You hear people griping about the cost of consumer products these days. The socialist-student-worker-miser believes capitalism is inherently wicked. Someone is out to screw him. The truth is ‘yes’, someone is out to screw you, and will, but only if you let them. They’re not obliged to get you the best deal, and you’re not obliged to take the first deal they offer. Don’t let your greed for a mortgage override your good sense. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Start with banks and well known credit unions. When you begin to research, it’s best to start with your current bank, or with large credit unions. These have solid reputations. You may not get the best rate with a large bank, but the security can be worth it.
If you’re in the UK, see if the company is a member of the Finance Industry Standards Association (FISA) and registered under the Data Protection Act (DPA).
A mortgage is an agreement between a borrower and a lender. Determine first what type you’re looking for: fixed rate, variable rate, capped, buy-to-let, bad credit, self-certification, and proceed from there. This will cut down...