Q Mortgage rates are falling and I’m thinking of switching from my current provider. Should I? What are the steps involved?
A Get switching (or at least find out if it’s possible and worth your while)
The easiest money you’ll ever earn is the money that you’ve saved as they say. And who wouldn’t like some extra hard-earned cash in their pocket?
1. Know your current situation. We need to find out how much is owed on your existing mortgage, the term remaining the current interest rate and if you’re on a fixed rate, if there’s a breakage fee. You can find out by contacting your current lender. You’ll also need a rough estimate of how much your home is currently worth.
2. Compare. With the above info to hand, contact a Broker to compare mortgage rates to find out who’s offering the best rates and whether it makes financial sense to switch in the first place. Using a Broker lets you easily compare interest rates, offers and incentives and will quickly show you what your new monthly repayments would be
3. Start the switch. Your mortgage broker will talk to your new lender on your behalf and help you with your entire mortgage switch.
4. The documents. Once you’ve chosen your preferred lender, your Broker will issue you with a mortgage switching pack which includes the documents you’ll need to provide. In other words, it’s a bit like submitting a new mortgage application. However, the good news is that it’s normally faster and cheaper to switch than get a new mortgage. Also, if you decide to switch through us, all documents can be submitted online meaning you can do everything from the comfort of your home.
5. House valuation. Your new lender will need to get an up-to-date professional valuation of your home. This is so that your new lender knows how big your mortgage is in relation to the value of your home and therefore how much equity you have. The more equity the better. The fee will be around €150 and the lender you’re looking to switch to will give you the name of an approved valuer to use.
6. The legal bit. You’ll need to get a solicitor on board to take care of conveyancing and any legal documents. In general, the legal fees for switching mortgage are less than the fees for first-time buyers.
7. Mortgage protection. If you decide to switch mortgage provider, you may need to take out a new mortgage protection policy. In this case we’ll review your current insurance as it’s an opportune time to look at getting cheaper mortgage protection too.
8. Direct debit. When your mortgage is approved, your lender will ask you to fill in a new direct debit form so your repayments can be collected from your bank account.
9. Done. Welcome to a cheaper mortgage!