Website: Moneyextra
Phone: 0845 0777 080
The Moneyextra mortgage comparison tool is about the best on the market, with a fast and easily customised snapshot on over 7000 products. Go here when you're starting out, and go again for a sanity check when you think you've got the right product for your needs.
The Moneyextra mortgage service is part of a sprawling financial oracle; among the UK's top 5 financial websites. They don't sell their own mortgages, they are independent financial adviser - helping you find the best online mortgage deal (the site covers savings and investments too). The site is also something of a magazine; updated daily and covering everything from conveyancing to house price surveys.
But the real gold dust here is mortgage comparison system. You should check it out whomever you plan to buy from- you're bound to find mortgage providers you didn't even know existed. At any one time over 7000 products are listed, and you can compare not only the best rates, but also look at true costs- an assessment of a mortgage's cost including fees, legal costs etc. Once you've seen the table, you can sort it by e.g. type, or initial payment; refine the search to whittle out factors you don't like, or go straight to a telephone adviser if you want more assistance.
You really should give the Moneyextra mortgage search a go- even if it's just to make a last check on the market before you buy. That said, not all mortgages are listed here, some have pretty peculiar requirements, and be aware that some lenders offer new products faster than these sorts of sites can catch up.