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Original poster

How the fuck am I supposed to relocate when these are the 'rules'?

133 replies

PissedOffAndStuck · 10/03/2026 16:26

TL:DR

I want to relocate 200+miles away. I can't get a mortgage in principle because I won't have a job initially due to the distance; I can't get a job because I can't commute 200 miles each way to work!

Help!!!

Wanting to relocate from South Coast to North Yorkshire. Have a good amount of equity but want to reduce outgoings. Would still need a small mortage to buy new place (approx 15% LTV). After current home is sold and all expenses paid would be debt free with a contingency fund of approx £10k.

My current mortgage provider won't talk to me about anything because 'we can't offer advice' but you need a job for any of our products including porting your mortgage.

Mortgage providers in general want proof of regular income which given that I'm moving over 200 miles I can't provide.

Looked into shared ownership - 75% share purchased outright and £146 per month rent with option to staircase to 100% one I'm settled and get a job and can get a mortgage...computer says no...they also assess on monthly income.

How TF do people relocate? I'm looking for remote working jobs but ones that would suit me are few and far between and presumably one of the finance jobsworths is going to want umpteen payslips in triplicate before agreeing anything.

I've waited so long to make this move and my current lifestyle is absolutely killing me.

Can anyone suggest a way I can make it work? I might be able to scrape together enough to buy something without a mortgage but it would be tight.

OP posts:
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Original poster
PissedOffAndStuck · 13/03/2026 23:58

Well I had a really encouraging consultation with a mortgage broker in my future home town 😁 this afternoon, and have a meeting booked next week to discuss an offer of a remote working job, so finger crossed 🤞

OP posts:
Gettingbysomehow · 13/03/2026 09:33

I'm sure you'll be ok. I had to move in October 2019 because that's when my new job started, I hadn't yet sold my old house so I had to move and pay rent AND my mortgage for three months. I had about £20 a week to live on.
Then I managed to sell and move into my new home in Feb 2020 a day before lockdown started which was very fortunate but it was all very very stressful.

Catza · 12/03/2026 22:45

PissedOffAndStuck · 12/03/2026 22:37

@Catza thats lovely to hear.

My daughter is in Bristol but she's a student so I think the most of the people she mixes with aren't Bristolian originally.

I'm from London originally but grew up in WSx from a very young age but have never felt quite like I fit here.

By contrast Yorkshire has felt like home from my first visit - my dad loved it up there and we were very alike so maybe not that surprising.

I hope you figure it all out. Sounds like a really positive move for you x

Original poster
PissedOffAndStuck · 12/03/2026 22:37

@Catza thats lovely to hear.

My daughter is in Bristol but she's a student so I think the most of the people she mixes with aren't Bristolian originally.

I'm from London originally but grew up in WSx from a very young age but have never felt quite like I fit here.

By contrast Yorkshire has felt like home from my first visit - my dad loved it up there and we were very alike so maybe not that surprising.

OP posts:
Catza · 12/03/2026 22:15

PissedOffAndStuck · 12/03/2026 21:20

I have to say the good folk of North Yorkshire have been nothing but welcoming on my many visits, including when I've mentioned that I plan to relocate.

I've already got a craft club, book club and wine buddy lined up 😁

Show quote history

I've had the same experience relocating to Devon. I feel very well settled here thanks to all the lovely people in the area. But in Bristol I was forever "the Londoner" even though I moved from West Sussex.

Original poster
PissedOffAndStuck · 12/03/2026 21:20

Catza · 12/03/2026 16:57

Perhaps not. But they are also often the ones who throw around "you are stupid to live in London, move somewhere cheaper" so we are taking them up on their offer to move to their village.

Show quote history

I have to say the good folk of North Yorkshire have been nothing but welcoming on my many visits, including when I've mentioned that I plan to relocate.

I've already got a craft club, book club and wine buddy lined up 😁

OP posts:
Catza · 12/03/2026 16:57

noidea69 · 11/03/2026 09:23

I imagine the good folk of north yorkshire trying to get on the housing ladder are delighted by people in south selling up and coming there way.

Perhaps not. But they are also often the ones who throw around "you are stupid to live in London, move somewhere cheaper" so we are taking them up on their offer to move to their village.

Itsmetheflamingo · 11/03/2026 14:26

Gettingbysomehow · 11/03/2026 09:13

Mortgage companies have really tightened up. They make you jump through hoops. I have moved cross country on my own and my DS has also done it with his partner.
You have no option but to find a job first, then rent, then buy a home.
Its very difficult and a load of hassle mortgage companies will not be interested until you have been in that job and passed probation.

