Owning your own home

You may have to accept that you can't buy in the area you want and look elsewhere.

We rented in Shepherds Bush for years. When it finally came to buy, we realised quickly that there was nowhere in the area we could afford. We moved to Hither Green (SE13) where we could afford a two bed flat at the time. We were priced out of there when it came to get a house but moved down to Bromley where we could afford a house and garden.

If i look back 5 years to living in Shepherds Bush, i would never have seen myself living in Bromley but we couldn't be happier.

What he said.

I thought I'd live in Finsbury Park, near Essex Road or East somewhere near Bethnal Green. Prices went up.

When we actually started looking we searched further out. Bounds Green and Forest Gate. There was nothing in Bounds Green that we wanted to live in and could afford - maybe some places next to the North Circular but then you're too far from the station. From Jan to mid-May nothing that was actually for sale ever even came up in Forest Gate.

In the end we went for Borehamwood because everything in "London" was too much of a compromise. Our place doesn't quite fit our lives at the moment, but in the future I think it should. And its so nice to have a proper garden, rather than feeling lucky to just have some sort of shit terrace that's always in shade.

A friend has almost £650k (if he uses the help to buy) and he is struggling to find a 2 bed within easy commute of the City/Central.

It seems insane to need £600-750k for a decent 2 bed. But that's where we are.

How do people do it?

Most people buy in pairs. Even on your decent salary the mortgage you can get solo just doesn't stack up well against the cost of housing.