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Buying for the first time in 2021

Scott Austin • March 25, 2021

Planning to buy for the first time 2021?

THERE IS A WEALTH of information to take in when buying your first home, and in the current market lenders are far stricter with lending criteria for first-time buyers. Most people dream of owning their own home, and usually, getting a mortgage is the only way to do it. Getting onto the property ladder should be one of the most exciting things you’ll do but there is so much to think about, including finding the right mortgage.

HELP TO BUY SCHEME IN ENGLAND 
The Government’s current Help to Buy scheme in England will end in March 2021
and a new one, just for first-time buyers, will start on 1 April 2021. Still with just a 5% deposit and a 75% mortgage, first-time buyers may be able to borrow up to 20% of the cost of a new home from the Government, or 40% in London.
The amount you can spend on your home will depend on where in England you’re looking to buy. 

TIPS TO BOOST YOUR BORROWING POWER
If you’re planning to buy for the first time in 2021, it’s important that you’ve got your finances in order. It’s not just your income and deposit being scrutinised when taking out a mortgage. 

MANAGE YOUR DEBTS WELL 
Lenders want to see that you’re a good borrower, so for as long as you can before applying, make sure you’re paying debts and bills on time. Stay out of your overdraft and avoid emergency loans. And try not to apply for credit either – like a new credit card, or a mobile phone or car loan.

START SPENDING SENSIBLY
It also helps to prove that you can live on a budget and you know what your outgoings are. Start to track what you’re spending monthly on essentials, bills, loan repayments and any other financial commitments. Then you’ll be able to prove you know your finances inside out when you get to your mortgage interview.

STAY IN YOUR JOB
Lenders are often put off if you’ve been in your job for a very short period (six months or less). So, if you’re planning to buy a house, don’t think about switching careers at the same time. You can do that after you’ve secured the mortgage and moved in.

TOP UP YOUR DEPOSIT
Most lenders typically require you to have a deposit of at least 5% of the value of the property you intend to buy, but 10% is even better. Lenders offer better rates the bigger your deposit is, and they usually improve at certain levels (so, if you have a 9% deposit saved, it’s definitely worth trying to break that 10% barrier).

CHECK YOUR CREDIT REPORT
You can get your report from a credit reference agency, like Experian, for £2, or free from Clear Score. Occasionally they have errors, or you’ll see that your credit is still linked to an ex-partner or ex-housemate, which is affecting your score. You want all these problems corrected before you start a mortgage application.

GET ON THE ELECTORAL ROLL
You might not know it, but if you’re not registered to vote, or you’re still registered at an old address, it can affect your chances of getting a mortgage. Banks and lenders use the electoral roll for basic identity checks, so make sure your details are up to date.

If you’ve followed all of these recommendations, all that’s left to do is to get your paperwork together and put in your application. You could soon be on your way to the home of your dreams.



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So, here we are half way through 2021 and the property market is still going crazy, I heard a story the other day about a first time buyer that went to view a flat in London and there were 10 other couples waiting outside, now that might not seem like much but it might just put you off selling up and moving. So, if you are going to "stay put" then it is time to think about if you can get a better rate for your current mortgage. With rates at all time lows and not much indication that they are going up anytime soon, this is your opportunity to save money. So if you are on a fixed rate that is going to end in the next 6 months then now is the time to get in touch and see if a better rate is available to you. If you are on the standard variable rate or a tracker and you want to see if a fixed rate is now worth it because the rates are so low then we can help to. We can even help you stick with the same lender and get you a better rate than the standard variable, so if you need quick action we can help there too. Contact Zoom Mortgage telephone 0800310121 email contactus@zoommortgage.co.uk .
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This story + many more are available in our 1st edition of the Zoom Mortgage and Property Magazine. Available for you for free here https://zoommortgage.lpages.co/zoom-mortgage-property-magazine THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) pandemic led to the virtual disappearance of mortgages that only required a 5% deposit. But the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced on 3 March a new initiative during his Budget 2021 speech. The government-backed mortgage guarantee scheme is open to first-time buyers and home movers across the UK and is aimed at encouraging banks and building societies to offer 95% loan-to-value (LTV) mortgages again. The announcement is tremendous news for first-time buyers looking to get on the property ladder at a time when, for many, owning a home may seem an impossible dream as they would otherwise not be able to find a large deposit to secure a mortgage deal. GETTING ON THE HOUSING LADDER The announcement aims to stimulate the housing market and get more people onto the housing ladder. The Chancellor said there was good evidence that ‘this will help those that are getting on the housing ladder disproportionately to other home movers.’ He said: ‘We know from the previous time we did it, it helped 100,000 people buy a home and the average value of a home bought under the scheme was £160,000, compared to the average price of a home which at that time was more like £225,000. ‘And 80% were first-time buyers, so it feels like it is a policy that is quite well targeted to help people get on the housing ladder.’ ACROSS THE UK The government introduced the scheme for new mortgage applications which commenced from April and provides a guarantee to lenders across the UK that offer mortgages to people with a deposit of five per cent on homes with a value of up to £600,000. This scheme is for any ‘creditworthy’ household struggling to save for a higher deposit. These will be standard residential mortgages – so no second homes or buy-to- lets. If the borrower gets into financial difficulty and their property is repossessed, the government will cover that element of the lender’s losses. The scheme opened for new mortgage applications from April and will be open to new applications until December 2022. Several of the country’s largest lenders, including Lloyds, NatWest, Santander, Barclays and HSBC, are offering these 95% mortgages, with others to follow shortly after. The mortgages must be on a repayment basis, not interest-only. And borrowers will need to be credit checked and meet the standard rules on affordability. All lenders under the scheme will also offer mortgages fixed for at least five years, providing options for buyers with smaller deposits who want the security and predictability of a mortgage with a fixed rate over a longer term. Eligible mortgages guaranteed under the scheme will need to: • be a residential mortgage (not second homes) and not buy-to-let • be taken out by an individual or individuals rather than an incorporated company • be on a property in the UK with purchase value of £600,000 or less • have a loan-to-value (LTV) of between 91% and 95% of the value of the property • be originated between the dates specified by the scheme • be a repayment mortgage and not interest-only • meet standard requirements in terms of the assessment of the borrower’s ability to pay the mortgage, for example, a loan-to- income and credit score test LIFELINE FOR FIRST-TIME BUYERS Thanks to soaring house prices and tighter rules on mortgage approvals, the first rung of that famous property ladder can be very hard to reach. So the new government backed mortgage guarantee scheme will be a lifeline for those first-time buyers trying to get on the housing ladder. >> GET AN ESTIMATE ON HOW MUCH YOU COULD BORROW << Are you ready to buy a property? You’ve dreamed of owning a home for as long as you can remember, or maybe you’re looking to move to another property. Now the new government-backed mortgage guarantee scheme could make it a reality. To discuss your options and get an estimate on how much you can borrow, contact Zoom Mortgage – telephone 0800310121 – email contactus@ zoommortgage.co.uk
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