First-time buyers
From deposit questions through to completion day: a clear plan, an agreement in principle, and someone to translate the jargon at every step.
Mortgage advice · Billericay
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A little about me
Helen Jones
Mortgage and Protection Consultant
Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make, and you shouldn’t have to make it alone at midnight on a comparison site. Sit down with me and I’ll make the whole thing feel simple.
I've spent over 15 years advising families across Billericay and the wider Essex commuter towns, long enough that there's very little I haven't come across before, and I usually know which lender will say yes before we even apply. You'll always deal with me directly too: a real person who answers the phone and has your back from start to finish.
You’ll never be pushed into anything. I’ll give you honest advice, set out your options in plain English, and leave the final decision with you. It’s your home and your money, so it should always be your call.
CeMAP qualified
Whole of market
Protection specialist
Why Billericay homebuyers choose me
You don’t have to take my word for it. Here’s what local buyers and homeowners say about working with me.
★★★★★5.0 rating on Google Reviews
“Helen Jones has just complete another remortgage for me and she never ceases to amaze me.I have been using Helen for over 20 years and she is always completely professional, efficient and amazing! I would never use anyone else and would 100% recommend Helen to anyone and everyone!”
“An unexpected house purchase made easy with Helen Jones. We were not looking to buy a home but the sale of our rental forced our hand. I had seen recommendations for Helen in the area and I'm so glad I gave her a call! From the start, she showed professionalism and knowledge in a friendly and approachable manor. ”
“Can’t thank Helen Jones enough for all her help, yet again. Highly knowledgeable and explained all our options clearly, so we knew the best route to go. Kept an eye on all the rates for us too whilst everything was going on. Couldn’t recommend Helen highly enough to anyone needing a broker, we wouldn’t use anyone else”
“Helen Jones has been fabulous beyond words, supporting through a complex mortgage application. Cannot recommend her enough!”
“We approached Helen looking for some advice around our complex situation, and found her to be extremely knowledgeable and professional. We felt like we were in safe hands from the beginning, and her constant communication and personal approach made the process so much smoother and less stressful. The service we received went so much further than simply finding us the cheapest deal, and I would highly recommend her services to anyone thinking of using a broker”
“I am exceptionally impressed with the service Helen Jones provided. She is, without doubt, one of the most knowledgeable and highly proficient mortgage advisors I have ever worked with. Her depth of understanding, attention to detail, and ability to navigate complex situations with complete confidence truly set her apart. I cannot recommend Helen highly enough. If you want a mortgage advisor who is exceptionally skilled, deeply knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in your best outcome — as well as a truly lovely person — Helen is the one you need. A first-class experience from start to finish.”
“We have used Helen for over 18 years and would honestly never go anywhere else. She is knowledgable, efficient and professional and always finds us the best deals. We cannot recommend her enough!”
“I’ve used Helen for many years and the service has always been excellent. She goes above and beyond, from chasing solicitors to dealing with estate agents, ensuring everything keeps moving smoothly. She’s always available, proactive, and keeps you updated throughout the whole process. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her, a genuinely great service.”
Areas we cover
Advice rooted in Billericay, serving the CM postcodes around it
Select an area to see how I help buyers and owners there, in person locally, or by phone and video anywhere.
Home patch
Billericay
My home patch. From the High Street to Queens Park and South Green, this is where I live and work, and where most of my clients buy.
Why protection matters to me
My own experience with Life Insurance
Life insurance isn’t just something I arrange for clients, it’s something that’s touched my own life too. I know first-hand what a difference the right cover can make, and why it’s never just a box to tick. I’ve written more about my own experience, and what it taught me about protecting the people who matter most, on a page of its own.
Read my story
How I can help
Whatever your situation, I can help
First home, next home, remortgage or something more complicated: it all starts with a friendly chat and honest advice about what’s possible for you.
Home movers
Porting, upsizing or relocating into Billericay's catchments, advice that times your mortgage around the chain, not the other way round.
Remortgaging
Your current deal ending isn't a deadline to panic about. Start six months out, lock a rate, and switch again if the market improves.
Buy-to-let
Portfolio or first rental, personal name or limited company, stress-test the numbers across specialist and mainstream lenders.
