Buying a Home: A Simple Guide

Exciting Times and Challenges

Buying a home is thrilling, but you may face challenges like competition from other buyers, sorting out your money, and managing the legal side of things.

Our Step-by-Step Guide
We'll show you how to navigate these steps and strengthen your position when you find the home you love.

Selling to Buy
Many people wait to find a new home before selling their current one. However, this often leads to missed opportunities, as others ready to move quickly take the homes they wanted.

Your Choices:

List Your Home Now: Tell your estate agent about your situation so they can communicate with potential buyers. This way, you can move quickly once you find a home you love without feeling rushed.
Prepare But Wait to List: If you're not ready to list your home, get everything in order with an estate agent so you can list immediately when you find the right property.

Getting a Mortgage
Understand what you can borrow before you start looking. Online calculators are helpful, but a mortgage broker can give you a detailed view based on your situation. They'll provide an Agreement in Principle (AIP), showing sellers you're serious and ready to buy.

Stay Alert for New Listings
Sign up for alerts on Rightmove, Zoopla, and estate agents' VIP lists to get early notice of new properties. This can give you a head start in a competitive market.

Viewing Homes
Do a drive-by first to see if you like the location and neighborhood. During the viewing, ask questions, measure for your furniture, and check for any potential issues with the property. Find out what's included in the sale, like fixtures or appliances.

Making an Offer
When you've found the right home, submit your offer in writing and specify any conditions. You'll need to show proof of funds and provide details for your solicitor and estate agent.

The Legal Process
Hire a solicitor to handle the legal work. You'll complete some forms and pay for property searches. The whole process usually takes 12–16 weeks, with your estate agent helping to keep things moving.

The Costs
Remember to budget for all costs involved in buying a home, including:
• Estate agent fees (if selling)
• Solicitor's fees and search costs
• Mortgage broker fees
• Survey costs
• Stamp duty
• Removal costs
• Insurance (you'll need buildings insurance from the day you complete)

This simplified guide aims to help you understand the process and make your home-buying journey as smooth as possible.

How can we help? Drop us a line, we’d love to hear from you

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