Christmas Message from Phil Clark
Caz Blake-Symes • December 21, 2020
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2021
Oh my goodness! What a difficult and challenging year 2020 has been for everyone.
I’m very grateful that all 3 of our businesses Bristol, Bath and Exeter Mortgages Online have successfully carried on throughout the pandemic, lockdown is and other restrictions. We have adapted the business, using the technologies available to us and have been doing considerably more Zoom appointments which has worked out very well for our clients in these days of social distancing and limited face-to-face visits.
Surprisingly, the housing market has remained very buoyant although many lenders reduce the number of products that they were offering, earlier in the year and made some of the lending criteria harder. Thankfully, due to the fact that we are fully independent we have access to lots of lenders that may not be known to most clients and therefore have managed to continue to place mortgages for first-time buyers, remortgages, those moving house and investment purchases.
I would particularly like to thank my team here at Henleaze House for working so hard during the difficult times including working from home at the beginning of the pandemic and adapting their working practices to meet our clients’ needs. This has ensured that we continue to offer a 5-star service, which has been really appreciated by clients, lenders, solicitors, and estate agents/developers.
I sincerely wish you and your families a much happier 2021 and hope that life returns to “normal” as soon as possible.
On behalf of all the team here, we wish you a Merry Christmas I look forward to helping you with any mortgage requirements in the future.
Kindest regards
Phil Clark
Buying a home is likely the biggest financial commitment you will ever make. Whether you are a first-time buyer stepping onto the ladder, a homeowner looking to remortgage, or a seasoned investor expanding a buy-to-let portfolio, the process can often feel like a maze of jargon, paperwork, and fluctuating interest rate
Taking that first step onto the property ladder is one of the most exciting milestones of your life—but let’s be honest, it can also feel like navigating a maze blindfolded. Between deposit requirements, credit checks, and legal jargon, the process is daunting.
Recent global developments, including escalating tensions in the Middle East, have started to influence financial markets and, in turn, UK mortgage rates.
Understanding how these events filter through to borrowing costs can help you make more informed decisions.
If your current mortgage deal is coming to an end, you’ve likely started hearing the words "remortgage" and "product transfer" thrown around. In today’s shifting economic climate, making sure you are on the best possible mortgage rate is more important than ever.
we enter 2026, mortgage affordability remains one of the biggest concerns for homebuyers and homeowners alike. With interest rates, living costs, and lending criteria continuing to evolve, understanding what lenders look at when assessing affordability is more important than ever.
On 3 February, Santander are the first large lender to launch a First-time Buyer Mortgage over 95% LTV. It’s called My First Mortgage and is up to 98% LTV. Supporting FTBs is a key focus for us whilst lending responsibly.
This month’s edition is packed full of informative articles, including
• Welcome and overview from Phil Clark
• Base rate cut to 3.75%: what could it mean for mortgages?
• Interest-Only Mortgages For Later Life.
• Need Short-Term Property Finance?
• What You Should Know About Second Charge Mortgages
• Time to Remortgag
Image courtesy of Freepix
Happy New Year!
Hope you all had a good Christmas Break and avoided the dreaded coughs and colds.
I had the opportunity over the holiday to review many of the various property and finance reports available online, as well as those to which I subscribe.
Pleasingly, the general tone is very opti
I would like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2026
The Bank of England meets every six weeks to decide what should happen to interest rates, with the aim of keeping inflation to its target and keeping the wider economy healthy. Today, Base Rate was cut from 4% to 3.75%.