preferred lender about getting a new loan or refinancing your existing loan. Make sure you know what rates and features are offered by each of your lender's competitors on comparable products. Be ready to tell the lender what you are looking for and don't be afraid to ask for extras. If they want your business, and know you know what you are talking about, they may be prepared to work that little bit harder to get your business. Don't be afraid to walk out if you aren't getting the best possible deal you can. 19. Make sure your loan is portable If there is any chance that you will move house during the course of your loan (and let's face it, there is a strong chance), make sure that your lender will allow you to transfer your loan to a new property and that it won't charge you the earth for the privilege. Be careful. If you sell up and buy a new house, you could find yourself down thousands in discharge costs on your old loan and establishment fees on your new one. 20. Avoid bridging finance Someone once said bridging finance is so called because it allows you to "pylon" the debt. The joke's appalling, but so is bridging finance. Unless you get your timing right you could find yourself with two home loans at the same time - with the bridging finance element costing you an extra couple of percent premium on the standard variable rate. Consider