I dont think this is true particularly for the very low mortgage that OP is after. I haven’t produced payslips in over 10 years-most recent purchase 5 years ago and remortgaged last month. My mortgage is x10 value of OPs. No one asks where my work is based - They’re not going to put much work into an£35k mortgage

SJM1988 · 11/03/2026 12:57

We relocated 150 miles but 10 years ago. It wasn't an issue.
They didn't ask what I was going to do with my job just wanted 3 months bank statements to prove income and only asked if we were planning on having kids e.g me going on maternity leave. Noone raised that I would need to get a new job when we relocated.

WonderfulSmith · 11/03/2026 12:51

I have explained to my broker that I will be aiming to have either a remote job before I go, or something lined up to start within a very short time of arriving but there may be a small gap and I have contingency funds to cover that.

Aiming won’t butter any parsnips with mortgage brokers. You need a job.

Hoppinggreen · 11/03/2026 12:29

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Its around the same as the UK average

Lucysawake · 11/03/2026 11:01

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Hoppinggreen · 11/03/2026 09:57

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I think you will find that a lot of Yorkshire, including North Yorkshire is doing pretty well

Jamba0 · 11/03/2026 09:34

PissedOffAndStuck · 10/03/2026 16:26

TL:DR

I want to relocate 200+miles away. I can't get a mortgage in principle because I won't have a job initially due to the distance; I can't get a job because I can't commute 200 miles each way to work!

Help!!!

Wanting to relocate from South Coast to North Yorkshire. Have a good amount of equity but want to reduce outgoings. Would still need a small mortage to buy new place (approx 15% LTV). After current home is sold and all expenses paid would be debt free with a contingency fund of approx £10k.

My current mortgage provider won't talk to me about anything because 'we can't offer advice' but you need a job for any of our products including porting your mortgage.

Mortgage providers in general want proof of regular income which given that I'm moving over 200 miles I can't provide.

Looked into shared ownership - 75% share purchased outright and £146 per month rent with option to staircase to 100% one I'm settled and get a job and can get a mortgage...computer says no...they also assess on monthly income.

How TF do people relocate? I'm looking for remote working jobs but ones that would suit me are few and far between and presumably one of the finance jobsworths is going to want umpteen payslips in triplicate before agreeing anything.

I've waited so long to make this move and my current lifestyle is absolutely killing me.

Can anyone suggest a way I can make it work? I might be able to scrape together enough to buy something without a mortgage but it would be tight.

Is there a reason why you have to buy a property to relocate? Rent something temporarily for 3-6 months, whatever is needed so you can get things done.

Lucysawake · 11/03/2026 09:29

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noidea69 · 11/03/2026 09:23

I imagine the good folk of north yorkshire trying to get on the housing ladder are delighted by people in south selling up and coming there way.

Solost92 · 11/03/2026 09:21

Could you buy outright if you're only taking out such a small mortgage. Leave yourself with no money, claim benefits till you get a job?

People are gonna jump on me for using benefits but the system is there to support and it'd only be for a short time. Or get a lodger for a short period

Gettingbysomehow · 11/03/2026 09:13

Mortgage companies have really tightened up. They make you jump through hoops. I have moved cross country on my own and my DS has also done it with his partner.
You have no option but to find a job first, then rent, then buy a home.
Its very difficult and a load of hassle mortgage companies will not be interested until you have been in that job and passed probation.

Catza · 11/03/2026 09:01

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I completely agree which is why I gave an example of what I did last month when applying for mortgage and nobody asked me why my employer is 100 miles away from my new home address. Getting a mortgage offer in these circumstances is perfectly viable as they don't ask for practicalities.
Actually completing on a mortgage is another matter. But, by that point everything may change again and OP might have a job lined up. Again, banks don't really care that it's a different job. They just care about your salary.
So it might be wise to find a property, get an offer and then sort the rest out. Even if OP finds a house today, it will still be months before it's ready for completion.

SuzyFandango · 11/03/2026 08:22

Also a lot of jobs have a 3 month notice. So lots of people would apply, get a job, accept it for a start date 3 months later, then hand in notice on current job, then would arrange accomodation for when they started the new job. They'd typically rent their current house out for a short period and rent near the new job, then once past a probation period, would look to sell old house & get a new one

Lucysawake · 11/03/2026 08:20

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SuzyFandango · 11/03/2026 08:19

You rent for a while to ensure that the new job and new area are a good fit for you.

This

Lucysawake · 11/03/2026 08:17

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Catza · 11/03/2026 08:14

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The OP is also currently in employment..
Read the thread, have some coffee. Might help

Lucysawake · 11/03/2026 08:13

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