarios, HNW Exemption, pre-funded, rolled up and occasional use exceptions, as well as interest-only private bank mortgages.

Finally, we can offer solutions for complex ownership structures such as onshore and offshore trusts, limited companies, foundations, and funds.

Most private banks will require you to place some (often 25%-50% of the loan amount) of your assets directly with them to manage. This acts as security against your mortgage. Private banks also like to foster long-term relationships, and this helps them do that.

As a result of high street banks increasing their range of high-value mortgages, private banks are starting to adjust their requirements for assets under management. Either way, our contacts and relationships enable us to align with your goals and find you the best possible solution.

We understand that you may have a more unusual or complex situation – for example, income coming from overseas, low income and high assets, new jobs, using bonuses, or being an expat or a foreign national. As a leading mortgage brokerage, we are well-versed in navigating the process in order to get you the best terms. No situation is too complex for us to negotiate, as we’ve encountered all manner of circumstances throughout our decades of experience.

This type of mortgage is a solid choice for UHNWI looking to keep their monthly outgoings flexible and maximise on investment opportunities, but is complex to achieve without an experienced broker. You need to have in mind a solution for paying back this interest, for example stocks or selling properties. It serves as a good short term solution if you need to keep costs low because you have recently bought a house, or made other investments.

It’s true that self-employed mortgages can be more difficult to negotiate. There are usually additional terms and conditions applied, and the rates can vary significantly.

Lenders usually require up to three years of recent accounts to give you a mortgage, depending on the average income generated. Often, the challenge is that most people want to retain money within their business and not draw it up, which can result in very little available cash.

We work with banks who are able to take the total income – like gross profit or net profit – into consideration. We also work with lenders that accept either one or two years of accounts, affording much more flexibility overall.

Whatever your circumstances are, we are in prime position to assist you in getting your documentation in place and to help you with finding the best lender for your circumstances.

Expatriates and foreign nationals can face numerous obstacles when it comes to obtaining high-value mortgage financing. Due to the complications involved, a majority of high street lenders are unable or reluctant to lend to non-UK residents or foreign nationals, leaving them in a difficult position.

Expats

You may be looking for a new home in the UK or investing into the UK’s historically steady real estate market. It’s worth noting that lenders will usually want to ensure that you will be living in the property and not renting it out if you seek out a residential mortgage.

Thankfully, the burden of acquiring a mortgage while living abroad can be taken off your shoulders with our support. We know all the ins and outs of the entire process from start to finish, helping you access the right mortgage solution from the right lender and negotiating the best rates possible.

Foreign nationals

You’re not alone if you’re searching for a foreign national mortgage; the UK – and especially central London – attracts investors from all over the world. Dubbed the ‘London factor’, strong currency, time zone convenience and economical stability has led to it becoming a desirable location.

And it’s a great time to invest. As a result of Brexit, sterling has lost almost 20% of its value against the world’s major currencies. This has offered foreign nationals and overseas buyers excellent returns, enabling them to purchase property at a lower cost.

Using our qualified foreign national brokers can help the process to run smoothly, as we can negotiate for the best foreign national mortgage deals on your behalf.

If you own an existing range of marketable assets, a Lombard loan can be the best option for accessing finance quickly. Put simply, it’s a loan you take out backed by your assets.

While every individual’s circumstance is different, a Lombard loan can help you boost your cash flow so you have the money you need to satisfy your financial obligations and take advantage of investment possibilities.

Because they are adaptable, and their use may change during the course of the loan, they offer a particularly flexible way of accessing finance. This can be great if you want to keep taking advantage of your assets’ rising value, whilst also having the freedom to look for new investment options outside of your current holdings. 

We have extensive experience in supporting residential mortgage applications from ultra high net-worth individuals from all backgrounds, often with complex circumstances.

Beyond advising you on the best mortgage, we’ll work alongside you every step of the way – up until the moment you collect your keys.

Plus, we understand that situations change. Making sure your mortgage still works is important, so we’d like to keep in touch.