Mortgage comparison websites

gtrevor

What websites do people use for mortgage comparisons?

I'm looking to re-mortgage after being told by the Halifax that the best they can offer me is at least 1% worse than they offer new customers (e.g. 5.99% fixed, whereas new customers get 4.99%)

I've tried using Charcol but find it really hard to work out exactly what charges will be levied, plus it adds the cost of these onto the mortgage which I don't want so distorts the figures.. (plus charcol doesn't tell you the cost over the length you want, only the overall term) ???

Moneyextra is the best I have found and actually gives you a correct cost over the term of the mortgage, but doesn't seem to have a very big range compared to charcol.

Tried moneysupermarket but didn't find it very good..

Any other ideas?

Zero

I found moneynet to be quite a good site...

http://www.moneynet.co.uk/borrowing/mortgages/index.shtml

Alt

I would strongly recommend seeing an 'independent' financial adviser. I was also looking for a remtorgage recently and the FIA deal (100k @ 2yr -0.06 off base rate with no fees) was not something offered by the online services.

payless

I think its great that people do their homework and check out these "comparision sites" but agree that in most cases it worth speaking to a broker ( on a no fee basis) as well

IFA / Mtg broker - not always the same thing

see
http://forum.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=Mortgages;action=display;num=1096277219

gtrevor

I think its great that people do their homework and check out these "comparision sites" but agree that in most cases it worth speaking to a broker ( on a no fee basis) as well

IFA / Mtg broker - not always the same thing

ahh..good point! I hadn't realised that there was a difference ... I have had an "IFA" come round to discuss mortgages with me, but was really not happy with his advice... made several assumptions about what I wanted (e.g. pay fees up front or added to mortgage, lower fees for higher % rate etc)...

He actually struggled to match the rate I had found on the internet, and that's only after he tried to tell me how good a 2 year fixed rate was on 5.9%... with higher arrangement fees than I had found for a 4.95% fixed over same period !!

He really didn't inspire me with confidence, and more worringly didn't ask me enough questions about what I wanted from a mortgage... !

So.. then phoned Charcol as their website is good at giving lots of offers... but they charge 1% of the mortgage for their advice !! If I don't pay that they won't confirm what the lenders arrangement fee is for any given mortgage!!! not impressed, always thought Charcol was supposed to be a good service... obviously not!

so....now back to square one, but fed up with looking at mortgages and don't trust IFA's !!! Best deal found is 4.95% fix for 2 years with £350 arrangement fee, or 4.75 BOE tracker for 2 years with £350 arrangement.