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Welcome back to What I Own – Metro’s property series where we speak to homeowners about getting on the ladder.
Nick Toteda and his long-term partner, Ant Cushion, originally bought a home in Canada, where Nick is from, before relocating in London.
When they initially looked at their South West London four-bed in 2022, they were turned off by just how much work would need to be done.
After a lot of reflection — and a second viewing — they decided to take a chance on a property that would need some TLC.
They bought their house for £910,000, making it the last one on their street to sell for under £1,000,000. They’ve since spent a further £200,000 to renovate.
Here’s what they had to say about their property journey…
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Tell us about yourself!
We’re Nick (25) and Ant (26), a married couple and content creators.
We share our life with our audience of more than 4,500,000. Our journey began with documenting our long-distance relationship between Canada and the UK. Since then, we’ve developed a love of renovating homes.
When did you move in?
We bought our property in South West London in 2022, but it needed a full renovation. After nearly a year of transforming it, which cost just under £200,000, we officially moved in, in 2023.
How much does your property cost?
We were incredibly lucky to secure the last house on our street to sell for under £1,000,000. Our property cost us £910,000.
The house was in a derelict condition and had been sitting on the market for months. It had pretty much everything wrong with it except, thankfully, no foundational issues or subsidence.
It was severely damp, almost every wall had blown plaster, and many of the original floor joists were completely rotten. There were places where you could feel the floors bowing beneath your feet.
Despite all that, we tried to preserve as much original character as possible, such as the corbels in the entrance hallway and the cornices, but unfortunately, a lot of the original features were simply too far gone to salvage.
How much was your deposit?
We opted for a 20% deposit of £180,000. It was important to us that our monthly mortgage payments were manageable in the long term.
What is the monthly cost of living here now, both mortgage and bills?
Our mortgage is around £3,200 per month, and our other costs, such as insurance, heating, water, electricity, internet, and smaller household subscriptions like security systems, make up the remaining £500 to £800.
We try to keep a close eye on everything, and we’ve found that being proactive with utilities and home maintenance helps keep costs from creeping up.
How did you save up for your deposit?
We’ both started working at a young age, so had about 10 years of savings each under our belts. Over time, we’ve also invested in ISAs and stocks, making sure our savings were growing rather than just sitting idle.
In addition to that, we originally got on the property ladder in 2020 in Canada. Our first home wasn’t in quite the right neighbourhood for us, so we sold it just four months later.
Not long after, we bought another home, which we really loved. But then we decided to move back to the UK, and sold that home too.
Luckily, both properties appreciated in value during the short time we owned them, which allowed us to gain some equity. That bit of financial growth within just a year made a big difference when it came time to buy again.
What was the process of getting a mortgage like for you? Did you find any parts challenging?
As self-employed creators, getting a mortgage can often be more complex. Thankfully, working with a broker made everything so much easier. We had all our paperwork in place – two years of tax returns and solid credit scores. We ultimately got offered a great rate and LTV.
The biggest hurdle was deciding whether Nick, who’s Canadian, should also be on the mortgage. Including him would have increased our interest rate, because at the time, Nick’s visa only had three months left on it.
LGBTQ+ statistics on housing
June might mark Pride Month, but the reality is that LGBTQ+ people still face issues accessing housing.
Research from Stonewall shows that almost one in five LGBTQ+ people have experienced homelessness; these statistics increase to 25% of all trans people.
The majority of these cases are caused by direct rejection from families over their LGBTQ+ identity, too, as 77% of people surveyed by akt said that ‘family rejection, abuse or being asked to leave home’ was the cause of their homelessness.
Shortly before becoming homeless, more than 50% had their family members force them to stop expressing their LGBTQ+ identity, figures which rise to 64% for trans people and 55% for disabled people.
The University of Stirling also finds that LGBTQ+ people have poorer housing outcomes than their straight and cis counterparts, too.
Gay, lesbian and bisexual people specifically are less likely to own their own homes, while throughout the 1980s and 1990s, there were instances of gay and bisexual men having their mortgage applications refused because of the stigma tied to the HIV/AIDS crisis.
We were only able to renew it within 30 days of expiring, but we needed to progress with our mortgage application.
Due to the additional risk for the lender, we opted not to at the time to save money.
Can you share details on your mortgage (rate/term)?
We locked in a 3.48% fixed rate for five years, just as interest rates began to climb. Some of our friends managed to secure sub-3% rates shortly before us, but given the timing and the current market, we’re content with what we secured.
What made you want to buy rather than rent?
For us, it came down to creative freedom. We struggled to find properties that matched our personal taste within our budget.
Owning meant we could use our passion for renovation and interior design to craft exactly how we wanted our home to look – we are also very mindful of the privilege it is to be able to do so. It was a big investment upfront, but one we believed would be worth it in the long run.
How did you find this property? What made you choose it?
We found it on Rightmove and had actually passed on it once because it felt like too much work. But something about it stuck with us.
A month later, we were nearby and decided to view it again. We negotiated a price we could manage and made an offer that same day. The home had been on the market for months with multiple offers turned down, so we do feel a little serendipity was involved.
How have you made the property feel like home? What’s the inspiration for your interior decor style?
We believe the home was built between 1897 and 1903, so its late Victorian to early Edwardian, and we wanted to stay true to the era, while adding personal touches. It definitely carries that charm, with high ceilings, original details, and great bones.
We wanted to maintain period elements like mouldings, fireplaces, and windows, while layering in modern influences like our Scandinavian-style kitchen or modern arches.
What’s your favourite room and why?
Ant: My favourite room is the dining room. It’s our boldest room, and while I usually shy away from colour, it’s a reminder that stepping out of your comfort zone can often lead to the most rewarding results.
Nick: I love our kitchen. It’s the heart of the home, where we wind down, cook together, and host friends. It feels warm and welcoming.
Do you feel like you have enough space?
Absolutely. The property was originally a four-bed, but we converted one of the bedrooms into an en-suite bathroom and a utility room. This made the home better suited to us, a family of two and a cat!
Do you have plans to change the property?
After such a big renovation, we’re enjoying the calm. That said, it’s always tempting to tinker! There is potential to extend one day.
Are there any problems with the property that you have to deal with?
Fortunately, we haven’t encountered any major issues since renovating. But during the process? Plenty.
It turned into a full-scale renovation. Damp, rotten floors, cracked walls, and blocked drains were just a few of the issues we had to overcome. Nearly every surface needed to be replaced or repaired.
One of the biggest challenges, though, was hiring the right people. Finding the right tradespeople can completely determine how smoothly your renovation goes.
What do you want people to know about buying a home?
For anyone self-employed, especially those who run their own company, it’s worth exploring whether you can use your company’s pre-tax profits to apply for a mortgage. It made a big difference in our borrowing ability.
More broadly, don’t rush. If something breaks, there’s almost always a solution, and you learn so much along the way.
Lastly, if you can consider buying the worst house in the best neighbourhood, you’re going to be onto something great. It doesn’t have to be the biggest project, just something to add value – that’s how we’ve been able to grow on the property ladder.
What are your plans for the future, in terms of housing? Do you plan to stay here long-term?
We really see this as our long-term home. We’ve never lived anywhere longer than a year before, and we’ve now been here for almost three.
It’s been a long journey to feel settled in a space we love, and we’re incredibly thankful to finally be here.
Shall we take a look around?
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Bengali (Bangladesh) · 
English (United States) ·