The mortgage process explained

The first step is a free, no-obligation conversation with me. There is no commitment required — it is simply about understanding where you are right now and what you are working toward. We will look at your income, savings, deposit position, any existing debt, and your goals, and work out a clear plan from there. For some people that means you are ready to apply straight away. For others it means putting some things in place first — and I will tell you exactly what those things are so you have a clear roadmap.

Once we have a plan and you are ready to apply, I will give you a clear list of everything I need to put your application together. This typically includes:

This is where I do the work. I review your full financial picture and assess the options available to you across my panel of lenders — looking at interest rates, cashback offers, lending criteria, and which lender is most likely to approve your application in your specific situation. Not every lender suits every borrower, and this is one of the most valuable parts of working with a mortgage adviser. I can see across the market in a way that going direct to one bank never allows.

Once I have identified the right lender for your situation, I submit your pre-approval application on your behalf. In most cases I will apply to one lender only — and in some situations, two. The reason I keep it to a small number is important: each credit application leaves a mark on your credit file, and multiple applications in a short period can reduce your credit score and raise questions with lenders. Because I have already done the assessment work, I can be confident in the lender I recommend rather than firing applications at multiple banks and hoping for the best.

Once your pre-approval comes through, you will receive a pre-approval letter confirming how much you can borrow and any conditions attached to it. This is your green light to start making offers. Pre-approvals are typically valid for 90 days — if you have not found a property in that time, we can work on getting it renewed.

When you find a property you want to make an offer on, your lawyer will review the sale and purchase agreement before you sign. Once your offer is accepted, you enter the conditional phase — this is where the work happens. You will need to satisfy all the conditions on your pre-approval letter as well as complete your due diligence on the property.

Once unconditional, we have a loan structure meeting. This is one of my favourite parts of the process — it is where we get to make real decisions about your mortgage. We will discuss your interest rate options and fixed terms, when your first repayment will be and how often you want to pay, how you want to split your loan if using multiple structures, and any other preferences around your repayment setup. Getting this right from day one can save you a significant amount over the life of your loan.