Today marks the first steps towards a new home. My ‘practically perfect in every way’ apartment went on the market. Emotions flooded my body as I saw the ‘well presented’ one bedroomed apartment pop up on Right Move.
Apartment living
I’ve had four very happy years here and will be sad when the day comes and I have to hand it over to someone else. But new days are coming and to be in a home where Niki and I aren’t so on top of each other will be bliss.
Over the coming weeks and months (I’m not saying years as I don’t want it to take that long!), I’ll be sharing my house move journey with you all. After all, it’s considered one of the biggest upheavals in your life so if I can share with you any hints and tips along the way to make your dream move easier then so be it.
How did I end up on the property ladder?
Firstly, I thought I’d share how I got here. Well, it’s all thanks to three people. My Mum, Dad and Steve, the magic mortgage man!
During 2010, yes, the year after the crash, Mum and Dad decided it was time my sister and I flew the nest. However, we were very cushy in our rent free, family home so we were not budging. That was until mum and dad said they were downsizing, and we weren’t invited! WHAT!?! To make things easier they posed a question. They said they had an amount of money in a pot for both of us, for our weddings. We all rolled around on the floor before picking ourselves up and discussing the option of pooling said wedding funds and buying a house – after all Kirst and I were very much single at the time with not a hint of wedding bells.
So that was settled, Kirst and I were going to become property owners. The hunt was very much on!
My first house
Being a first time buyer, full of hopes and dreams, my first move was to get on that well-known App of hopes and dreams. Trawling through endless possibilities we identified three we liked but missed out a vital step in our house buying plan.
Mum and Dad were quick to remind us that affordability was key here and so we set up a meeting with Steve, the magic mortgage man. The third person in this puzzle and the one who worked out if our plan would become reality.
Benefits of using a mortgage advisor
Steve is an Independent Mortgage Consultant. He works for Country Wide Mortgage Services and is located in the Bridgeford Estate Agents on Albert Street, Harrogate. He helped us identify what we could afford as first time buyers. He then helped us to buy the most gorgeous little red brick terrace on Powell Street, just off Grove Park Road. We loved it and for many years it was great. That was until I buggered it up by letting my boyfriend (at the time) buy my sister out. Just four months later we split up – hey ho – you live, and you learn!
However, we did make some money on this property which allowed me to buy on my own just off Cold Bath Road. Currently, I’m sat in my beautiful apartment writing this blog and I’m pretty proud of what I’ve achieved. And it was Steve, and my Mum and Dad who have helped me through it all. Now Niki and I are embarking on what is probably the biggest journey we will ever take and I’m so glad we are doing this together. We’ve both had a meeting with Steve to understand what our options are and we are now ready to start the big move.
What is an independent mortgage adviser?
Essentially, they will help you to find and apply for the right mortgage, one that will suit you. They are independent of banks,building societies and other lenders and so they can offer a range of different types of mortgages.
What will a mortgage adviser do?
They will firstly want to get to know you and what you are wanting to achieve – what property you are after, what you have (property to sell, deposit or savings) and what your financial status is. To help them to work out your financial status they will ask you for:
- Three months of payslips (sometimes more if you are self-employed, have a varied monthly income, or have just changed jobs)
- P60
- Two forms of ID
- Current mortgage statement (if you currently own)
- Three months of bank statements for all current accounts
- Summary of any debt – bank loans, credit cards, car finance
The advisor will take into account the cost of buying and selling a property along with your monthly income and expenditure and living costs to arrive at a figure that you can realistically borrow.
How much does a mortgage adviser cost?
That depends on a number of things, including how good, well established and well connected the advisor is as well as the price of your property. On average it costs around £400 to £500.
How do you choose the right adviser for you?
The best advice I can give is ask friends and family. They may have used one before and can give a recommendation. Alternatively, you can use Unbiased to find an expert you can trust. But do make sure you check the credentials of any advisor you are considering working with. They should be fully qualified and registered with the Financial Service Authorities (FSA) to be able to give you advice.
I cannot recommend Steve White from Countrywide highly enough. I have used him for all three of my house purchases and will continue to use him. I’d like to be clear, as he is regulated by the FSA, that there is no advertising fee for this recommendation – I wholeheartedly recommend him based on personal experienceand if you would like to contact him you can do so here:
Stephen White
Senior Executive Mortgage Consultant
16 Albert Street, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 1JT
Email stephen.white@fs.bridgfordscountrywide.co.uk
This is the first in a series of “The Harrogate Girl’s Big Move”blog posts with more being published over the coming months. I will also be developing an easy to use “Guide to Moving in Harrogate” which will be available to help you to tailor your own house move – watch this space!
Next week I’ll be talking about how to choose the right Estate Agent for selling!
But for now, why not check out my property on Right Move – http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-69448798.html
