Meonshore Studios kindly came to visit to snap away and extend their portfolio of commercial clients.

Watch this space for the new website.

TPM News – Spring/Summer ’10

A couple’s dream of buying a former church in Curbridge was close to collapse until a Winchester based mortgage expert came to the rescue.

Having been turned down by numerous lenders, Chris and Tracy Langdale had all but given up hope of securing a mortgage to buy St Barnabas Church on Botley Road, near Southampton.

That was until the sellers agent Russell Mogridge, of selling agent Hughes Ellard, suggested they contact Jon Walker from The Place 4 Mortgages. Jon, a commercial and residential mortgage specialist quickly met the couple and obtained a mortgage saving the sale.

The former church, which was built in 1892, sits in a quarter of an acre plot and is now being transformed into a holiday home.

“My commercial experience coupled with 15 years working in financial services offering a whole of market approach was crucial in getting a positive result for the Langdales,” said Jon Walker, director of The Place 4 Mortgages.

Jon added: “Chris and Tracy needed to find a mortgage fast or they were going to lose their property. I was delighted to be able to help them secure the lending with the help of Royal Bank of Scotland.”

Jon and Russell are fellow committee members of the Southampton Property Association and believe it was this connection that enabled two property professionals to make trusted referrals to each other.

Russell Mogridge, director at Southampton based Hughes Ellard, commented: “The property attracted significant interest but the banking crisis couldn’t have come at a worse time for its sale. I’m thrilled it’s worked out for the Langdales.”

Tracy Langdale said: “We are very grateful to Jon for arranging the mortgage. We have retained many of the church’s features in the project to convert it into a holiday home.”

With QE expected to be eased today (ie no likely introduction of additional funds into the banking system), we will have to wait and see how the next inflation report makes the bank of england react with both QE and the bank base rate.

With the next report due shortly before the general election, the decisions will be very interesting indeed for both residential and commercial mortgage lending alike!

Jon Walker & Matthew Whitfield with their fleet of branded Minis

Two old school friends from Romsey are celebrating the fifth anniversary of their business partnerships 15 years after leaving Embley Park (now Hampshire Collegiate).

Jon Walker, 31, director of The Place 4 Mortgages, the top rated whole of market mortgage broker, and Matthew Whitfield, 33, director of The Flat Agency started a strategic alliance in 2004 which has since blossomed.

The business partnership started as a one stop shop to customers buying or selling a flat or securing a mortgage or remortgage. The two friends then went on to launch Michael Brown estate agency with prime locations in Southampton and Southsea which has been very successful.

“Matthew and I both grew up in and around Romsey and stayed in the area after leaving school,” said Jon. He added: “We remained in contact and the circumstances of us both working in the property sector pulled us together. It’s a great partnership and one which has gone from strength to strength.”

Jon now lives in Bassett and Matthew in North Baddesley remaining close to their roots.

Matthew added: “Embley Park was a great school and we both have fond memories of it. I’m sure having been friends at school has made our bond closer. It would be nice to go back and see some of our old teachers!”

The two businesses employ over 30 staff in the Southampton and Southsea offices.

The Place 4 Mortgages launched its first office in Southampton over two years ago and
has already established itself as one of the leading whole of market commercial and residential mortgage brokers in Southampton with its headquarters on Brunswick Place. Jon recently opened a second office in Winchester.

For more information or 01962 353000.

The event, at Greens Wine Bar was attended by over 80 business people from the region.

Director Jon Walker was delighted with the turn out. “We actually opened in May but we were so busy it’s the first opportunity to say thanks to everyone who has played a part in our success. It’s been a fantastic six months of opening and I couldn’t have been more delighted in the way things have gone.

“There are very few independent mortgage brokers in Winchester and I’ve made some very useful contacts with estate agents, accountants and solicitors in the town.”

Greens Wine Bar, Winchester

Victoria Read (RBS) & Rupi Basi (The Place 4 Mortgages)

Helen McGee & Lucy Turner - The Coast 106fm

Sue Cornall & Lorna Munro - Blake Lapthorn

Rupi Basi, Jon Walker & Laura Krisiukaite - The Place 4 Mortgages

Paul Basham (Paul Basham & Associates Ltd), Jon Walker (The Place 4 Mortgages) & Steve Brine (Prospective MP, Winchester Chandlers Ford)

Raj Mandair & Hera Basra - Basra & Basra

Ian Tudor (RBS) & Steve Brine (Prospective MP, Winchester & Chandlers Ford)

Robert Mott, Elliott Trodd & Tim Branston - Charters Estate Agents

Michelle Jones (Client of The Place 4 Mortgages), Jon Walker (The Place 4 Mortgages) & Chris Wotton (Remarkable Group)

With energy ‘Guarantees’ on prices to be cheaper than British Gas and Southern Electric in your area, and the same compared to BT, explore their website for more information on how much you can save.

Whether you review your household or business utility bills on an annual or quarterly basis, unlockthefuture can help!

You can also call 023 8098 7644 for more information.

Brought to you in association with The Place 4 Mortgages in Winchester and Southampton.

The Place 4 Mortgages Radio 09

The Mortgage Doctor, Winchester
The Place 4 Mortgages
Southgate Street
Winchester SO23 9DT

Well, here goes as to why.

The days of the Bank of England (BoE) base rate being a good guide as to the kind of rates that lenders will offer it’s borrowing clients, have been gone for some time. It was coincidental that people used to compare to the BoE rate as it was actually our dear friend ‘Libor’ (London Interbank Offered Rate) that controls these rates offered to borrowers. The reason for the coincidence being that both the BoE and Libor were very close, as rates go. For example, prior to the downturn, Libor was only a few tenths of a percentage point above the BoE rate. Today it is still up at 1.30% compared to the BoE base rate at 0.5%.

In recent months though this has been far higher and the differential between BoE was what spurred the Bank of England to introduce measures other than just hacking away at the base rate.

This does now seem to be reflective of the increased amount of funds available to banks, largely including the Quantitive Easing reported about so much recently.

With the Libor now getting back to a friendly relationship alongside BoE base rate, and with competition starting to come back into the market, all this points to lower and competitive short term fixed interest rates which is very positive news.

To discuss this further, or your own personal requirements, please do call us at either Southampton on 023 8033 1189, or in the new Mortgage Shop in Winchester on 01962 353000.

Notes:
the place 4 mortgages. mortgage broker winchester. mortgage broker southampton

Not only does this clip show how these products are rented in times of difficulty (ie this Credit Crunch we hear so much about when there’s nothing else worth reporting), but also shows how when prices come down they attract buyers back into the market.

Watch Video clip here

Not too dissimilar to the housing market, and certainly what we have seen has been happening over the past 12-18 months.

How has the past year to 18 months affected you? Would you rent goods/property in order to beat the Crunch?