Don't get me wrong SF - I didn't "just go to my bank and ask for a mortgage", both times (mortgage and remortgage) I used an IFA who is bloody brilliant, and I shopped around and did my own research. My mortgage costs me £290 a month which didn't happen by accident
So, having done it twice, and having ended up in my late 20s with 30% equity in my house, I stand by my opinion that the only easy, safe, reliable and relatively risk-adverse way of getting a mortgage that you can afford month on month is by saving, and saving a lot
