For Ben and Sarah*, home ownership hadn’t always been top of the priority list. Both busy legal professionals at international law firms, the pair had put off purchasing a property for many years due to several changes in their personal and professional lives. But, when they came across their dream home in 2021, they were forced to reassess their plans – and soon realised that securing the property in a highly competitive market might not be entirely straightforward.

The couple needed to move quickly, so they reached out to their private banker at Investec for help. Here, Ben explains what made the property so desirable and why having a tailored mortgage solution was so crucial for them.

Location, location, location

“The decision to actually jump into home ownership took us completely by surprise, but we had to go for it,” Ben tells us. “Not many properties of this quality come to market in the town we wanted to live in, and this one was not just in the town we liked, but on a great street in that town.”

Ben and Sarah had lived in rental accommodation until they stumbled across a detached, new-build property in leafy Buckinghamshire. The property wasn’t just in a desirable location; it was a new-build of outstanding quality.  “It was definitely not an opportunity to miss,” explains Ben.

“We had to move quickly”

The two soon realised just how fast they would need to move to secure it. “Properties in this location sell rapidly and are often subject to bidding wars – our property had apparently received two bids without being seen, from couples who were keen to move to the area,” Ben recalls. “We had to prove we were able to complete the deal to convince the developer to sell to us.”

Having banked with Investec for several years, Ben and Sarah already had a strong relationship with their private banker David Akers, who they trusted to be efficient.

“We called David completely out of the blue one Tuesday afternoon and asked him to let us know that day whether or not he thought we could secure the property with a mortgage from Investec,” says Ben. “He came back to us the same day and said he had started the process. We put the offer in that day and had it accepted. From then on, David and the team at Investec made it happen.”

From a mortgage perspective, the couple knew that the complex nature of their incomes meant that they would need a bespoke solution. For private banker David, this meant taking a holistic view of affordability. 

Chair next to drinks table in lounge
Ben Smith*, Investec client

Throughout the process, the team at Investec were first-rate professionals who were always ready to fight our corner,

  

Thinking long-term

It was the long-standing relationship that Investec had built with Ben and Sarah which helped Investec tailor a mortgage that allowed them to secure their dream home.

“We provided a bespoke mortgage and we were able to do so because we had a deep understanding of their income and their needs,” says David.

For the couple, this relationship with their banker was a key reason for deciding to bank with Investec in the first place. “A few years ago, we decided to bank with the Investec team,” says Ben. “There were many reasons, but for us one stood out – the promise that when the time came to get a mortgage for our first home, the Investec team would try and deliver for us, because they would know us and wanted to work with us to achieve a great outcome.”

Today, the couple are happily settled in their new home – and have recently invited David to visit.

“Throughout the process, the team at Investec were first-rate professionals who were always ready to fight our corner with everybody else involved in the transaction,” says Ben. “They got us a great result on a fantastic mortgage, and we could not be happier in our new home.”

 

*Names have been changed for confidentiality.

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Disclaimer:
YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE. Investec residential mortgages are only available for residential properties in England or Wales and are primarily available to UK residents and subject to eligibility.