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Specialist Mortgages

When it comes to securing a mortgage, not everybody’s circumstances are the same and for individuals whose situation is considered too complex for most lenders it can be a struggle to find the right mortgage with a suitable lender. 

At Bower, our professional home finance experts have access to a wide range of specialist mortgages designed to provide bespoke funding solutions specifically for unconventional borrowers including mortgages for self-employed, contractors, professionals and for those planning a self-build project. 

Our specialist mortgage brokers take the time to get to know and understand your buying situation and personal needs in order to find the very best deals available on the market for your circumstances, delivering a tailored mortgage appropriate for your needs. 

Self-employed / Contractor Mortgages 

If you are a contractor, freelancer, self-employed or maybe combine a part-time job with self-employed/contractor work, then we can help you to access mortgages designed specifically for applicants who are not in permanent, full time or fixed employment. 

Just because a person is self-employed does not mean that they cannot get a mortgage and nowadays with so many people owning their own businesses and choosing to go down the freelance and self-employed route, the difference when applying is very small. 

Even if you have less than two years’ accounts and are worried about finding a lender who’s criteria you can meet, our experts can search for a mortgage that offers a more flexible application process, or will look at your case on its individual merits. 

At Bower, our specialist mortgage advisors are on hand to help provide self-employed applicants with the support, guidance and advice needed to navigate the market and help find the very best deal to meet your specific needs and circumstances. 

Professional Mortgages 

We understand that for some professionals who are self-employed or run their own business it can be difficult to find the right mortgage, which is where our home finance experts can help. 

There is a whole host of highly successful professionals from accountants and doctors to solicitors who, despite having a great career and a healthy income, don’t always fit the lending criteria and affordability assessments required for a mortgage due to the structure of their employment or income. 

At Bower we work with professionals to help them access a wide range of lenders across the market who specialise in providing competitive mortgage deals for a wide range of professionals. If you are over 21 years of age and are a fully qualified, registered and practicing vet, barrister, engineer, doctor, solicitor, optometrist, actuary, dentist, accountant, teacher, pharmacist or a similar profession then you may be eligible for a professional mortgage which could allow you to borrow up to 90% of the purchase price. 

Self-Build Mortgages 

If you are planning on building your own dream home, then a standard mortgage will not be suitable. Instead, you will need to apply for a specialist self-build mortgage. 

The biggest difference with a self-build mortgage compared to a standard one is that the funds are given to you in stages rather than as a single lump sum. This is to reduce the lender’s risk, ensure that the money is spent as planned and that the project does not run out of money halfway through the build. 

In the market for such complex mortgages it can be difficult to obtain the right finance for the project which is where we can help. Our dedicated team have years of experience dealing with specialist mortgage providers for self-build properties and can help to source the appropriate funding to turn your self-build dream into a reality. 

Specialist Mortgage Services 

If you are looking for a non-standard mortgage and are unsure of your options or where to get the best available deal, the knowledgeable, experienced and professional team at Bower are here to help find the right mortgage for you. 

From consultation to completion our home finance experts are on hand to ensure that everything runs smoothly from dealing with the specialist mortgage lenders and paperwork to securing your mortgage offer and managing the exchange of contracts. 

If you have any questions about our specialist mortgage services or would like to find out more about the options available to you then do not hesitate to get in touch and our friendly advisors will be happy to help. 

FAQ’s 

What is a specialist mortgage? 

This type of mortgage characterises anything that falls outside of standard lending criteria set by most banks, building societies and lenders. 

For individuals who are looking to get a mortgage on a self-build project, who are self-employed, freelance, work as a contractor or are a professional seeking a mortgage, obtaining one is not always as straight forward as it is with standard applications. 

However, with the help of an independent specialist mortgage advisor, borrowers that fall into the specialist category are able to get professional, transparent and unbiased advice as well as access to alternative home finance lenders who are more flexible with their criteria. 

What types of specialist mortgages are there?

A specialist mortgage can be classed as anything that is different or unconventional in comparison to standard mortgages which includes things such as; 

  • Self-employed mortgages 
  • Professional mortgages 
  • Self-build mortgages 
  • Bad credit mortgages 
  • Expat mortgages 
  • Holiday home mortgages 
  • Commercial mortgages 

Most of these types of mortgages will fall outside of the realm of standard mortgage providers which is why working with an expert in specialist mortgages is always beneficial. Independent mortgage advisors have access to the whole market including specialist lenders who are able to accommodate the unique lending criteria required for such mortgages. 

How do you apply? 

If you are looking to apply for a specialist mortgage, then the first step would be to gather all of the information and documentation that you may need to help start the process. This can include information on your financial circumstances such as proof of income as well as how much you have in savings for a deposit and so on. 

It is also advisable to seek professional guidance and assistance from a mortgage expert who will be able to assess your finances and source a range of deals from the whole of the market. They will also carry out a ‘soft search’ which provides them with information on your credit record and can help them know whether mortgage providers will be likely to lend to you or not. 

When you are ready and ideally before you start looking at properties you need to know exactly how much you can afford to borrow and how much a lender will be willing to let you borrow which is known as an ‘agreement in principle’. This means that based on your credit score and information provided, following receipt of the relevant information the lender is willing to loan you the agreed amount which means that you are able to proceed with making an offer on your chosen property when you find it. 

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or any other debt secured on it. Some buy to let mortgages are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Bower Mortgages provides impartial whole of market advice with an award winning customer service experience. There will be a fee for mortgage advice. The precise amount will depend upon your circumstances but a typical fee will be £595 on completion of the mortgage.

Bower Mortgages is a trading style of Bower Retirement Limited and is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services Register Number: 451607

Speak to one of our dedicated customer specialists or arrange your free, initial no-obligation quote by calling us on freephone 0800 411 8668.