We know Essex
Lois and Harry have lived in Colchester, Chelmsford, Braintree and Brentwood. We know the towns, the commuter routes into London and the kind of homes people are buying.
Covering Colchester and all of Essex
Your local mortgage broker in Colchester and Essex.
Whole-of-market mortgage advice for first-time buyers, home movers, remortgages and buy-to-let across Essex. We have lived in and around Colchester, Chelmsford, Braintree and Brentwood, and much of our Essex work is with self-employed people and complex cases that the high street turns down.
- Advisers who have lived and worked in Essex
- 100+ five-star Google reviews
- Meet in person, by phone or by video call
Free, no-obligation call · No impact on your credit file
Areas we cover
Mortgage advice across Colchester and all of Essex
Based just over the border in Sudbury, we also help clients across Suffolk and the rest of the UK.
100+ five-star reviews Read them on Google
Whole of market access to lenders
Decades of combined experience
FCA regulated via Cutting Edge Mortgages
Why use a local broker
Why use a mortgage broker in Essex?
A broker who knows Essex understands the local towns, the commuter routes into London and how lenders view the income of the many self-employed people who live and work here.
At Keyholder Mortgages, we search the whole market for you, explain your options clearly and manage your application from start to finish. You deal with Lois or Harry throughout, not a call centre, and you can meet us in person, by phone or by video call.
We understand self-employed income
A large share of our Essex clients are sole traders and limited company directors. We know how different lenders read accounts, salary, dividends and retained profit.
We search the whole market
We compare lenders across the market, not just one bank's products. That matters most when your situation doesn't fit a standard box.
We help when others say no
Missed payments, defaults and CCJs don't always rule you out. We look at the detail and find lenders whose criteria fit.
Areas we cover
Mortgage advice across Essex.
We've lived in Colchester, Chelmsford, Braintree and Brentwood, and we help buyers and homeowners in every part of Essex. Here are the areas we cover most often.
Mortgage broker in Colchester
Colchester is where we know best, having lived in the area. We help buyers across the town and the surrounding villages.
Nearby: Wivenhoe, West Mersea, Tiptree and Coggeshall
Mortgage broker in Chelmsford
From first homes to moving up the ladder, we help buyers across Chelmsford and the surrounding villages, including many who commute into London.
Nearby: Great Baddow, Writtle and Danbury
Mortgage broker in Braintree and Witham
We help clients across Braintree, Witham, Halstead and Great Dunmow, from first-time buyers to self-employed tradespeople.
Nearby: Kelvedon, Silver End and Hatfield Peverel
Mortgage broker in Brentwood and south Essex
Brentwood, Billericay, Basildon and Southend. Higher prices here often mean bigger deposits or more complex income, which is where whole-of-market advice helps.
Nearby: Shenfield, Hutton and Ingatestone
Mortgage broker on the Tendring coast
We meet clients in person along the coast or speak by phone and video.
Including: Clacton, Frinton, Walton, Harwich and Manningtree
Mortgage broker in west Essex
Wherever you are in Essex, we can travel to you.
Including: Harlow, Epping and Saffron Walden
Wherever you are in Essex, we can travel to you, or speak by phone and video call.
How we can help
Mortgages we arrange across Essex.
Whatever stage you're at, we'll search for a mortgage that suits your circumstances and handle the paperwork for you. Choose a mortgage type to find out more.
First-time buyer mortgages
Low and no deposit options, help from family and clear guidance from your first call to getting the keys.
Find out more →Bad credit mortgages
Defaults, CCJs, missed payments or a past DMP or IVA. We'll find lenders that look at the full picture.
Find out more →Remortgages
Coming to the end of your deal? We'll compare the market so you don't drift onto your lender's standard rate.
Find out more →Moving home
Porting your mortgage or starting fresh, we'll work out the best option and keep your chain moving.
Find out more →Buy-to-let mortgages
For first-time and experienced landlords, from single lets in Colchester to portfolios across Essex.
Find out more →Limited company buy-to-let
Buying through a limited company or SPV, with lenders who understand how company structures work.
Find out more →Self-employed mortgages
Sole traders, company directors and contractors, including lenders who accept one year's accounts.
Find out more →Equity release and later life
Lifetime mortgages and retirement interest only mortgages for homeowners in later life.
Find out more →Protection and insurance
Life insurance, critical illness and income protection, so your home is covered if the unexpected happens.
