We’ve all been there.
You’ve looked on RightMove and lovingly perused all the properties in your area.
Then the reality of how much the bank is willing to lend you sets in, and you realize that you just can’t afford what you actually want.
What’s the solution?
Fortunately there are a number of ways to “beat the system” and get more than you bargained for. Here are some of our top tips…
Contents
Bigger Deposit
The amount of money that a bank will lend you is affected in a big way by how much deposit you have. If you want to buy a £250,000 house, but the bank will only lend you £200,000 then saving up the difference might be the solution.
We’ve written here previously about how to save up a house deposit quickly, so why not use those tips to build up your savings. When you approach the bank with a larger-than-normal deposit you’ll likely find them far more generous in their mortgage offer to you.
Improve Your Credit
A second aspect that can have a major impact on how much banks are willing to lend is your credit score. The better your rating, the safer the bank feels lending you their money.
So take some time to grab your own credit report, then comb through it looking for any issues. Aim to cross any unfortunate incidents off (whether they were your fault or not) so that the bank views you as a strong borrower. Under such circumstances you may be offered a larger sum of money, or alternatively a lower interest rate. Either way, it’ll save you money.
GeoArtitrage
House prices vary significantly across the country. Here in the UK, for example, the South East is known as having higher-than-average property prices.
But move a little further afield and you find prices dropping. Suddenly you find that while you can only afford a tiny flat where you’re living now if you’re willing to move to a different area you could purchase a detached house!
I appreciate that moving some distance away is not for everyone; you’ll likely need to give up friends and your job. But if you’re serious about getting more house for your money then you need to ask if relocating is worth landing your dream home.
Doer-Uppers
Doer-uppers are defined as properties that haven’t been suitably cared for. Perhaps the garden is overgrown, the woodwork is rotten or it hasn’t been decorated since 1973.
Either way, so many people buy with their hearts, rather than their heads, that such properties tend not to achieve their potential Purchasing a property that is in good structural condition but requires some cosmetic work can be a great way to snag a bargain.
If you don’t mind living in a virtual building site for some months after you move in, you could not only land a bigger property, but also increase it’s value in a very short space of time. And that means moving to an even larger property in the future becomes far more possible.
Government Schemes
Lastly, be aware that there are a number of government schemes designed to assist those struggling to buy a property. While the much-loved home equity loan scheme is coming to end in December 2016 there are new schemes already being worked on.
Be sure to investigate every possible option, with a view to finding the best property you can possibly afford.
