Your mortgage is a tool - not the decision

Structure and behaviour matter more than shaving a fraction off your interest rate. This guide explains how mortgages actually work so you can speak confidently to brokers and lenders, understand the trade-offs between fixed and variable rates, and choose a mortgage that fits your life rather than just the numbers.

The main types of mortgages

Fixed, tracker, and variable rates, and how each affects monthly payments and risk exposure.

How lenders assess affordability

Income multiples, stress testing, and what "approved" actually means for day-to-day comfort.

Loan to value and how it shapes your options

Why the ratio of your deposit to the property price affects the products available to you.

When overpayments help (and when they do not)

How making extra payments reduces term and interest, and when savings may come first.