Self-employed & contractors
Day rates, retained profits or a short trading history: the right lender for your accounts makes all the difference, and I know which ones to approach.
Protection & insurance
Life cover, critical illness and income protection, arranged alongside your mortgage so your home and family stay protected if life changes.
The full journey
From the first chat to your new front door, handled for you
Buying or remortgaging involves a lot of moving parts. The difference is, you won’t be chasing any of them. I handle the lender, solicitor, survey and paperwork and keep everyone moving, so there are no nasty surprises and no needless delays.
STEP 1
First conversation
We talk through your plans, budget and timescales. No cost, and no obligation to go ahead.
STEP 2
Decision in principle
I confirm what you can realistically borrow, so you can offer on the right home with confidence.
STEP 3
Solicitors & survey
I help get your solicitor instructed and the survey booked early, setting everything up so the rest of the process runs smoother, not stalled on paperwork later.
STEP 4
The right deal
I compare over 90 lenders and recommend the mortgage that fits your circumstances, not just the first one offered.
STEP 5
Protection in place
Life, critical illness and income cover arranged to match, so your home is safe if life changes.
STEP 6
Completion & beyond
Keys in hand, then a rate review before your deal ends to help you avoid slipping onto a higher rate.
What a bank won't tell you
Your bank will only ever recommend its own mortgage.
That's not a criticism, it's just how banks work. As a whole-of-market broker I'm not tied to anyone, so I compare over 90 lenders and recommend whichever one suits you, not whichever one employs me.
With City Mortgage Solutions
Whole of market- Deals compared across 90+ lenders, including broker-only rates
- Advice on which lender suits your income, deposit and credit profile
- Agreement in principle arranged before you offer, so you can move fast on the right home
- Application managed end-to-end: paperwork, chasing, solicitor liaison
- Protection reviewed alongside the mortgage, not as an afterthought
Going direct to one bank
- Only that bank's own products, however the market compares
- You self-select the lender before knowing if their criteria fit you
- Appointment lead times set by branch and call-centre availability
- Progress-chasing across bank, valuer and solicitor sits with you
- A declined application can leave a mark before you try elsewhere
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Billericay, house by house
Why use a mortgage broker in Billericay?
Family homes around Queens Park, South Green and Sunnymede are often agreed within weeks of listing, and the 35-minute line into Liverpool Street keeps demand consistently high. When the right house appears, buyers with their finances already arranged win.
City Mortgage Solutions Limited pairs that local picture with access to more than 90 lenders, so your recommendation comes from the whole market, not from one bank’s range.
Lenders compared
90+
Whole of market
Google rating
5.0
From local clients
Initial consultation
Free
Honest, jargon-free advice
Years advising
15+
Mortgage & protection
Access to over 90 lenders, including
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
Halifax
Nationwide
NatWest
Santander
HSBC
Barclays
Skipton
Accord
+ 80 more
Common questions
Mortgage questions, answered straight
You can go directly to a bank, but a whole-of-market broker compares deals from 90+ lenders rather than one, and manages the application end-to-end. In a market like Billericay's, where family homes move quickly, having an agreement in principle arranged before you offer can be the difference in securing a property.
Your initial consultation is free and without obligation. Any fees that apply to your case are explained clearly and in writing before you commit to anything.
Most lenders offer between 4 and 4.5 times income, though affordability rules, deposit size and credit history all play a part. I'll give you an accurate borrowing figure and an agreement in principle so you're ready to offer.
Yes. Self-employed and contractor cases are a regular part of our work. Different lenders treat retained profits, day rates and short trading histories very differently, knowing which lender suits your accounts is exactly where whole-of-market advice earns its keep.
Around six months before your current deal ends. Offers are typically valid for six months, so starting early lets you lock a rate now and still switch if rates improve before completion.
We'll get you booked in at a time that suits you, in person locally, or by phone and video call, including evenings.
Book your appointment
Ready to talk? Let’s have a proper chat.
Book a free, no-obligation chat and we’ll go through your situation, what’s possible, and the best next step. No scripts and no hard sell. Prefer to talk now? Message me on WhatsApp. Evenings and video calls are no problem.
Thanks, your request is in.
I'll call you back within one working day.