Outgrowing your first home is one of those nice problems to have. Maybe you bought a two-bed on Great Western Park a few years back, life has moved on, and now you need an extra bedroom, a garden the kids can actually use, or just somewhere you're not tripping over each other every evening.
The Didcot market gives you options. You can upsize within town, look at the villages nearby (Harwell, Blewbury, Long Wittenham and Steventon are all popular with families), or explore what's coming through at Nobel Park. The tricky part isn't finding something, it's making the mortgage work around the move itself.
Your existing mortgage might not move with you as easily as you think
A lot of mortgages are portable, meaning you can take your existing rate to a new property when you move. The catch is that your lender will still run a full affordability check as if you're a brand new customer. If your circumstances have changed since you took out the original mortgage, or if the new property is significantly more expensive, there's no guarantee the port will be approved.
If you're borrowing more to cover the difference in purchase price, that extra amount may come at a different rate. It's worth understanding how your existing mortgage fits into the picture before you start viewing.
Chains and timing
The chain is where most moving home stress comes from. In Didcot, properties are spending around 10 weeks on the market before going under offer, which isn't bad, but it does mean there'll be a period where you're committed to buying without knowing exactly when everything will complete. Your mortgage offer has an expiry date, usually six months, and if things drag you may need to go back to the lender for an extension.
If you're buying a new build at Nobel Park the problem can run the other way - you might be ready to complete before your new home is actually built.
The villages have their own quirks
If you're drawn to one of the villages outside Didcot, just be aware that some older properties can be trickier to mortgage. Thatched cottages in particular fall into what lenders call non-standard construction. Fewer lenders will consider them, and those that do sometimes require specialist surveys on top of the standard valuation. It's not a dealbreaker but it's worth knowing before you fall in love with a place.
If you're at the "we're starting to think about it" stage, it's worth having a conversation with us before you start viewing seriously. Knowing what you can borrow and how your existing mortgage fits into the picture makes everything that follows a lot less stressful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many mortgages have a portability feature, which allows you to transfer your existing rate to a new property. Whether you can actually port in practice depends on your lender reassessing your affordability at the time of the move. It isn't guaranteed, even if the mortgage is described as portable. If you're planning a move and have a rate you'd like to keep, it's worth checking your options with a broker before you assume it will transfer across.