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You might be sure that you can afford to pay for a mortgage each month, and you may be currently handling a smaller loan comfortably – but how much could you really afford?

For some that is a stupid question. They have a monthly income, they have savings and they have debts. This can all be measured and a rough estimate of what they could afford to pay on a mortgage each month could be deduced.

But for others it is not such a straightforward question. Some people earn large amounts for some parts of the year, very little for others. Some people can earn more money if they choose to do more hours, some people are reliant on the markets, on the mood of customers or even on the weather. Some people only earn their money at Christmas, some people earn huge bonuses at unpredictable times of the year and some people have to hope that their new product sells to earn money.

For these people it is difficult or even impossible to say how much they could afford to pay each month. So how do they get hold of a mortgage? A lender is unlikely to give someone a six-figure loan if they cannot honestly say that they will have enough money to pay for it each month.

For those people, professional mortgage advice is key. A professional self certification mortgage adviser is able to assess finances, incomes, outgoings and look at the whole UK mortgage market to come to a decision about what mortgage suits that person best. They are also able to discuss that loan with the lender and come to an agreement for a mortgage.

So if you can't answer the question, talk to a professional mortgage adviser as they will be able to answer that question for you.

Keep up with the latest news and comments on Self Employed Mortgages at the Self Cert Mortgage Blog