Dean came via lots of recommendations from my accountant and friends alike. He turned out to be an absolute star, although I didnÂ’t think so at first.
You shouldn’t really be doing this now, you know,” he said. “I must advise you that it would be better for you to wait until you’ve been self-employed another year.”
Dean had been looking at my bank statements. My mortgage would have to be self-certified because I’ve only been self-employed for two years, and while he felt I earned enough he was a bit worried about my previous credit history.
How can I put this? IÂ’d been a bit naughty with my credit card about four years ago. But it was all under control now, thanks to an unpleasant epiphany involving financial reality.
I told Dean: “I must do this; renting is not an option.”
“Are you sure?” he asked me for the umpteenth time.
“Okay, letÂ’s fill in some forms.”
A week later, one credit report – it’s not very bad at all Dean tells me – and a minor misunderstanding with the lender later and I’ve got a mortgage offer.
Because IÂ’m not going to complete (i.e. actually move into the flat) until next year, my mortgage offer has to be regularly reviewed, but the lender has agreed to keep my particular deal (interest rate) open.
I breathe a sigh of relief.
Almost there
I call the conveyancer to tell her the good news. “We’ve rushed through my mortgage, so when do we exchange?”
Not for a while yet. Because you’ve done a deal on the deposit, the developer has got to write it into a new contract, and I haven’t heard from them yet.”
Is that bad news?” I ask. “No,” she says. “Oh, and there I was having sleepless nights that I’d lose the flat.”
My solicitor laughs at me and tells me to go out and enjoy myself. “But remember to make sure you keep putting that deposit money aside for when they do start asking for it.”
Next: Becoming a homeowner
