At C&F Mortgages, we’re all about finding the right mortgage for the way you work. Contractors and Freelancers are different from permies. They work shorter contracts, run their own business and pay tax and NICs in an astute manner.
Being in the contracting industry, we get it. But your average High Street mortgage lender? They’re not trained to work out your affordability from your type of contract.
They see your take home pay, which should be low for tax planning. They then try and fit that into their bank or building society’s mortgage calculator. For your contractor business, those figures won’t add up. At least not on paper.
There are three major barriers getting in the way of in-branch staff securing you a mortgage; they:
- think your ‘take home’ pay is restricted to your salary and dividend drawings;
- want to see a minimum of two years trading history;
- will not use your gross contract earnings to assess your true affordability.
The C&F Mortgages Difference
In contrast, C&F Mortgages do the opposite. We have an understanding of how much you’re worth just by looking at your contract. We can also package your application so that underwriters understand your affordability, too.
Perhaps of more importance, we’re 100% independent. We offer mortgages from all the UK’s contractor-friendly lenders. This sets you free, meaning you’re not tied to the one type of self-employed finance your local bank offers.
All independent professionals run their business in a way that’s unique to them. It would be impossible to list all the scenarios, as there are so many ways contractors and freelancers operate.
The first thing we do is get to know you. We need to understand how you operate to see which mortgages are appropriate for your circumstance. Then, we can go through the different type of contractor mortgages on offer:
First Time Buyer
One of the first things contractors look for with their higher earnings is to buy a home. When they go to the High Street and lenders reject them, they’re shocked.
What’s worse is the impression lenders leave them with. Contractors, despite their higher earnings, think that they can’t even afford a first-time-buyer mortgage.
That’s so not the case. Contractor-friendly lenders can help independent professionals onto the property ladder as well as anyone.
By going through a specialist broker, you can push your way to the front of the queue and get those keys to your new home in double quick time.
Interested? For more in-depth insight, visit our dedicated First Time Buyer page.
Moving Home
The home mover market is both competitive and flourishing. It’s not surprising. With home owners having a history of mortgage repayment, they’re perfect candidates.
The problem for contractors and freelancers is that they can get muscled out on the High Street. Lenders want to (and can) pick and choose their clients.
Interested? For more in-depth insight, visit our dedicated Home Mover page.
Remortgaging
There are many reasons why someone would want to remortgage their home:
- your current deal is about to end and you want a better rate;
- to release equity for home improvements;
- consolidate debt;
- release funds for an investment opportunity.
- you want to switch from interest-only to repayment mortgage.
As an existing home owner, the power of your equity is in your hands. We can advise on which lenders are offering the best remortgaging deals for contractors. Then, put the wheels in motion so you don’t have to lift a finger to access those funds.
Interested? For more in-depth insight, visit our dedicated Remortgaging page.
Buy-to-Let
In 2014, the Government reduced lifetime pension contributions. Since then, contractors have been looking for tax efficient ways to save for their future.
They could do worse than invest in property. The lending criteria is not as strict as that for residential mortgages.
For contractors with money in the bank, buy-to-let mortgages are a real opportunity to make that cash work for them.
Interested? For more in-depth insight, visit our dedicated Buy-to-Let page.
Help-to-Buy
Help-to-buy schemes have been well received across all sectors of the UK housing market. With 5% deposit, those who thought they’d never own a home are getting onto the property ladder.
As it’s a specialist product, some of our clients think they can’t qualify. It’s not so. Contractors with excellent credit have as much chance of securing Help-to-buy mortgages as anyone.
Interested? For more in-depth insight, visit our dedicated Help-to-Buy page.
