Hello, I am writing this blog post to talk about some tips that I would have told my past self and also to give insight into my experience of buying a home as a single woman at aged 30 in the UK. 1) Small steps will get you there The deposit saving was the longest phase of the buying process. I had hoped that I would meet someone during my twenties as it feels as though from a young age we are taught that you meet a guy, buy a house then have a family. However at the end of the day we are responsible for our lives and we can create the lives that we want if we put in enough work towards it. If you are reading this article, please do not feel alone. There are a growing number of women taking matters into their own hands and buying a property on their own. It may take a bit longer but all of the decisions are yours, you can decorate how you want and you can crea...
Hello,
I am writing this blog post to talk about some tips that I would have told my past self and also to give insight into my experience of buying a home as a single woman at aged 30 in the UK.
1) Small steps will get you there
The deposit saving was the longest phase of the buying process. I had hoped that I would meet someone during my twenties as it feels as though from a young age we are taught that you meet a guy, buy a house then have a family. However at the end of the day we are responsible for our lives and we can create the lives that we want if we put in enough work towards it.
If you are reading this article, please do not feel alone. There are a growing number of women taking matters into their own hands and buying a property on their own. It may take a bit longer but all of the decisions are yours, you can decorate how you want and you can create your own sanctuary. I feel so lucky to be able to purchase a property and to have a bank account as these are things that our previous ancestors fought for and so many people around the world do not have access to these freedoms. I saved a portion of my paycheck each month and lived at home until I was 28 in order to save up my deposit. During this time I also focused on taking mini-breaks around the world as I knew when I purchased a home I would have less disposable income.
2) Lean into your faith
The house buying process was not an easy one and I had two previous properties fall through. The first one caught on fire and then the second one was a flood risk. When I reached 29 I felt a sense of hopelessness and did not feel like it would ever happen for me. Each month I would save a portion of my salary automatically and I tried to hold on to my faith that the right property would come into my life at the right time. I took some time off from the property search to lick my wounds from the previous property sales. After a heart to heart with a friend they pointed out that at some point I needed to start looking at what was out there as I had completely stopped looking for around six months. Then one day I remember looking at properties in my area and I saw the house that I ended up buying. It felt right and I could picture myself there. Sometimes we do not know what is going on behind the scenes and it is interesting how often things work out for the best. I feel grateful that I did not give up on my dream and often think that you can give up just before something amazing can happen.
3) Draw upon your network
During the house buying process my family and friends offered advice and I felt so blessed to be surrounded by people who were so talented in many different areas. Whether it was providing contacts, helping me design the house or even getting stuck in scrapping off wallpaper I was really touched with how many people helped me and it made me feel very supported during the process. Don`t be afraid to ask for help as the majority of people are good and want to make life easier for you.
4) Look after yourself
The average house buying process is around 12 weeks from the offer being accepted until completion. This was accurate for me but there is no set time frame as every property sale is different. The sheer amount of paperwork was intense and I would ask family members to also read over documents to make sure that I was understanding things correctly. I also spoke to my solicitors a lot during this time and I was lucky that she was very friendly and happy to help. Buying a home can be incredibly stressful and during this time I did let my diet and exercise routine lapse. If I was to offer any advice I would say to break it down to one thing that you absolutely need to get done each day. This could be ringing the solicitor, speaking to the estate agent, reading through documents or arranging a survey. By taking small steps this can help break down the process so that it is less overwhelming. I would also carve out time to exercise at least twice a week as I found it a good stress reliever. I tried to by self compassionate towards myself as life has seasons and in this season I would focused on the home buying process.
5) You got this!
It all fell into place and I completed on the property sale. I ended up taking a month to do up the property before I moved in and I am grateful for that time to provide separation between the project and it also enabled me to get the house as I wanted it before moving in. I felt that by doing it this it forced me to get the house done as I knew that once I moved in, I would lose momentum. I feel so at peace and content in my property and it is once of the best things I have ever done. Where there is a will there is a way and I wish you the best of luck!
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