Older homes in the town centre
Around the town centre and the Shakespeare North Playhouse there are terraces and flats that are often someone’s first home. If that’s you, my first-time buyers page explains how it all works, from saving the deposit to getting the keys.
Buying a new build
Hundreds of new homes have been built or planned on the old cable works site. A new build mortgage works much like any other, with a few differences worth knowing before you reserve.
Developers often set a deadline to exchange contracts, the point where the purchase becomes legally binding, sometimes only a few weeks after you reserve. A mortgage offer lasts a set time, often around six months, and a home that isn’t finished yet can take longer than that. Some lenders will extend an offer for a new build and some won’t. And anything the developer adds in, like paying your legal fees, has to be declared to the lender and can change how much they’ll lend.
My aim is to get you a decision in principle before you view, which matters even more when a developer’s deadline is running. That’s a lender’s early indication of how much they’d be willing to lend you, based on a quick look at your income and credit file.
If you work for the NHS
Whiston Hospital is on Prescot’s doorstep, so this part is for anyone who works there, or anywhere else in the NHS.
Basic pay is the easy part. Overtime, bank shifts, unsocial hours payments and on-call pay are where lenders differ. Some count regular overtime in full, some count part of it, and some want to see a year or more of it on your payslips. If you’re a doctor in training, lenders also look at your contract and your rotations. The same pay can mean a different budget with a different lender, so it’s worth working out before you choose a house.
Meeting up
I can meet you face to face in Prescot, Whiston or nearby, or we can talk on Zoom or a WhatsApp call. Evening and weekend appointments are available by arrangement, which helps if you work shifts.
If it’s your first home, my guide Your First Home explains the whole process, from deposit to keys.