Find out more → Meet the family
A Sudbury brokerage, run by family.
Keyholder Mortgages is a family business based in Sudbury. Lois founded it, Harry works alongside her, and every client is looked after the way we'd look after our own. We've bought homes ourselves, so we know how daunting the process can feel.
Our aim is to make getting a mortgage feel manageable. First purchase or a case that needs extra help, we'll take the time to listen, explain things clearly and help you get the keys to the home you want, in Essex, Suffolk or further afield.
Founder and Director
Lois Holder
Lois spent many years in the mortgage industry before setting up Keyholder Mortgages in Sudbury, so she could look after local buyers and homeowners personally. Buying your first home in Haverhill, or moving across Bury St Edmunds or north Essex? Lois loves seeing clients get the keys, and her knowledge of the whole market makes the next step simpler.
Away from work: family time, Britain's Got Talent and a cheeky glass of Savvy B.
Book a call with Lois
Mortgage Specialist
Harry Mansell
Helping first-time buyers is Harry's bread and butter. Having been a first-time buyer himself, he wants to help as many people as possible find it simple and straightforward. Not to mention, he's our complex lending specialist: bad credit, tricky income or a quirky property type, Harry is there to listen and look for a lender that fits your circumstances.
Away from work: padel, a good steak, Marvel films and Liverpool FC (he promises it won't get in the way of business).
Book a call with Harry Google reviews
Hear from the people we've helped.
Five-star rated on Google
Every review below was left on Google by a client we've helped, from first-time buyers getting their keys to people who'd been turned down elsewhere.
Case studies
Real clients across Essex.
Every case is different, and lending decisions depend on the lender's criteria and your circumstances. Details changed to protect our clients' privacy.
Newly self-employed, with one year's accounts
- The situation
- A tradesman had recently gone self-employed in a trade he had no previous experience in, and had one year's accounts.
- What we did
- Plenty of lenders want two years or more, so we looked across the market for a lender who would consider his case.
- The result
- He secured a mortgage offer.
Moving up while the business was growing
- The situation
- A limited company director wanted a bigger home, but his income was lower in the latest year because he'd invested in expanding the business.
- What we did
- We worked with his accountant on an income projection. The lender looked at retained profit and what the money had been spent on, rather than just the lower figure.
- The result
- He was able to borrow nearly twice what an online calculator had suggested.
A CCJ from a parking ticket
- The situation
- An unpaid parking ticket had snowballed into a CCJ. After reading about CCJs online, our client assumed a mortgage was out of reach.
- What we did
- We went through the amount, when it was registered and the fact it had been satisfied.
- The result
- We placed her with a high street lender. Without that first free call, she wouldn't have known it was possible.
Client names withheld to protect their privacy. Outcomes depend on individual circumstances.
Book a free call
Let's talk about your plans.
Choose who you'd like to speak to, then pick a time that suits you. We'll call at the time you book, listen to what you need and talk you through your options.
- Completely free, with no obligation
- Speak to Lois or Harry directly, not a call centre
- Advising clients in Suffolk, Essex and across the UK
Prefer to talk now? Call 01787 209880 or email [email protected]
Essex FAQs
Questions about buying in Essex.
Answers to the questions local buyers and homeowners ask us most. Something else on your mind? Give us a ring.
Do I need to live near Sudbury to use Keyholder Mortgages?
No. We help clients right across Essex and Suffolk. We'll meet you in person wherever you are in Essex, or speak by phone or video if that's easier.
Can you help first-time buyers in Essex?
Yes. We help first-time buyers across Essex with everything from small deposits and family help to finding a lender that fits their income. See our first-time buyer mortgage broker page.
Can I get a mortgage with one year's self-employed accounts?
It can be possible. Some lenders will consider one year's accounts, depending on your circumstances and work history. Many want two years or more, so it's worth checking the whole market. More in our self-employed mortgage guide.
Can lenders use retained profit in my limited company?
Some can. Certain lenders look at your share of the company's net profit rather than just salary and dividends, which can help if you've kept profit in the business.
Can I get a mortgage with a CCJ or defaults?
It can be possible, depending on when they were registered, how much they were for, whether they're satisfied and your wider credit file. See our bad credit mortgage broker page.
How long does it take to get a mortgage?
It varies by lender and how quickly documents come together. We'll give you a realistic picture on your first call and keep you updated throughout.
Ready to take the next step?
Book a free, no-obligation call with Lois or Harry and find out what's possible for you.