I LOVE Guy Stuttard – Sphere Financial Services, Cheadle Hulme (So Do His Clients)

8 Dec 2021

Buying a house is huge. MASSIVE. Probably the most significant outlay you’ll ever make. And one of the single most important decisions you’ll ever have to make. So why would you take chances with your mortgage advisor?

Nice Guy Guy – Mortgage Advice You Can Trust

You need a mortgage advisor you can trust, yes. One with a world of knowledge, a wealth of experience and access to a plethora of lenders and deals.

However, your mortgage advisor also needs to move heaven and earth to do the best for you. Doing the best doesn’t always mean borrowing the most, far from it, but it does mean searching for tailored solutions to everyone’s individual needs, wants, and problems.

Perhaps you think we have to say nice things about our clients, but we really do use and work with many of them and put our money where our mouths are. But, just in case you’re still not convinced, you don’t need to take only our word for it. Ordinarily, Guy wouldn’t dream of talking so freely about his clients. However, THIS client wants to shout from the rooftops. Read on to find out why:

Anne, a talented and hard-working web designer, set up Ambitious Design three years ago. The business is doing well because Anne’s good at what she does. Getting a mortgage wouldn’t be a problem, right? Wrong. She was at her wits’ end and was distraught at the prospect of selling her family home. Following Kate’s suggestion, step forward, nice guy Guy to save the day:

Guy Helped Me Keep My House

“I needed to get a mortgage, whilst going through a divorce, right in the middle of a global pandemic, and only just being in my third year of business as a sole trader. This wasn’t something for which I’d planned.

I needed to borrow at least £90,000 to keep my son and me in our family home – which I’d bought in my early twenties. £120,000 would’ve been preferable, so I could pay some equity to my soon-to-be ex-husband. There was tons of equity in the house, so I was stunned when they wouldn’t lend. It hadn’t been a problem before I was married, after all.

But no. £40,000 was the derisory offer from Lloyds TSB, my existing provider at the time. The Halifax got closer, offering £75,000 – still nowhere near enough, though.”

Computer Says No

“It seemed that I had no choice but to sell my home and move out of Cheshire to somewhere which met the lenders offering. I’d have to take my little boy away from his friends, his school, his whole life. And I faced moving away from my friends, clients, support network, and the life I’ve built over the last 22 years.

I couldn’t fathom why I couldn’t borrow enough to secure our home. After all, my credit history is faultless, and there was plenty of equity in the property. I’m a safe bet for banks and building societies, and I could easily afford it – if anything, I’m better off than when I was employed full-time.

It turned out that most mainstream lenders demand at least three years accounts AND wouldn’t consider taxable earnings from Government SEISS Grants. This was madness given they were top-ups to sole traders for loss of earnings during Covid. The government and HMRC knew what I was worth, so why wouldn’t the banks listen?

Panic rose. I’ll freely admit to becoming increasingly anxious and depressed. I felt I had nowhere to turn and I dreaded losing my home. Then Kate suggested I speak to Guy. She told me he specialises in trickier, off-grid cases, and he’s ace for us self-employed creative types.”

Freelancer’s Angel of Mercy

“I honestly didn’t think there was much point, but I went through the motions anyway – after all, what more did I have to lose? I AM so glad I did. Guy saved my sanity and my home with £126,000 secured for two years at a great rate. Best of all, it’s portable with ZERO early repayment fees. The lender accepted my two years’ trading accounts, no problem.

Guy made the process so easy. He gave me the hope that I so needed. I was despondent and expected to hear ‘no chance’ again. Instead, my heart leapt when I heard ‘we can do this, leave it with me.’

I’ve always sourced my own mortgage deals, but Guy’s expertise and exclusive deals were worth every penny (£299), and I’d recommend him to ANYONE. He can obtain deals that you and I simply can’t access. He’s a freelancer’s Angel of Mercy. Thank you, Guy. You’re a STAR.”

Heart, Soul-d and Extra Mile

Anne is happy for us to share her story. Ordinarily, confidentiality and discretion are assured. Anne can now look forward to Christmas with her little boy in her own home. Guy took all the stress and upset away, and he could do the same for you.

Guy strives to ensure that an application will be attractive to lenders and is quite demanding on financial information. He liaises with lenders before formal applications are submitted to maximise the chances of agreement because failed mortgage applications can affect credit ratings. The initial meeting with Guy is FREE, with fees only due when your application is successful. With Guy, most ARE successful.

A Wealth of Knowledge

What else is new in the world of Sphere, property buying and financial services? Well, it’s no shock to hear that people are still moving, improving and protecting in their droves. Guy can also help you get the very best insurance products for your life and circumstances, including:

Life Insurance
Critical Illness Cover
Income Protection
Buildings and Contents Insurance
Business Protection

Too many people neglect their insurances, or just settle. They only find out it’s not enough when the worst happens, and then, it’s too late.

Lifetime Mortgages to Live Life Later

We talked last year about what used to be known as equity release, and this year, Guy is even more enthusiastic. Now termed Lifetime Mortgages, they’ve undergone a radical transformation and are now a sensible option to many over 55s. Guy is a Lifetime Mortgages Adviser and assures me that Lifetime Mortgages can be a lifeline for those who need an income later in life without having to sell their home. A lifetime mortgage can be used for:

Extra retirement income
Home improvements
Holiday of a lifetime
Helping family financially
Gifting money to children or grandchildren
Helping with children’s property purchases
Inheritance Tax Planning
Repaying an Interest Only Mortgage

Lifetime Mortgages are exhaustively regulated – some even work on a cumulative interest basis. These days, banks have a No Negative Equity Guarantee, so a client will never owe more than the house’s value. Lenders who subscribe to the Equity Release Council’s rules work in their clients’ favour; interest rates are reasonable and often fixed for life. Round here, with demand for property consistently high, so house values rising, a lifetime mortgage is a relatively safe ‘bet’. The acid test – would Guy take a lifetime mortgage? Absolutely, he says. Now THAT’s a recommendation.

Highly Recommended Always

Sphere and Guy are renowned for going the extra mile or, as we said above, moving heaven and earth. The personal service, tailored to the client’s needs, is what sets Sphere apart. Guy – and all Sphere’s professionals – treat clients like family and give advice accordingly. Those clients stay in touch, come back to Guy with every life change, and recommend him to everyone they can.