Mortgage guidance for Cardiff & South Wales
Local, jargon-free guides to buying a home in South Wales — written by Phillip Wakeling-Smith, Mortgage Adviser (CeMAP). Our full advice service opens in October 2026.
- Covering the whole of South Wales
- Independent, education-first guides
- Advice service opens October 2026
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Leave your email and we'll let you know when the advice service opens in October — plus new local guides as they're published.
How shared ownership mortgages work
How buying a share works, the two affordability checks, deposit on the share, rent and service charge, and why lenders differ.
Read more →Buying a home in Newport: prices, areas and what your money gets
Newport house prices average £232,000 (May 2026) — about £41,000 below Cardiff. What that gap means for your deposit, salary and LTT, and how the areas differ.
Read more →Homebuy – Wales: how the Welsh Government's 30% equity loan works
Homebuy – Wales gives an equity loan of around 30% towards an existing home. Who is eligible, how repayment works, and how it differs from Help to Buy – Wales.
Read more →Porting your mortgage when you move home in Cardiff
How porting a mortgage works when you move home — what actually transfers, the fresh affordability check, top-up borrowing at today's rates, and when a new mortgage beats a port.
Read more →Second charge mortgages in Cardiff: how they work and when people use them
What a second charge mortgage is, how it differs from remortgaging or a further advance, when Cardiff homeowners use one, and the costs and risks to weigh.
Read more →Your credit report before applying for a mortgage
A plain-English guide to checking your credit report before a mortgage application — the three UK agencies, what to look for, and how to fix errors in time.
Read more →New research: The Cardiff Lender Lottery
We ran six typical Cardiff buyers through a full panel of lenders. The same buyer was offered up to £254,000 more by one lender than another.
Read the study →Who's behind this?
Phillip Wakeling-Smith, Mortgage Adviser (CeMAP) — opening a dedicated advice firm covering South Wales in October 2026.
About the launch →