First homes are very rarely forever homes, but despite having experienced the home buying process before, your change in circumstances, budget and shifts in the property market can make it a daunting experience to navigate without the help of a professional advisor.
In this edition of our customer story series, we caught up with one of our clients, Steph, who approached Gail Reid Mortgage Services with her husband Dan in 2021 when they were looking to move to a bigger home – and then again when it was time to remortgage their home.
Steph shares her and Dan’s new home journey, what their experience was like and what advice they would share with any second-time buyers and upsizers…
Tell us about the different circumstances Gail Reid Mortgage Services supported you with in your home buying journey?
“We got in touch with Gail and her team when we were looking for a new home in 2021. We had been in our first property for over 7 years, and decided we wanted to upsize and find a brand new home from a local builder. Gail had been highly recommended by a few people, so we were very keen to chat to her team.”
What were your circumstances when you were looking to move home?
“We had definitely outgrown our first home in Bridge of Don, and really wanted more space. Living there during the pandemic and spending so much more time at home made us realise this quite quickly. We had always dreamed of a larger kitchen and dining area, as we love having friends and family over for dinner and parties, a dedicated office space, since we now work from home so regularly, as well as an en-suite – these features were at the top of our list, and made us so excited to find a new home.
“We also fancied moving out of the city to somewhere with countryside walks for our dog and a bit more of a close-knit community than we had experienced before – with pubs, cafes and restaurants that we could walk to.”
What stage were you at in the process when you decided to get in touch with Gail? Had you made a lot of decisions already or were you still exploring your options?
“We had been lightly browsing for a while but when we started to get more serious about buying, we knew we needed to speak to a mortgage adviser straight away – and that’s when we emailed Gail. We were still very much exploring our options, and felt more confident we were making the right decision after speaking to Gail and her fantastic team.
Although we had gone through the buying process before, we wanted to understand affordability straight away, before we had our hearts set on a property only to find out it was outside our budget. It’s so tempting to view properties straight away, but I would have been gutted if we found the perfect home and couldn’t go ahead and reserve.
“We also required a decision in principle before we could reserve a new home with a builder, which we would get from our mortgage adviser.”
Can you share a summary of what the process looked like for you?
“We got in touch with Gail in January 2021, and found the house we wanted to reserve in February. Within a week we had a decision in principle and were able to reserve our dream home. The team was very helpful throughout the process and available 7 days a week – it was probably the easiest part of the whole journey for us! We also opted for life insurance and home insurance to be arranged through the Gail Reid team which was dealt with seamlessly.
“We decided to switch plots during the process, but the team picked this up really quickly and submitted the new information to the lender – so there was no delay in the process.”
When it came to remortgaging your home, why did you decide to approach Gail Reid Mortgage Services?
“We were really happy with the personal service we received when buying our new home, so it was a no-brainer to go back when we were due to remortgage. We were confident they’d give us the best advice and find us the best rate possible.”
How did Gail Reid Mortgage Services support you in the remortgage process?
“We were quite nervous about remortgaging, as this was at the cusp of when mortgage rates shot up – and we were worried about how much extra we would have to pay.
“The Gail Reid team contacted us well before our remortgage date, as they advised starting this process early. This was a great recommendation, as it meant we had more time to think things through and weigh up our different options.
“The team presented us with recommendations and options to help us keep our monthly mortgage repayments as low as possible, despite the high rates. One option which we considered was overpaying our mortgage in a lump sum, to take us down to 75% loan-to-value which opened up better rates. However, the team kept in touch with us constantly as the market shifted, and a good option came up with our existing lender which we decided to lock-in early.”
What stood out to you most when working with Gail Reid Mortgage Services?
“We were very impressed with the personal service from start to finish. They took the time to get to know us, and each time we called or emailed we had a very friendly and positive interaction with every team member.
“We also felt a high level of trust as they are absolute experts in their field and know exactly what they’re talking about. At no point did we feel we got poor advice or felt like things were being rushed – they took the time to ensure we were confident with the options we wanted to proceed with. They also made the whole process very seamless, which helped massively as buying a house can be stressful.”
What would be your advice to other people considering reaching out to a mortgage advisor - for moving home and for remortgaging?
“It’s a no-brainer to engage with a mortgage adviser like Gail Reid, it is a completely free service and you get expert advice and access to a wide range of mortgage products. They take stress away from you during a very hectic time, and being friendly to deal with was the cherry on top!”
Looking to make your move? Discover more information and resources from Gail Reid Mortgage Services…