Other What's ruining your life right now?

Every other 100% LTV offering I've found requires some kind of security, often equivalent to at least 5% of the deposit. If we had any family or close friends who could put up that kind of savings or investments then we wouldn't be in this position. Or they require a guarantor for the mortgage who would have to meet the same stringent eligibility criteria and financial assessments as the primary applicants. Again, if we had any family or close friends who would meet such criteria then we wouldn't be in this position. Or assuming a broker could actually find a 100% LTV product which required absolutely zero up-front security/deposit of any kind, and does not require a guarantor, the interest rates are likely to be even worse than what we're already likely to see.

I've done a fair bit of research about this over the last couple of years, and I've spoken to financial advisers (both independent and not) multiple times. Any broker I pay is likely to come to the conclusion that I've already reached: the age of "free money" with mortgages is over, it isn't coming back any time soon (if ever), and any 100% LTV product you find will likely have significant limitations.

 

Interest only mortgage not an option?

 

Not if I want to build any equity. Which is exactly why we’re prepared to put up with a relatively small mortgage offer and buying a flat in the short term. Over a 5-year period a combination of property price increases, paying off loan & interest, and saving an amount equivalent to the mortgage payment every month will put us in a position to be able to afford the kind of property we actually want. Even if prices tank or we don’t earn much equity, the savings should put us in a good position (assuming we keep it up at the planned level).

 

A friend of my ex’s had an interest only mortgage, and she lucked out when it came to selling that it actually sold and left her some equity. But, risky!

Wish you all the best!

 

Managed to pick up a nice nail to the tyre last night. Rang around a few local garages and nobody has that size in stock, most said they could order but it would be tuesday/ wednesday before they could be fitted.
Found one now, they can have it this afternoon.

 

As it’s a nice nail, you should keep it, polish it up.

 

Maybe even keep it in the tyre, so you know where it is?

 

If it's just a nail, no matter how nice it is, and if the tyre is in decent shape just get it repaired rather than replaced

 

Sorry to hear that bud. It's a tough time at the moment. Half of my team was laid off in August, and the rest of us will very likely be going in the next few months as the company is not financially viable.

 

@The_Crapman Andy mate, enter the euro millions - you're due a bit of luck to counteract all the crap been thrown your way

 

Went shopping today.

I wanted to go to a Hobbycraft, because sometimes it’s better to be able to see stuff rather than blindly ordering online, which means we had to go to a larger retail park across the other side of town. That retail park is right next-door to the Cardiff City stadium and there’s a match on today, Cardiff at home… to Millwall (context: there is a long history of rivalry, and quite a fair amount of violence, between Cardiff & Millwall fans).

All of which means this particular retail park was busy. Very busy. Very very very busy.

And then we had to schlep across town to a Sainsburys in order to pick up some stuff from Argos and do some shopping.

I have had enough of people for one weekend. I am not even opening my door to anyone who happens to ring the doorbell. Full goblin mode for the rest of the weekend. Darkened rooms, warm comfy clothes, junk food, video games, TV…

 

Goblin weekends are best weekends.

 

Giggity

 

Laptop died, just went out on a BSOD. I was planning on upgrading, but after the splurge of Christmas.

 

If you have USB to ethernet dongle you can share your mobile internet throughout the house by plugging your phone into the wan port of your router, that is what I used to do with my phone before I got a 5G backup router when fixed line internet went down.

For my Samsung at least that USB Dongle has to be a 1Gb, that will give 1Gb 5G to the network approx 940Mb, I tried a realtek 2.5Gb dongle to get that extra 1.1Gb from my 5G (good signal in my area) and I couldn't deliver more than 250Mb on the Realtek, so guess compatibility or driver issue.