But it was around that time things started to go wrong: Simon’s financial advice business was struggling, their household income plunged and they were using credit cards to pay their bills. Then came the financial crash of 2008, causing average UK property prices to fall by more than 16 per cent in a year.
But that didn’t happen and instead, just months after the crash, house prices actually increased, rising 7 per cent in 2009, according to the Land Registry. To borrow the kind of sums needed to buy a property, most lenders now want two incomes. But the Baughs would struggle to afford a mortgage because Simon suffers with a chronic illness and can no longer work full time, so the couple now largely rely on Annabelle’s income from her job working for marketing agency Exposure Ninja.
As the home would have been worth around £190,000 and she bought it for £40,000, she has effectively lost £150,000 in profit. “I hope one day we will be in a position to buy another house but renting is the only option at the moment.”Is it a good idea to rent before buying? But there are downsides to moving into rented property, such as the costs for moving twice and storing furniture or belongings.