Mortgage broker in Colchester
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Colchester mortgage advisor
Fosters Financial is a mortgage broker based on The Crescent at Colchester Business Park, just off the A12. We opened our first Colchester office at Tollgate in 2017, moved to De Grey Square in 2019 and into our current home in 2021. That’s nearly a decade arranging mortgages for people buying, moving and remortgaging across Colchester and north Essex.
As an independent broker, we search a comprehensive panel of lenders that represents the whole of the market, including deals you won’t find on the high street. Your Colchester mortgage advisor will get to know your plans, explain your options in plain English and recommend the mortgage that fits. A dedicated case handler then takes the paperwork off your hands right through to completion.
Whether you’re a first time buyer, moving up the ladder, remortgaging or growing a buy to let portfolio, our team is here to help. Pop in to see us at our Colchester office, or speak to an advisor by phone or video.
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Mortgage advice in Colchester for every situation
First time buyer mortgages
How much you can borrow, how big a deposit you need and which lenders suit your income. We also explain schemes such as shared ownership and First Homes.
Moving home
Port your existing deal or find a new one, timed around your sale and purchase so the chain keeps moving.
Remortgaging
We start looking up to six months before your deal ends, so you don’t slip onto your lender’s standard variable rate.
Buy to let mortgages
For first-time and portfolio landlords, including limited company buy to let, in Colchester’s busy rental market.
Self-employed mortgages
Sole traders, contractors and company directors, including lenders that accept one year’s accounts.
Bad credit mortgages
Access to specialist lenders if you’ve had missed payments, defaults or a CCJ.
New build mortgages
Lenders comfortable with new build developments around Colchester, plus advice on incentives and deposit rules.
Later life mortgages
Retirement interest-only and mortgages that run into retirement, with equity release referred to a specialist partner.
Protection and insurance
Life cover, critical illness and income protection from our in-house protection specialists.
How it works
1. Free first chat. A 15 to 30 minute conversation in person, by phone or by video. We look at your income, deposit and plans.
2. We search the market. Your advisor compares lenders and recommends the right mortgage, with the fee confirmed in writing.
3. We handle the application. Your case handler submits it and keeps your solicitor, estate agent and lender moving.
4. Offer to completion. We stay with you to completion, then get in touch before your deal ends.
Buying a home in Colchester
The average sold price in Colchester is around £300,000 (Office for National Statistics), slightly above the England average and below the wider East of England. That puts many first-time buyers close to the £300,000 point where first-time buyer stamp duty relief stops applying in full, so how you structure your purchase and deposit matters.
Prices vary a lot across the area. Flats and terraces in the town centre and Greenstead are among the most affordable. Family homes in Lexden, Stanway and Highwoods sit higher, and villages such as Wivenhoe, West Mersea and Tiptree bring their own lender questions around older, non-standard and coastal properties.
Commuters into London Liverpool Street are a big part of the local market, as are landlords letting to students at the University of Essex and to Colchester Garrison personnel. Our advisors live and work locally, so we know which lenders are comfortable with the property types you’ll find here, and which aren’t.
Meet your Colchester mortgage team
Every client gets a named advisor and a dedicated case handler, all based at our Colchester office. Our mortgage and insurance brokers include Isaac O’Connor, Mark Wood, Oliver Sharplin, Ashley Roberts and Ryan Henley, supported by protection specialists Ben Maidstone and Richard Moon and case handlers Ellie Ford and Katy Springett. The business is led by Managing Director John Foster. Meet the full team.
Isaac O'Connor
Mortgage & Insurance Broker
Ashley Roberts
Mortgage & Insurance Broker
Katy Springett
Case Handler
Ellie Ford
Case Handler
Colchester mortgage FAQs
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How much does a mortgage broker cost in Colchester?
Your first consultation is free and there’s no obligation to go ahead. If you do, our fee for mortgage advice is typically £499. For more complex cases that need significantly more work or expertise, we charge a fixed fee of £995. Your advisor will confirm exactly what you’ll pay, and when it’s payable, before we start your application.
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Do I need a mortgage broker, or should I go to my bank?
A bank can only offer its own products. As an independent broker we compare a panel of lenders that represents the whole market, including deals not available direct, and we manage the application for you.
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What's the difference between a mortgage advisor and a mortgage broker?
Most people use the terms interchangeably. A broker is a mortgage adviser who can search many lenders, while a bank’s adviser can only recommend that bank’s deals. Our Colchester advisors are brokers.
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How much can I borrow?
Most lenders offer between about 4 and 5 times your income, depending on your outgoings, credit history and deposit. Try our mortgage calculators, then speak to an advisor for a figure based on your circumstances.
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Can I get a mortgage with bad credit in Colchester?
Often, yes. We work with specialist lenders that consider missed payments, defaults and CCJs, depending on how recent and serious they are.
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Can you help if I'm self-employed?
Yes. Some lenders accept one year’s accounts and others need two. We’ll match you to lenders that fit your trading history.
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How long does it take to get a mortgage?
A decision in principle can take minutes. A full mortgage offer usually takes once your documents are in, depending on the lender and valuation.
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Do you only help people in Colchester?
No. We’re based in Colchester and see clients across Essex and Suffolk in person, and we advise clients anywhere in the UK by phone or video.
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Can I meet you in person?
Yes. Our office is at 652 The Crescent, Colchester Business Park, CO4 9YQ, and appointments run Monday to Saturday.
Speak to a Colchester mortgage broker
Free, no-obligation advice in person, by phone or video
Get started
Whole of market
We search a comprehensive panel of lenders, including exclusive deals you won't find on the high street.
Clear, fixed fees
Your first chat is free. Our advice fee is typically £499, confirmed before you go ahead.
We handle the paperwork
A dedicated case handler manages your application from start to completion, so you don't have to.
















