Anna Hunston
25yrs old, office manager
Wants to buy her own place
Six years - that's how long it's been since Anna moved away from home and she's beginning to realise a lot of rent has been paid.
Not that she has wasted her freedom: some great years sharing flats with friends, good parties, good times. And she has moved up the ladder at work. Started as an office junior and is now office manager. Well respected, well liked and well paid.
Becoming a first time buyer is not about settling down; but it is about starting to take control of her finances. Anna knows she needs to get on the property ladder soon. Prices in her area are stable but could start to rise again; she realises it is more sensible to be buying than renting.
Can she afford it? Some of the high street lenders she has spoken to have been pretty unhelpful. Although she is paid well, multiplying her salary by 3.5 is not going to raise the amount needed to buy a flat in her area.
Anna needs to find a mortgage lender with a more friendly and flexible attitude to first time buying. She discovers Giraffe has products that suit her needs perfectly.
Giraffe were able to multiply her salary by 4.5 to raise the amount needed to buy a flat in her area. Best of all, the repayments look affordable. Giraffe is able to offer a competitive fixed rate which allows Anna to budget each month.
Anna finds plenty of helpful tips on the Giraffe website and begins to feel more confident about applying. Now it's time for the exciting part - shopping for that first property to buy.
Please note that the above case study is purely fictitious and not based on true characters.