Julie Hitchen - Mortgage and Protection Adviser

24/12/2025

🎄✨ Merry Christmas! ✨🎄

As the year draws to a close, I just want to say a huge thank you to all my friends, clients, and colleagues for your support throughout the year. It’s been a pleasure helping so many of you with your mortgages and protection needs 🏡❤️

Whether you’re already settled in your home, thinking about your next move, or planning ahead for 2026 and beyond, I hope to see you in the New Year.

11/12/2025

❄️🏡 Thinking About a Fresh Start in the New Year?
If you’re considering a move, remortgage, or reviewing your protection plans, now is a great time to get prepared before January arrives.

As a mortgage & protection broker, I offer impartial guidance, look at a range of lenders, and help you understand your options — whether you’re buying your first home, moving up the ladder, or simply checking you still have the right cover in place.

✨ No pressure. No obligation. Just clear, friendly advice.

If you’d like to chat through your plans for 2025, feel free to get in touch — I’m here to help you make informed decisions with confidence.

⸻

📌 Important:
• Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
• Insurance and protection policies have terms, conditions and exclusions.
• We provide advice based on your personal circumstances and individual affordability.

02/02/2023

BANK OF ENGLAND RATE INCREASED FROM 3.5% TO 4% ON THURSDAY 2ND FEBRUARY
(Source: www.bankofengland.co.uk)

Inflation has begun to fall, but it’s still well above the National 2% target.

High energy prices are one of the main reasons for high inflation. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to large increases in the price of gas. Higher prices for the goods we buy from abroad have also played a big role.

The impact of higher inflation has been hard on people over the past year. Inflation hits the least well off the hardest.

Low and stable inflation is vital for a healthy economy. An economy in which households and businesses can plan for the future with confidence and money holds its value.

The Bank of England expect inflation to fall quickly this year.

They've raised their interest rate to 4% this month.

In total, since December 2021, they have increased the interest rate from 0.1% to 4%.

The higher interest rates have a real impact on people’s lives.

But by raising interest rates they hope they can bring inflation down sooner, and make sure it stays low after that.

IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST OF LIVING AND THE IMPACT ON YOUR MORTGAGE, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME FOR A MORTGAGE AND PROTECTION REVIEW.

As a whole of market Broker I have accessed to high street lenders as well as the specialist market.

I look forward to hearing from you.

19/04/2021

95% LTV MORTGAGE ARE BACK WITH A BANG

During lockdown the majority of lenders withdrew mortgage products that were available to people with small deposits.
This mainly hit the first time buyer markets.
Especially, here down in the south east where property prices were on average £447,000 last year*

Although some lenders have returned to the market in the last few weeks with a 95%LTV offering....
Today marks the launch of the awaited government guarantee scheme, which has thankfully seen a flurry of lenders launch products now available to those with a 5%deposit.
(Subject to meeting affordability and criteria)

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-95-mortgage-scheme-launches

Get in touch to see if this could benefit you and get you on (or up) the property ladder......

*source: zoopla

A new government-backed mortgage scheme will help first time buyers or current homeowners secure a mortgage with just a 5% deposit.

06/11/2020

A nice conscience easy to read little article giving top tips to first time buyers looking to move during lockdown.

Ross Counsell, chartered surveyor and director at regulated property buyers, Good Move, offers his thoughts to first-time buyers thinking about purchasing a property during the second lockdown.

19/07/2020

I know I’m a little late with this update, but it’s too good not to shout about for many more months to come.

☀️ 💴 🏖 WE’RE ALL GOING ON A STAMP DUTY HOLIDAY☀️ 💴 🏖

With the potential to save £000s ....Could now be the time to make the next step up the ladder??

Why not get in touch and let me see what mortgage potential you have for your next step!?

Buyers with home deals currently going through have found themselves with windfalls of thousands of pounds, but who'll benefit most from the stamp duty holiday going forward?

16/06/2020

ATTENTION LANDLORDS
FREE WEBINAR OPPORTUNITY....
Keeping up to speed with property finance is vital for today's landlords, regardless of the size of their portfolio and, in these uncertain times, gaining access to this information can prove challenging both in terms of cost and time.

The first Masterclass, 'A Covid-19 landlord update', will be held on Wednesday 17th June from 10am and feature a variety of speakers from the world of property finance including experts from Connect Mortgages, Precise Mortgages, MT Finance and Arnold & Baldwin and will cover getting a BTL mortgage during a pandemic, the benefits of specialist & bridging lending, plus a look at what rental properties are in demand.

Landlords can access the Masterclass via PC, laptop, or even a smartphone, from the comfort of your home or office.

Registration is free and can be found here - but don't miss out as spaces for this week's event are strictly limited.

One of the most important aspects UK landlords must consider to be successful in their investments are the rapidly changing developments within the finance sector.

23/04/2020

https://www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/business-52390860?amp_js_v=a3&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQIKAGwASDAAQE%3D =https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s

Finally looks like the majority of lenders are starting to get to grips with the current situation

If you need any help or advice with your current mortgage or needs... Please don't hesitate to get in touch using the link on my page.

Lenders are offering more generous terms to borrowers after weeks of restrictions.

28/03/2020

HOUSE ON THE MARKET OR LOOKING TO DO SO IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS?

not sure how the current situation impacts you?,

As the coronavirus situation continues to develop, should you still press on with the sale of your home? Or if you’re a buyer or tenant, will it be possible to find a new home if you need to in spite of all that’s happening?

Rightmove are hosting a live web talk to help and assist with any queries you have. You can register by following the link below and they will then send you an email where you can submit any questions, worries or queries you may have at this time

They'll be chatting about the ways that agents are adapting to current conditions so they can keep finding potential buyers for your home and updating you on the interest it’s getting. They will also share useful advice and ideas to help you work together with your estate agent to get the best results in the current circumstances.

The session will last for around 30 minutes and is aimed primarily at home-movers who already have their home on the market or are looking to do so in the coming weeks.

Please Note: The session has limited spaces available

We know that many of you will have questions about what the coronavirus outbreak means for your upcoming move, and so we're holding a live talk to try and help.

26/03/2020

“Today has been another busy day with lenders making changes. There are a couple of key areas where we have seen the biggest movement.

REDUCED LTVs
We have seen many lenders who have reduced their LTVs on both residential and on buy to let. Whilst on the face of it, this may appear worrying, the reasoning that sits behind it is actually a practical one.

With the new rules around social distancing, valuers are no longer entering people’s homes. Therefore, lenders are trying only to accept applications which they know they are able to progress through to offer using an AVM/desk top valuation.

LENDERS NOT ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATIONS
There are many reasons why lenders are doing this but one of the more practical reasons is that their staffing numbers are depleted already due to those social isolating but in addition to this, they are having to redeploy their teams to manage the overwhelming number of enquiries that they are getting from existing customers around their payment holidays.

We will of course bring you more on these situations as they develop."

*source: Lender Relationship Manger, Matthew Corker: KnowledgeBank.