FTB mortgage advice

Dird

OK thanks. What are the general thoughts on HSBC for mortgages? From comparison sites/their calculator they seem the cheapest but none of the calculators list all their additional fees clearly.

They have a "fee saver" option that seems really good but may be existing customers only. If I agree a price with the owner Today I plan to compare HSBC, Nat West, Nationwide & Lloyds (just because I currently bank with them) then arrange appointments with the best online calculation + Lloyds as they say having lots of credit checks together is bad.

Is it worth using the online chat/phoning the banks and asking all the fees they charge or are they unlikely to disclose without going in for an appointment?

Edit: That's me getting ahead of myself
They've already had another offer (wouldn't tell me how much) so I've upped it to 118 (planned 116, asking price is 125). They're likely to come back and ask to up my bid rather than just accept the other immediately right?

Chocolatefund

I've heard HSBC are quite picky. They tend to cherry pick people with squeaky clean credit records and higher incomes..

Just what I've heard though. A broker would be your best best.

Dird

I just got a mortgage in principle from HSBC over the phone and got a shock in the process.
I panic bid the asking price asking on the condition of it being taken off the market/2nd viewings cancelled if it was accepted by the owner...they were being funny about my requests & it got awkward when I started mentioning gazumping. Will probably hear back the response Tomorrow.

The shock came from the maximum allowance though...£80k! I had read bits about 3.5x salary (apparently the old rules) so expected the MIP to be a formality but I only just manage to cover the asking price. Do HSBC tend to offer less than most other banks or do they all use the same software/rules for deciding what amount they can give?

obudsman should ban the use of the secret "best and final" approach on the grounds of emotional/psychological torture. It'd be so more relaxing if they rang back saying "a offered x, can you beat it?" rather than the silence of the unknown

For anyone interested, there's a show documenting a "best & final"...I was like the woman who kept ringing back to up the bid http://www.channel4.com/programmes/best-and-final-offer