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 · Dengie
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Tell Zoe what you are planning and she will call you back with the right options for your move.
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A little about me
Zoe Tate
Mortgage and Protection Consultant
Out here on the peninsula, the nearest bank branch closed years ago. My job is to be the person you can actually get hold of, who knows Bradwell, Southminster and the villages between, not just a call centre.
I live in Bradwell-on-Sea and have spent over a decade advising buyers and homeowners right across the Dengie Peninsula: Southminster, Burnham-on-Crouch, Tillingham, St Lawrence, Steeple and the smaller villages in between. I know the area, the property types and, just as importantly, which lenders are comfortable with them.
I'm a big believer in protection. A mortgage is only ever half the picture, so every client gets the full package: life cover and income protection included as standard, not left as an afterthought.
Face-to-face locally, by phone or by video, evenings included, every recommendation comes with a plain-English reason why it's right for you.
CeMAP qualified
Whole of market
Protection specialist
Why Dengie 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
"I cannot recommend Zoe Tate at City Mortgage Solutions highly enough. I have known Zoe for over 15 years, and I wouldn't trust anyone else with my mortgages. Over the years, she has helped me purchase more than three properties, and every single time she has gone above and beyond to make the process as smooth as possible."
"This is the second time I've worked with Zoe at City Mortgage Solutions, and I remain impressed and very pleased with the service we received. She was very informative and knowledgeable and provided me with clear information, options and insights which made choosing a mortgage product a breeze. Zoe responded very quickly to any queries and questions, and was happy to meet and discuss any concerns I had, providing clarity when needed."
"Zoe is the only person I trust when it comes to my mortgage! She is so patient, always explains everything clearly & always has my best interests at heart! She is my go to person for this & I am so grateful for her! Thank you Zoe."
Areas we cover
Advice rooted in Bradwell-on-Sea, covering the whole Dengie Peninsula
Select an area to see how Zoe helps buyers and owners there, in person locally, or by phone and video anywhere.
Our home town
Bradwell-on-Sea
Home base. From the village and Bradwell Waterside marina out to St Peter-on-the-Wall, this is where Zoe lives and works, and where a lot of her clients buy.
How I can help
Whatever your situation, I can help
Whatever stage you're at, the process is the same: listen first, search the whole market, recommend in plain English, then manage it to completion.
Home movers
Porting, upsizing or relocating into the villages around Dengie, 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, farms & contractors
Farming income, seasonal work 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.
Why use a broker
One bank shows you its shelf. A broker shows you the market.
Going direct to your own bank isn't wrong, but it only ever shows you one lender's view. Out here, where the nearest branch is a drive away, that matters even more. See what changes when Zoe is sitting on your side of the table.
With City Mortgage Solutions
Whole of market- Deals compared across 90+ lenders, including broker-only rates
- Lenders who understand rural income, moorings and non-standard construction
- 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
- No local branch on the peninsula, so appointments mean a drive or a call queue
- Rural income and non-standard properties often need extra explaining
- Protection cover, if raised at all, is usually a separate conversation
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Local knowledge, whole-of-market reach
Why use a mortgage broker in Dengie?
Waterside cottages at Bradwell Waterside, marina moorings at Maylandsea and farmhouses inland toward Tillingham and Steeple rarely fit a lender's standard checklist. When the right property appears, the buyers who have arranged their finance first are the ones who secure it.
City Mortgage Solutions 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
10+
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. With no high-street bank branch left on the Dengie Peninsula, having someone local who knows the area and answers the phone matters more, not less.
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. Zoe will give you an accurate borrowing figure and an agreement in principle so you're ready to offer.
Yes. Farming income, seasonal work and small rural businesses are a regular part of our work out here. Different lenders treat variable income very differently, knowing which lender suits your accounts is exactly where whole-of-market advice earns its keep.
Yes. From moorings at Bradwell Waterside and Maylandsea to older cottages and agricultural conversions inland, lenders vary widely in how they treat non-standard construction and flood-risk locations. We know which lenders are comfortable with these properties, so we approach the right one first time.
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.
Zoe is based in Bradwell-on-Sea and travels across the peninsula for face-to-face meetings, or we can talk by phone and video call, including evenings.
Book your appointment
Ready when you are. Zoe will call you back.
Tell us when suits and Zoe will be in touch. Prefer to talk now? Call us on 020 7481 3736. Evening and video appointments are available.
Thanks, your request is in.
Zoe will call you back within one working day.