Buying a home

UK Home Buyer's Guide

Deciding on your budget and sticking to it will stop you wasting time on unnecessary viewings. It is annoying when you find that the details sent through by the agents are always £5,000 more than the very top of your budget.

Once you have decided on the location then you will need to prioritise from there on. Is it the third bedroom or the larger garden? Off the main road or nicer neighbours? Local amenities or a good nursery?

A good way to research the area is to use the internet. The property portals offer a good selection of properties and local authority sites are informative regarding amenities, schooling and employment opportunities as well as crime statistics.

Once you have decided on a list of properties that you will be viewing keep your requirements in mind and rate the property with these in mind. Find out how long the property has been on the market and if it has been on for a while and had a lot of viewings it may well be because it is overpriced or has a problem that you may not pick up on during the initial viewing. It is difficult to take everything in on the first viewing and you should try to visit both the location and the property itself at different times of the day and evening, especially if you are concerned about noise from any local pubs or clubs. Parking may be a problem if you live near a school and have to park your car on the road. You may be aware of problems with the central heating system or the plumbing. You will need to consider these extra costs and negotiate with the vendor through the agent for any price reduction based on your findings.

Once you have decided on the property you wish to buy will need to instruct a surveyor to look at the property. The surveyor will be able to advise you of any work needed and the costs involved.

Once you have the results of the survey you will need to instruct a solicitor and conveyancer to begin work.

You will probably have agreed a price subject to the survey. Once it has been agreed than make sure that the property has been taken off the market. Once all the necessary searches have been carried out by the conveyancer and you are clear on what you are buying then a draft contract can be produced and eventually signed by both vendor and buyer. A completion date can then be set and you can arrange the move.

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