Navigating High Value and Mature Mortgages
Securing the Dream
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
A fee of up to £495 per mortgage may be charged depending on individual circumstances.
The information contained within was correct at the time of publication but is subject to change.
2nd February 2026
Many people assume that once they reach a certain stage in their career, or as they approach their 60s, mortgage options become increasingly limited. I recently worked with James and Lucy, a wonderful couple who proved that with the right approach, it is entirely possible to secure a bespoke mortgage for a "forever home," even when the property and the application are complex.
James and Lucy were looking to purchase a beautiful old farmhouse valued at over £1m. With their children now grown and having recently sold their previous home, they were ready to settle into a property with plenty of land and characterful outbuildings.
The Age and Income Factor
The primary challenge in this case was not James's ability to afford the mortgage, but the term of the loan. James is a CEO with a significant income and substantial quarterly bonuses. He has no intention of fully retiring soon and plans to continue working in a senior capacity until at least his 75th birthday.
Most high street lenders have strict age caps, often preferring mortgages to end at age 65 or 70. Finding a lender who was comfortable with James’s senior executive role and willing to extend the term to his 75th birthday required a more specialised approach. We needed a lender who could look beyond a standard retirement age and recognise the stability of his career and income structure.
Character Properties and Specialist Reports
When you fall in love with a period farmhouse, you often inherit more than just history. During the valuation process, issues with damp were identified. For a lender, this can be a red flag unless it is managed correctly.
We coordinated additional damp and timber reports to provide the lender with a clear picture of the property’s condition. Because the vendors understood that a farmhouse of this type requires a more thorough level of due diligence, they were happy to allow the necessary time for these reports to satisfy the lender's requirements.
Building in Flexibility
James and Lucy were also expecting an inheritance in the near future. While they had a solid 15% deposit from their previous sale, they wanted the flexibility to reduce their mortgage balance significantly once those funds arrived.
e recommended a two-year fixed rate for several reasons. It provided a fixed monthly outgoing while they settled into their new home and addressed the minor improvements identified in the surveys.
The product allows for a 10% overpayment each year, which perfectly aligned with their plan to use their bonuses and expected inheritance to pay down the debt.
In two years, once the farmhouse is fully renovated and the damp issues are resolved, the property’s value may have increased. This will provide an excellent opportunity to review their options and potentially move to a different product with even more favourable terms.
A Forever Home Realised
It was certainly a "slog" to get this one over the line, as it required constant communication between the surveyor, the lender, and the clients. However, the result was worth every bit of effort. James and Lucy are now settled in their farmhouse, a property they hope to stay in forever.
Property purchases over £1m often require a more nuanced approach than a standard high street application. If you are a senior executive with a complex income or large bonuses, or if you are looking to purchase a period property with land and outbuildings, I would love to assist you.
Whether you need a lender who is happy to consider earned income up to age 75 or you simply want to ensure your "dream home" purchase is handled with care, please do get in touch for an initial consultation.