Guides
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
How lenders actually read credit issues
How CCJs, defaults and debt management plans generally affect a mortgage application — why recency and severity matter, and what a realistic outcome looks like.
Mortgage after bankruptcy: what to expect
How bankruptcy affects a UK mortgage application: the discharge clock, the 6-year credit file window, typical deposit patterns, and what to do now.
Getting a mortgage after an IVA: what to expect
How lenders treat an active IVA against a completed one, why the credit file clock and a lender's own clock can differ, and what changes as time passes.
Should I pay off my CCJ or default before a mortgage?
What settling a CCJ or default changes for a mortgage application, the CCJ one-month rule, how to satisfy one, and when it's a judgement call worth discussing.
Help to Buy – Wales closes on 30 September 2026: what Cardiff buyers need to do now
Applications for Help to Buy – Wales close on 30 September 2026, with a final completion deadline of 30 June 2027. What the timings mean, whether it's still worth using, and what replaces it.
Bad credit mortgages in Cardiff: realistic expectations
How CCJs, defaults and debt management plans generally affect a Cardiff mortgage application — how recency and severity matter, and realistic expectations.
Buy-to-let and HMO mortgages in Cathays and Roath, Cardiff
Student lets and HMOs in Cathays and Roath — Cardiff's HMO licensing rules, the Article 4 direction, Rent Smart Wales, and how BTL rental-coverage tests work.
Mortgages on Cardiff Bay leasehold flats: what lenders look for
Mortgages on Cardiff Bay leasehold flats — service charges, ground rent, lease length, cladding/EWS1 checks and the Welsh Building Safety Fund explained.
How to choose a mortgage adviser in Cardiff
How to choose a mortgage adviser in Cardiff: qualifications to check, FCA authorisation, whole-of-market vs panel, fee models, and questions to ask first.
LTT on second homes and buy-to-let in Cardiff: the higher rates explained
Land Transaction Tax's higher rates for second homes and buy-to-let in Cardiff — current bands, worked examples, and when the surcharge does and doesn't apply.
Mortgages for NHS and public sector workers in Cardiff
How lenders treat NHS Wales pay bands, overtime and shift pay for Cardiff's NHS and public sector workforce — no special scheme, just how income is assessed.
Remortgaging in Cardiff: when to do it and what actually happens
Remortgage in Cardiff: when to do it, product transfer vs a full remortgage, what happens as your fix ends, exit fees to check, and realistic timelines to plan around.
Self-employed mortgages in Cardiff: sole traders, directors and contractors
How mortgage lenders read accounts and SA302s for self-employed Cardiff buyers — sole traders, limited company directors and contractors — and what to prepare.
Buying a new-build in Cardiff: developments, incentives and lender rules
A Cardiff buyer's guide to new-build purchases — the city's major developments, how builder incentives work, and where to find the lender-by-lender detail.
First-time buyer in Cardiff: the step-by-step walkthrough
A guide for Cardiff first-time buyers — deposit sizes at real local prices, how the Welsh buying process differs from England, and schemes that can help.
Land Transaction Tax vs stamp duty: what Wales charges instead
Wales charges Land Transaction Tax (LTT), not stamp duty (SDLT) — with no first-time buyer relief. Rates, worked examples and how the two taxes really compare.
Low-deposit routes in Wales: 95% mortgages, shared ownership and Welsh schemes
First-time buyer schemes in Wales 2026 and the low-deposit routes: 95% mortgages, gifted deposits, Help to Buy Wales deadline, Homebuy and Shared Ownership.
Moving to Cardiff: areas, prices and commutes for buyers
A buyer's guide to Cardiff's areas and the South Wales commuter belt — local prices, commute times, and the schools, flood and leasehold checks to do first.
What salary do you need to buy a house in Cardiff?
How much income you need to buy in Cardiff, by property type — verified average prices, deposit scenarios, and the income multiple lenders typically apply.