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1st Time Buyer (in 2014) advice

Hello,
my wife and I are starting to think about buying a house. It'll be our first house purchase, having rented previously.

We're targeting half 1, 2014 - I know it's a little way away still, but trying to make sure we're planning ahead a bit. We hope to also utilize the new scheme set to launch next year.

My salary is 45k p/a, and we have two dependents, so my wife doesn't work.

I think the 'max' we can be considered for is 180k, but we're probably targeting around 150k to try and avoid stretching ourselves too far.

If I understand the proposed scheme correctly, we would require a min 5% deposit, plus legal expenses (couple of grand?).
We have this (or will, mostly made of of company share incentive schemes which will have matured, + a few £k of cash we've saved)

I'm keeping an eye on my credit file. I have a few CC's, but low balances most months - nothing applied for a year+

One area I'm a little concerned about... From reading other threads, they will often x-check my income with HMRC - sensible move of course. However, this for me won't match - by a long way. I spend a lot of time working overseas for my company. I have 7+ years continuous employment for the same UK firm, paid into the same UK bank - I just spend 1-2 years at a time overseas. As part of this, I get various benefits, such as a property rented for me in the host country. So, whilst they don't appear on my salary, they do appear on my tax return as a taxable income, hugely inflating my real earnings.
Will someone sense check and understand this, or will it send people running a mile?

Anything else I should start considering now? Or anything there that raises a concern?

Thanks for any advise!

Comments

  • Pjrv
    Pjrv Posts: 4 Newbie
    I'll keep track of this thread as I'm in a similar boat (and asked the same thing at almost the same time)!

    When I looked at HSBC they mortgage from their basic questionnaire that they would offer me was approx £185k, I earn £47k and am a single dad with 2 dependents so roughly the same as you. As you say though I don't want to stretch too far.
  • hamster2013
    hamster2013 Posts: 245 Forumite
    they dont check with tax returns, only pay slips and bank statements and work contract if there is anything in there that can help you (guaranteed bonus for example)
  • xyz123
    xyz123 Posts: 1,671 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    they dont check with tax returns, only pay slips and bank statements and work contract if there is anything in there that can help you (guaranteed bonus for example)

    OP-thats correct.
  • aldredd
    aldredd Posts: 925 Forumite
    thanks hamster2013 & xyz123 - one less thing to worry about!
This discussion has been closed.
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