Charlotte and Christopher's Story
We always wanted to buy our own house. It's important - it's a vital step and as we're getting married very soon, it was the right thing to do.
Having said that, it was a stressful time. My job as a journalist makes my employment situation less clear-cut than most people's. I'm technically employed for some work, but self-employed for others. It meant we needed a mortgage broker to get us the right mortgage. Luckily, one was recommended and she was great.
Charlotte and Christopher's thoughts
Our mortgage broker was expensive but she took care of all the paperwork and was totally impartial, unlike many of the people offering free advice.
I did worry during the whole process. I thought it would all fall through owing to my complicated employment situation. The amount we needed was agreed in principle but the final offer was lower, as one person at the mortgage company took my freelance into account but another, it seems, wouldn't.
Finally, moving and getting married at the same time really compounds the stress and of course cost! The stamp duty and other costs are bad enough when you move. Our mortgage fee was also massive, but we are getting a good fixed rate.
