Joe Smith - Mortgages & Protection

30/06/2026

24/02/2026

Most people arrive on this page because they’ve been recommended to me by a friend, colleague, or family member.

I co-own a small advisory firm, called Connect Premier, that works primarily through referrals rather than advertising. That allows us to spend our time advising clients properly instead of producing constant online content.

If you’ve been pointed in this direction, you’re in the right place.

Send me a message here or get in touch directly:
📧 [email protected]
📞 07810 714188
I'll come back to you personally.

11/11/2025

Top 5 Mistakes That Cost First-Time Buyers Thousands

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying your first home but these are the mistakes that end up costing people.

Waiting too long to lock in a rate
Markets move fast and rates can shift overnight.

Changing jobs mid-application
Even a pay rise can delay things or force a re-assessment. Lenders want stability, not disruption.

Ignoring all the extra costs
Solicitors, valuation fees, moving costs, and insurance. Plan for more than just the deposit.

Relying on online calculators
They’re rough estimates at best. Real affordability looks very different when lenders assess your income and spending.

Skipping protection
You’ve worked hard to buy your home, don’t risk losing it if something unexpected happens. (Life, income or critical illness cover can make the difference.)

Avoid these, and you’ll save yourself stress.

If you’d like me to take a quick look at your situation before you apply, I can highlight any red flags lenders might pick up.

06/11/2025

Top 5 Things Lenders Really Look For

Its not all about the credit score.

Here’s what actually matters when a lender looks at your application:

1. Bank conduct – they’ll check your statements line by line. Gambling or random transfers can raise questions.

2. Income consistency – lenders like steady, reliable income. Overtime, bonuses or job changes can all be treated differently.

3. Deposit source – whether it’s savings or a gift, it needs to be traceable and backed up with the right paperwork.

4. Spending habits – your outgoings tell a story. In your overdraft a lot, change that.

5. Existing commitments – car finance, Klarna, or credit cards can reduce what you can borrow (even if you always pay on time).

If you’re planning to buy soon, tighten these up, it can make all the difference when it comes to getting your offer accepted.

Save this post, you might want it later!

If you’re not sure how a lender might view your situation, I’m happy to take a quick look and give you some insight before you start applying.

05/11/2025

Landlord wants to sell but no deposit.

If you have been offered the chance to buy the property you are renting off your landlord but have no deposit there can be a way of making this work.

If they will sell to you below market value you can use "gifted equity" as the deposit.

Lets say the property is worth 250k and they will accept 200k. Then so long as your income is enough to get a mortgage of 200k you can buy the house without putting any money in.

16/10/2025

Nice drop of red 🍷 sent in from a customer this week

11/10/2025

Recent review from a client who had tried elsewhere and not got the result they wanted.

We were able to get the mortgage completed very quickly, consolidating some debt, making this household more comfortable in the process.

As they were increasing their mortgage we also included the right amount of life and critical illness cover to make sure they could repay the mortgage at any time in the event of something unexpected. This was easily paid for by the saving they were making each month from repaying their debts.