Finances and Selling My Own Home

Moving home is often a good time to take stock of your financial arrangements.

It is likely that as part of the process of moving you will come across various financial advisers.

These might have come through an Estate Agent. (These all have - ahem - "mortgage advisers" now).

Or it might be your own mortgage broker who, as well as arranging your mortgage, will probably ask you about your life insurance arrangements.

... or it might be an IFA who your lawyer has put you onto.

Be careful. You are in some danger with any of these finance people.

The Golden Rule with buying any type of financial product is to always shop around.

It is essential that you get more than one quote. (The ideal is to get three).

Too many of us find the whole subject of financial advice simply too boring. We just plonk for the first adviser we come across and then try to get rid of them as quickly as possible.

But not taking the simple step of double checking what they are proposing means you risk wasting thousands of pounds.

For example your Estate Agent's mortgage adviser is probably only going to recommend a limited range of mortgages. These will be the ones that are good for them. But are they good for you?

So whether it's a mortgage, insurance, pension or annuity or a savings account always check that you are getting the best finance deal. And don't be surprised when you realise that the deal you were about to sign up to is easily bettered.

The best way to find an adviser is by word-of-mouth recommendations.

Just make sure the recommender actually used the adviser - and isn't simply benefiting from the introduction (as an Estate Agent or solicitor might).