Plan early. Some lenders allow you to fix 6 months in advance. There are 2 options: 1. Switch with an existing lender Rates can be competitive Very little paperwork No broker fee (with AFP Shrewsbury) 2. Search other lenders’ rates and fees Can be better rates Will require an Affordability assessment Will require documents May take […]
Mortgages: What to do about Rate rises
The Bank of England announced another 0.25% rise to 4.25% yesterday. Firstly, don’t panic. Fixed Rates If you have a fixed rate your payments will remain the same until the rate expires. Tracker Rates If you have a Tracker mortgage your payments will increase. Discounted rates This depends on your lenders variable rate and they […]
AFP Shrewsbury Attended the BIBA Conference of 2022
We had the pleasure of attending the largest insurance broker conference of the year. As one of the leading brokers in Shropshire, including Shrewsbury, Telford, Wem, Oswestry, Market Drayton, Newport and surrounding areas we were also joined by the Wales and the Midlands teams. There were 5,000 brokers and over 40+ speakers. We had a […]
Gary Harper on BBC Radio Shropshire
Mortgage advisor and director of AFP Shrewsbury, Gary Harper was invited as a guest speaker to BBC Radio Shropshire. Gary discusses how the issues around the rise in the cost of living have impacted house prices and mortgages, and the effect this has had on the market, from 1st-time buyers to those already locked into […]
Will the Bank of England Interest Rate Change Affect My Mortgage?
With the price of inflation increasing to its highest level in over a decade, the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to increase the Bank of England Base Rate from 0.50% to 0.75% on March 17th, 2022. This change is in addition to the increases announced in December 2021 and February 2022. What […]
New Mortgage Adviser In Wales
Liam has recently joined AFP and is a CEMAP qualified mortgage and protection advisor. Liam lives in Cardiff and covers the whole of Wales including regions such as Swansea, Cardiff, Newport, Penarth, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Caerphilly, Aberystwyth, Bangor, Flint, and Wrexham. He is a father of 4 (including the dog), avid reader, writer, stand-up comedian, who enjoys cooking, golf and watching sports. AFP Wales aims to offer financial services […]
Giving Back This Christmas
AFP Shrewsbury mortgage brokers support The Ark Charity On the 15th of December, the Shrewsbury Ark are hosting a Christmas dinner for all the homeless on the streets of Shrewsbury. AFP Shrewsbury gives back this Christmas by supporting homeless people. Giving Christmas crackers, complimentary soft drinks, and additional equipment for those on the streets this […]
Helping First-time Buyers Get Onto the Property Ladder
With the average price of a home in Shrewsbury now up to £223,991, many parents fear property ownership will never be a reality for their children. Without a home to their name, will they be financially vulnerable? Missing out on a lifetime investment that will pay dividends over the years and be a growing capital […]
Are You Better Off Buying or Renting Your Home?
There are both advantages and disadvantages when considering whether to buy or rent; nevertheless, overall recent evidence suggests that buying your home is more advantageous than renting. Advantages to buying Current market prices Both rentals and mortgages have become more expensive during the past five years – however, between the two, rentals have seen a […]
Government Proposes Seven-Day Mortgage Switching Option
Plans are currently being considered by the government in which home owners would have the option of switching their mortgage supplier within seven days. At present, this transfer process can take up to three months. This proposal forms part of a wider government scheme that will enable consumers to switch providers for a range of […]