Meet Shahram, the Allbricks founder and CEO, who shared with us why he started Allbricks and part of his journey to get here.
How it started.
I had a financially challenging childhood. Unfortunately, I was born into a place caught up in political conflict, and because of this, I grew up experiencing the fear that comes from not knowing if I would survive the night or make it through the next day. To get away from the danger, we moved many times. I’d arrive as the ‘new kid’ with my sister just months before exams, then barely pass. Then it would be time to move again, leaving friends behind.
More recently as an adult, I found the pattern repeating. In the last 20 years of living in the UK we’ve had to move 12 times, most of them triggered by the landlord wanting to sell the house we were renting.
There are families all over the UK who feel exactly the same. Renting doesn’t work for everyone. They can’t put down roots, plan ahead or even visualise their future, because there’s a fair chance it won’t happen in the house they’re in now. That’s the simple reality for many renters today, because the odds are stacked against them. House prices have increased to such an extent that a mortgage is out of reach for seven million potential buyers.
Each move meant huge disruption in our lives. Could we find a place in the same area? Could we still afford to live here? If we couldn’t, would our child have to move schools? How much of our deposit would we lose this time? Each time it was extremely stressful, and the worry that the next landlord would tell us to move was never far away. We didn’t have peace of mind and didn’t dare commit to anything long term; simple things like joining a gym, a sports club or even getting a pet.
Being able to look ahead .
Twenty years ago, you had a fair chance of ‘getting on the property ladder’ if you saved a 5% deposit. Fast forward to today, and you might have worked hard for years, saved every last penny and still be nowhere near the bottom rung. We talk so casually about ‘generation rent’ when in fact it’s highly damaging to individuals, families and even communities.
Changing the game.
In 2016, I decided it had to change. I founded Allbricks to put the fading dream of home ownership back within reach. To give hard-working people the chance to achieve the same thing our parents’ generation did; a home they love.
I want everyone to have the opportunity to buy a place, make it their own and share the benefit if the price rises. I want them to have the security, comfort and freedom of a long-term home and a long-term asset. All while being free from debt, free from interest-rate rises and without the worry of having to move because a property is being sold.
Allbricks is an alternative to a traditional mortgage that can get buyers into their true home years earlier. It’s been hard work to get here, and I thank my parents for the example they set. Now it’s time for others to see that their hard work can pay off too.
Thanks for letting me share my story. I’d love to hear from you in return – if you’ve struggled to get a mortgage or to save for a deposit, tell us your story by dropping us a note at info@allbricks.co