To kick 2020 off in style, we’ve partnered with The Midult, the brilliantly funny duo of writers, authors, speakers and incredibly good friends Annabel Rivkin and Emilie McMeekan. They’re the forces behind a number one bestselling book, I’m Absolutely Fine — A Manual for Imperfect Women and a podcast by the same name. We love their tone of voice and the fact that humour is woven throughout everything they do whether they’re tackling first world problems or people’s most deep-seated anxieties. Habito’s founder and CEO, Daniel Hegarty, joined A&E for their Boxing Day podcast special to talk homes, house-buying hell, mortgage myths and ‘power knits’.
Like us, The Midult speak plainly, they do things a little differently but most of all they want to have great conversations about life’s big milestones in order to help others going through similar challenges. We asked Annabel and Emilie to give us the lowdown on where they live, their mortgage hell and their home goals for 2020.
ANNABEL RIVKIN
Where do you live, Annabel?
I live in Shepherds Bush in West London. I moved to a rental in the area when I was heavily pregnant and bought this property, as a single mother, when my baby was a few weeks old. I was basically insane with tiredness and panic. But also with hope.
What made you choose Shepherds Bush?
I was looking at Shepherds Bush and Kensal Rise because they were familiar to me. In the end it was about the house not the area.
So what was it about the house?
My house is ramshackle but it has elegant bones and excellent light. Also remember I was insane at the time so it rather chose me. I just walked in and thought ‘this could work’ and made an offer. I bought the biggest house I could afford. Low spec. Terrible street.
What makes it home for you?
The fact that it’s clean and colourful and has kept the rain and the wind off my small boy. I am hugely grateful for that.
Is there anything you’d like to do to your house in 2020?
Don’t get me started. I have a tiny, super-cheap kitchen that I’d like to bash through and I want to move the bathroom situation around and make some more storage. There is a very nice man doing some painting as I type. It’s all I can afford and I think will freshen things up and make me feel better.
If you could change one thing about your home what would it be?
It’s tall and thin and I’ve always fantasised about a fat ‘villa’ style house. Also I’d triple its size — I love huge spaces. I adore the idea of rattling around!
Have you ever experienced mortgage hell?
I have an uncomfortably large, interest-only mortgage. I took dodgy advice when getting it — I find forms genuinely upsetting because they baffle me — so I overpaid for five years. I fantasise about a repayment mortgage. How sexy is THAT?
EMILIE MCMEEKAN
Where do you live, Emilie?
I live in Kensal Rise — I have always lived West — I grew up in Hammersmith and my first flat was a tiny, tiny studio in Notting Hill — so when we got married my husband and I moved North West for actual space.
What do you like about your community?
The area has the most incredible support network: from the Kensal Rise Library that the community fought for ten years to keep open, to the cafes and the shops where you can always find what you are looking for — and that could be anything from a strange vegetable to the use of a mobile phone if you have locked yourself out of your house (true story). Jackie at Supra has the best eye for relevant yet wearable clothes (the dream) and there’s now a local chef who bakes bread that you can order on Instagram (@Kensal_risen). Sorry my area smugerry is out of control. I’ll stop now.
Do you have any tales of mortgage hell to share?
I’ve been freelance for the past few years and, well, I am too scared to change my mortgage. When we tried to borrow more last year (to do an extension) the rigmarole was such that we gave up. So now I am just playing the waiting game. Not very patiently.
Do you have any home renovation plans you would like to realise this year?
I love our house and it is a constant renovation project — we did a major kitchen extension five years ago and every time I walk into the kitchen I feel unbelievably lucky. That’s not to say that I am satisfied though — I want to do the loft extension so I can hide up there FOREVER.
To hear Habito’s Founder and CEO, Daniel Hegarty, talk about how Habito is helping freelancers like Emilie and Annabel get access to great (and free!) mortgage advice, search for episode 23 of The Midult’s I’m Absolutely Fine Podcast, available on iTunes.
