With just over a week left until Christmas, most of you are probably on a go slow as the wind down to the holidays gets well underway.
However, as a Guildford mortgage brokerage, every year we see clients come through our doors in the New Year saying ‘I wish I’d done that before Christmas’.
So, as our Christmas present to you, our team of Guildford mortgage brokers has pulled together a 10-point checklist of things you can be doing now – even with a mince pie in hand – so that you’re in good shape for the New Year.
As they say, the best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today. With that in mind, here are the first five points to start working on before the Christmas holidays.
1. Write it down
All of our Guildford mortgage advisers agree that anything that gets you ahead of the game in the New Year sets you up for an advantage. So, before you go and see a property, be absolutely clear on what it is you want. Write down your ideal moving timeframe, the non-negotiables and any deal-breakers so that you’ve profiled your ideal property even before you’ve Googled Rightmove. That way, you’re clear and focussed when everyone else begins their searches.
2. Basic maths check
You don’t need to be a maths genius to get a basic understanding of what your affordability levels are. Of course, it’s the job of our Surrey mortgage brokers to work out the actual figures. But even before you’ve made an appointment with us, create a spreadsheet and throw in your household income and ALL outgoings (whilst factoring in any upcoming changes such as a work contract ending, or an expected bonus). That way, you’ll have a clearer understanding of what’s achievable and then we’ll be able to refine it with you when you arrive for your initial consultation. We can even provide you with a spreadsheet template, if you prefer!
3. Draw up the deposit plan
Sounds rather grand, but what we mean is that it’s useful to write down how much deposit you have – and, importantly, where it’s coming from. Deposits are often made up of multiple pots from different sources such as savings, proceeds from a sale and even gifts from family members. Having it all written down – and, ideally, having the funds in once place prior to applying for mortgage – is useful for you (the applicant), us (the broker) and the lender, which tends to favour simplicity and a paper trail that clearly documents where the money has originated from.
4. DON’T take credit out, but DO check your credit report
We get it – Christmas is expensive! But if you’re thinking of applying for a mortgage in 2026, a string of 0% credit agreements on your file won’t do you any favours. Our advice is to avoid taking out credit until after you’ve secured the mortgage. However, what we do recommend is using some of your downtime to check your credit report and see if there are any loose ends that might need tying up.
5. Tackle the admin
If you’re planning on visiting one of our Guildford mortgage brokers in early 2026, then we’re only going to ask you to gather a series of documents, which is going to take the same amount of time to do in 2026 as it will take this month. So, why not frontload the admin pain now, so that you’re ready to go straight out of the gate in the New Year. For the record, these documents are: photo ID and proof of address; three months’ worth of payslips (or accounts if self-employed); three months’ worth of bank statements; proof of deposit; details of current credit agreements and existing mortgage details.
Applying for a mortgage in 2026? Contact our team of Surrey mortgage advisers on 01483 238280 or e-mail info@complete-mortgages.co.uk to arrange an initial consultation.
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