Our Process
A considered mortgage process from first conversation to completion.
Good mortgage advice starts with understanding the complete picture before deciding how the case should be approached.
The Intra approach
Understand first. Research second. Prepare thoroughly.
Where the process starts
We do not start with the lender. We start with you.
The right mortgage route can only be considered properly once the adviser understands the circumstances behind the application.
Two clients purchasing properties at the same price can require completely different mortgage strategies because their income, deposit, employment, residency, future plans or property circumstances are different.
That is why the Intra process begins with a detailed conversation and fact-find rather than jumping directly to a product or lender.
Once the full position is understood, lender research can be carried out with much greater context.
Your mortgage journey
From initial conversation to mortgage completion.
Every case is different, but the underlying process follows the same principle: understand, research, prepare and progress.
Understand
Initial conversation
We begin by understanding what you are trying to achieve, the property involved, your timescale and the wider circumstances behind the mortgage.
Build the picture
Detailed fact-find
Your adviser gathers the financial, personal and property information needed to understand the case properly before lender research begins.
Assess the options
Research & strategy
Relevant lender criteria, affordability and mortgage options are considered around your individual circumstances and objectives.
Explain the route
Recommendation
Your adviser discusses the proposed approach, the reasoning behind it and the key features, costs and considerations involved.
Prepare the case
Application
Once you are ready to proceed, the application is prepared carefully with the supporting information required by the lender.
Progress the case
Underwriting
Our team supports the case through lender assessment, additional information requests, valuation and any further underwriting requirements.
Reach offer
Mortgage offer
Once approved, the lender issues the mortgage offer and the case moves toward the legal and completion stages.
Finish the journey
Completion
We remain involved as the mortgage progresses toward completion and help with any mortgage-related matters that arise along the way.
The fact-find
Better research starts with better information.
The fact-find is where your adviser builds a detailed understanding of the mortgage case.
It helps identify factors that may influence affordability, suitability and lender criteria before the adviser begins comparing possible routes.
For more complex clients, this stage can be particularly important because apparently small details can materially change which lenders are prepared to consider the application.
Before lender research
Build a clear picture of the client, finances, property and objective.
Building the picture
The mortgage is only one part of the application.
Understanding the financial circumstances around the mortgage helps the adviser identify which lender criteria are likely to matter.
01
Income
Employment, self-employment, contracting, bonuses, commission, overseas income and other income sources can all affect how lenders assess a case.
02
Expenditure
Existing financial commitments and regular household expenditure form part of the wider affordability picture.
03
Deposit & equity
We establish the amount available, where the funds are coming from and how the deposit or existing equity fits into the transaction.
04
Credit commitments
Loans, credit cards and other borrowing can influence affordability and lender criteria.
05
Property
Purchase price, property type, intended use and any unusual characteristics can influence which lenders may consider the application.
06
Future plans
Understanding likely changes to income, employment, family circumstances or property plans can provide important context.
Research & strategy
Different lenders can interpret the same circumstances differently.
Mortgage research is not simply a comparison of headline rates.
Lenders can differ in how they assess income, affordability, property type, residency, credit history and many other aspects of the application.
The adviser therefore considers both product features and lender criteria when assessing which route may be appropriate.
The recommendation
The recommendation should make sense, not simply exist on paper.
Your adviser explains the proposed mortgage route and the reasoning behind the recommendation.
Relevant considerations may include mortgage type, rate structure, term, repayment method, lender criteria, fees and other features associated with the proposed mortgage.
The objective is to help you understand what is being recommended and why it relates to your circumstances.
Application & progression
The advice does not stop when the application is submitted.
Once the mortgage application is underway, our adviser and support team help manage the mortgage-related stages that follow.
01
Document preparation
We help identify the information and supporting documents that are likely to be required for the application.
02
Case presentation
More complex circumstances may need to be clearly explained so the lender can understand the complete financial position.
03
Lender communication
Our team manages mortgage-related communication with the lender as the case moves through assessment.
04
Valuation
Where a lender valuation is required, we monitor the mortgage case as the valuation is instructed and assessed.
05
Underwriting queries
If further information is requested, we help coordinate what is needed and support the response.
06
Offer progression
Once the mortgage is approved, we help keep the case moving toward offer and completion.
More complex cases
The more complex the circumstances, the more important the preparation.
A case does not necessarily become impossible because it falls outside a standard profile. It may simply require more detailed lender research and case preparation.
01
Self-employed income
Accounts, tax calculations, retained profit and company structure may all require closer consideration.
02
International circumstances
Residency, nationality, overseas income, currencies and documentation can influence lender criteria.
03
Higher-value borrowing
Larger mortgage requirements may involve different affordability approaches and more detailed underwriting.
04
Property investment
Rental income, portfolio exposure, ownership structure and property type can all become relevant.
05
Specialist property
Some properties or transactions require lenders with more specialist criteria and underwriting approaches.
06
Multiple income sources
Bonuses, commission, investments, foreign earnings and secondary income may need to be assessed differently by different lenders.
Who does what
A mortgage application involves more than one party.
Understanding the roles involved can make the process easier to follow.
Intra manages the advice and mortgage application process, while the lender carries out its own underwriting and your solicitor remains responsible for the legal transaction.
Your adviser
Understands your circumstances, develops the mortgage strategy, explains the recommendation and remains responsible for the advice.
Our support team
Helps coordinate documents, lender requests, valuation updates and the administrative progression of the mortgage application.
The lender
Makes the final lending decision and carries out its own affordability, credit, property and underwriting assessments.
Your solicitor
Handles the legal work connected to the property transaction and mortgage completion.
Offer to completion
A mortgage offer is a major milestone, but it is not the final step.
Once the mortgage offer has been issued, the property transaction continues through the legal process.
Your solicitor manages the legal work, including the requirements necessary for exchange and completion where applicable.
Intra remains available for mortgage-related questions and to support the case if matters arise between offer and completion.
Beyond completion
The mortgage relationship does not need to end at completion.
Mortgage circumstances change over time.
Clients may later move home, refinance, purchase investment property, increase borrowing or simply reach the end of an existing mortgage deal.
Returning to an adviser who already understands the wider history can provide useful continuity when the next mortgage decision arrives.
Speak to an adviser
The Intra approach
Thorough preparation is part of the advice.
Particularly in more complex cases, how the application is understood and prepared can be just as important as identifying relevant lender criteria.
01
Detailed understanding
We aim to understand the complete mortgage case rather than only the headline loan requirement.
02
Criteria-led research
Lender research considers whether the client's circumstances and property fit relevant lender requirements.
03
Clear explanation
The proposed route and relevant mortgage considerations are explained before an application is submitted.
04
Ongoing case support
Our advisers and administration team remain involved as the mortgage moves through lender assessment toward completion.
Mortgage availability and suitability depend on individual circumstances and lender criteria.
Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or other loan secured upon it.
Start your mortgage journey
Start with a conversation about what you are trying to achieve.
Tell us about the property, borrowing and circumstances behind the mortgage. We can then discuss the next steps.
enquiries@intra-pf.com