Mortgages don’t have to be as expensive as you might think. With some research, a shrewd outlook and patience, you can usually find a cheap mortgage that suits your personal circumstances, without spending a long time trawling through mortgage quotes. Here are some top tips on how to spot a great deal on a mortgage.

Firstly, it is important to remember that you are a customer when it comes to mortgages, exactly as you are when buying any other products. This means that you have consumer choice; you do not have to stick with the mortgage deal you originally took out, or stay with one particular mortgage lender. If you are remortgaging, asking your current lender for a more competitive quote is a good start, but you could and should shop around for a cheap mortgage.

Shopping around means that it is a good idea to do your research in order to compare mortgage prices properly. So, the first thing to remember about comparing mortgage quotes is to look beyond the interest rate. A low interest rate, however tempting, may not lead to a cheap mortgage, once all of the other costs involved have been taken into account. Comparing Annual Percentage Rates (APRs), however, takes into account all of the fees you will have to pay, such as application fees, mortgage lenders valuations and so on. By looking at APRs you will get a better picture of how much a mortgage costs overall, thus providing you with a better way to compare mortgage quotes.

Mortgage deals: tied-in means tied down

Next, it may be advisable for you to look for “tie-ins” when searching for a cheap mortgage. Tie-ins are terms and conditions designed to keep you with a particular mortgage lender, even after the favourable interest rates have been increased.

Typical ways in which lenders tie in customers include charging fees if you switch to another lender within a certain period, or making customers buy insurance policies in order to qualify for lower interest rates. Comparing these conditions, whilst at the same time looking at APRs, will make your mortgage comparison much more accurate.

You can speed up the process of finding a cheap mortgage by using a mortgage broker. Mortgage brokers will search the market for you, and bring you mortgage quotes to consider. Due to their expertise and contacts, mortgage brokers can find you better deals than you might have been able to yourself. There are a few things to consider when using a mortgage broker, however.

Some mortgage brokers charge for their services, so you can either find one that does not, or build their fees into your plans to make sure that you do save money on your mortgage after all. Also, some mortgage brokers are not “whole of market”, meaning that they only compare mortgages from a restricted panel of lenders from whom they receive a commission. Essentially, mortgage brokers can be useful, as long as you know you are using the right one for you.