Patricia Ogunfeibo, founder of London-based tenant2owner, revealed that one of her clients is about to complete on her first home after attending a webinar six months ago. The renter succeeded not by waiting for mortgage rates to drop or the market to settle, but by concentrating on understanding her finances and preparing herself to buy.
Expert Warns Against Waiting for Perfect Conditions
Ogunfeibo argued that many prospective buyers delay purchasing while anticipating lower rates, reduced prices, or improved economic news, often missing genuine opportunities. She said: "People often tell themselves they'll buy when mortgage rates fall, prices come down or the market feels more settled. The reality is that there is rarely a perfect time to buy. If you keep waiting for every light to turn green, you may never move."
Despite negative media coverage, Ogunfeibo noted strong demand among serious buyers. At tenant2owner, which helps renters transition to homeownership, the company welcomed over a thousand new visitors to its website in the past month alone, despite a recent rebuild. The most popular pages are readiness checks and rent-versus-buy calculators, indicating that people are actively exploring whether buying is feasible.
Buyers Doing Homework, Not Waiting for Headlines
Ogunfeibo believes this reflects a broader trend: "The casual browsers may have stepped back, but people who genuinely want to own a home haven't disappeared. They're doing the homework, understanding their finances and preparing themselves rather than waiting for the headlines to improve."
She also highlighted that today's market can benefit buyers, as reduced competition gives them greater bargaining power. "When demand softens, sellers usually become more realistic. That creates opportunities to negotiate that simply don't exist when buyers are competing against multiple offers," she said.
Success Story: From Webinar to Completion
One recent success story illustrates her point: a renter who attended tenant2owner's first webinar six months ago is now set to complete on her own home. Ogunfeibo emphasised that she does not recommend everyone buy immediately; affordability, job security, and personal circumstances should always take priority. However, she urged buyers to focus less on headlines and more on their own financial readiness. "Nobody buys a headline. They buy security, stability and somewhere to call their own. If your finances are ready, don't let negative headlines stop you exploring whether homeownership is possible," she added.
