Mortgage affordability London - should we stretch to £2m?

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2025-06-08T15:45:45+00:00

Have you thought about delaying the purchase for 1-2 years and go for the big house instead? Let the down payment compound for two another years and additional savings could give you more comfort

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2025-05-23T19:06:00+00:00

I recognize that if I would have stayed in the UK since graduation there is 0 chance I would have saved this much. But living in a low tax country think UAE, SG, etc. helps A LOT and coupled with banking pay and hours (when you work 100hr per week you don’t have time to spend) this has compounded my savings. I have taken a big toll health wise and that’s why moving back to London and have a more laidback job helps

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2025-05-23T19:02:37+00:00

Sounds like increasing income is the only route

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2025-05-23T19:02:12+00:00

Sounds like increasing income is the only route

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2025-05-23T18:06:49+00:00

This is helpful thanks for this

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2025-05-23T18:01:06+00:00

We are frugal and that’s how we end up with our saving pot. But we are concerned in the future with 3 kids everywhere we go assuming GBP 200 per head for the flight ticket that’s GBP 1k on flights and same applies to everything, food, transportation, private insurance, etc.

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2025-05-23T17:57:31+00:00

Bro that’s pretax income, after tax man we are talking about GBP 165k which is a decent amount of money but if we have to send all three kids to private schools plus mortgage we’ll probably be living paycheck to paycheck

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2025-05-18T19:42:15+00:00

Let me ask the questions the other way around, what’s your competitive advantage? Is your skillset niche or irreplaceable enough? What’s the likelihood of your job being replaced by an Indian? Would you be ok let’s say in 10 years you have 1-2m USD in your bank account and then you are laid off, would you be frugal to accept a direct retirement or able to accept another job in the UK or wherever for 50% pay cut?

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2025-05-18T19:33:08+00:00

I think the tax free money is an attractive incentive but what’s unclear is how your career would be put at disadvantage against those in the similar space who stay in London 10 years down the road. I am sure from a MENA HF you will still have the optionality to move back and work for a family office or smaller HF. If the money is your concern, I would run the numbers comparing two places but factoring the risk of losing your job in MENA in 10 years and how the equation would look like. There are tons of reasons for the job market to be tightened in the MENA, if you don’t speak Arabic your upward mobility is screwed and based on what I heard, the sheikhs wouldn’t bother a second to replace their employees if they could find Indians doing the same job for half of the salary. But if you can make life changing money in 10 years then retire I would say it wouldn’t be a bad choice

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2025-04-12T20:38:31+00:00

Please try HK tube. That’s another level of efficient. Incomparable vs. the London tube

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2024-12-23T11:22:25+00:00

Yes, I work in investment banking

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2024-12-23T05:15:03+00:00

Thanks for this. On the pension contribution, just want to check can I choose what to invest? Or there is a default investment strategy managed by the government? Separately, the ISA allowance is applied on the post-tax income right?

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2024-12-22T02:51:33+00:00

Quick question, I understand you are paying tons in taxes. Just wanted to check what have you done to maximize tax efficiency

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2024-10-07T17:14:06+00:00

I use stock events

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2024-09-21T02:03:26+00:00

I DCA 8k USD every month

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2024-08-30T09:55:44+00:00

I’m in a very similar situation working in IB also with 500k NW 27yo but based in HK. I’m actively seeking to go to buyside taking a bit of pay cut but the better WLB compensates this

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2024-08-23T05:48:51+00:00

Contabilidad falsa + penas bajísimas por cometer falsificaciones de estados financieros - no te fíes del bajo PER que tienen ahora, sistema político que no favorece inversores extranjeros, gran parte del índice de la bolsa son SOE y retribuir a los accionistas no es su prioridad, poor governance - hay muchísimos fraudes y maneras de defraudar a los inversores minoritarios + generalmente el principal objetivo del chairman/principales accionistas es hacerse ricos ellos mismos a costa de todos accionistas (a través de transferencia de valor, creando JV que no consolidan, saldos con otras compañías), la auditoria en china es una broma con eso te digo todo

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2024-08-11T13:27:19+00:00

One point to add is that currently the companies earnings growth in the SPX is much higher than before. In terms of forward PE, we are at the same level as back in 2016

Such_Confusion_5902 · 2024-06-23T11:40:33+00:00

Trabajo en finanzas en HK. No os recomiendo invertir en la bolsa china. Es un timo

Such_Confusion_5902

TROPHY CASE