Market Update

A Broker’s Guide to Busting Mortgage Barriers for Homeowners in 2025

Getting a mortgage right now feels harder because lenders keep changing their rules, but most of the barriers people face can be fixed. A “no” from one lender does not mean you cannot get a mortgage. Income rules vary, credit score rules vary, and each lender calculates affordability differently. A good broker checks everything upfront, matches you to the right lender, and fixes issues before they become problems. If you want to know what you can borrow without guessing, speak to MBNM.

Will Sharman

Nov 22, 2025

A Broker’s Guide to Busting Mortgage Barriers for Homeowners in 2025

What do you need to know?

Buying or refinancing right now can feel like you are trying to run through wet cement. Lenders keep changing rules. Affordability checks are tighter. Every bank seems to have its own list of weird exceptions. And every update in the news makes people think they are either priced out or stuck.

This is exactly why a lot of people are getting stopped at the first hurdle. Not because they cannot get a mortgage, but because the system is not built for anyone who is not a “perfect” applicant.

This month, I want to break down the real barriers we are seeing every day and how we get people past them. If you think you cannot get a mortgage, read this first.

Why Borrowing Feels Harder Right Now

A lot of you are feeling it. Rates changing overnight. Lenders tightening income rules. Some lenders refusing overtime. Others refusing bonuses. Some reducing how much self-employed people can borrow. One lender signs something off, the next lender blocks the exact same case.

Most of these roadblocks are not because you are doing anything wrong. They happen because:

  • lenders are stressed about risk
  • affordability models have changed
  • banks are protecting their balance sheets
  • criteria is shifting week by week

The problem is simple. You see the word “no” and think that is the end. You have no idea which lender will say “yes”.

This is where we step in.

“You are not being rejected because you are unqualified. You are being rejected because you asked the wrong lender.”

Barrier One: Affordability Knockbacks

This is the most common issue we fix.

You try one lender. They say the income does not stretch far enough. You assume every lender will say the same thing.

Not true.

Each lender has a different way of calculating:

  • overtime
  • bonuses
  • commission
  • self employed income
  • second jobs
  • benefit income
  • childcare costs

We had cases this month where:

  • one bank ignored overtime
  • another bank accepted 100 percent of it
  • one bank capped bonus use
  • another bank took the full bonus into account

The problem is not your income. It is the lender you picked.

Barrier Two: Credit History Panic

A lot of people think a few missed payments or an old default means they are done.

Again, not how it works.

Some lenders have:

  • strict credit score minimums
  • softer score requirements
  • no scoring at all
  • full manual reviews

We had clients where:

  • a high street bank said no
  • a broker-only lender said yes on the same day
  • a lender accepted someone with a past default because everything else was strong

If you are relying on the score an app gives you, stop. Lenders use their own systems.

Barrier Three: Job Changes and Income Changes

If you have changed jobs recently, you already know the pain. Some lenders want:

  • three months in a new job
  • six months
  • probation passed
  • annual bonus confirmed

Others do not care. Some will lend based on your new salary from day one.

We had cases where someone switched jobs in the same field and was accepted instantly. Another lender blocked them for being “too new”.

There is always a workaround if you speak to someone who actually checks criteria properly.

Barrier Four: Complex Situations That Banks Avoid

Some scenarios banks avoid:

  • contractors
  • CIS
  • zero hour contracts
  • multiple income sources
  • shared ownership
  • gifted deposits

None of these are deal breakers if handled correctly. We place these cases every week.

What We Do Behind the Scenes That You Cannot See

People think brokers just “find deals”. That is the smallest part of the job.

Here is what we actually do to get people through:

  • pre check payslips line by line
  • sanity check bank statements before submitting
  • run affordability against multiple lender calculators
  • find lenders that accept your income type
  • explain your case to an underwriter before you even apply
  • fight decisions when lenders are wrong
  • steer you away from lenders that are slow or difficult

Most of the decisions happen behind the curtain long before you see your final mortgage offer. This is why trying to do it alone makes it harder.

You can be the perfect applicant and still get rejected because something tiny was missed.

Real Talk: Most Barriers Are Fixable

The biggest risk in this market is not moving too fast.
It is waiting until the rules change again and make things harder.

If you are:

  • unsure what you can borrow
  • worried a lender might say no
  • confused by mixed messages online
  • scared to view houses in case you cannot get a mortgage

Please speak to us before you rule yourself out.

Most of you are far closer to a yes than you think.

When You Need Us Most

We are here for buyers.
We are here for remortgagers.
We are here for people who think they “won’t qualify”.
We are here for the people who need someone in their corner.

This market rewards people who act early and get the right advice.

“Most people are one lender away from a yes. They just never get to the right one without help.”

FAQ

Why is it so hard to get a mortgage right now?

Lenders are stricter with income checks and affordability rules. They are trying to reduce risk, which means more hoops for you to jump through.

Can a broker really get a better result than applying alone?

Yes. Because each lender has different rules. We match your profile to the right lender before you apply.

Do I need a perfect credit score?

No. Different lenders treat credit history differently. A “no” from one lender does not mean a “no” from all of them.

Can I get a mortgage if I changed jobs recently?

Often yes. Some lenders accept your new salary from day one. Others need probation passed. We direct you to the right one.

What is the biggest mistake buyers make?

Assuming they cannot get a mortgage because one bank said no. That is like asking one person for an opinion and assuming everyone will agree.

If you want a straight answer on what you can borrow today, without guesswork or mixed messages, speak to us.
We will check everything properly and tell you exactly what is possible based on real lender rules.

Book a call with MBNM and let us remove the barriers for you.

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