Choosing your home

Trying to find the perfect home is stressful, time consuming and requires considerable effort if you are to maximise your chances of success.

It is not as simple, or at least it is very rarely as simple, as wanting 2 bedrooms for under £200,000 and as long as any property meets these criteria you are happy.

There is a huge amount of things to consider such as the local area, the neighbours, the state of repair of the property, the nature of the ownership (is it leasehold or freehold?), any legal complications with regard to the property’s registration, and just generally how you feel about a property. After all, it is going to be your home!

Therefore doing some research and arranging an ample amount of viewings is imperative if you want to avoid disappointment.

See 'Guide to the Viewing Process’ and ‘Viewing a Property’ for a more detailed look at the things to be considered if you are to make the right choices.

Hiring a solicitor

Hiring a solicitor or conveyancer to handle the legal stuff is highly advisable due to the fact that things can get very complicated and it is of paramount importance that the legal processes are carried out correctly for obvious reasons.

See ‘Guide to the Conveyancing Process’ for further information.

Make an offer

Once you have found the house of your dreams (or at least one that you like) it is time to make an offer.

Things to consider before making an offer include: 

• Prices of similar properties recently sold or for sale in the local area (you must though be wary of the property’s individual extras/inadequacies, a brand new kitchen for example will inflate the price. Conversely, if you feel the particular property is below par in terms of state of repair, bring it up in negotiation, but always be polite)
• The inclusion of fixtures and fittings should be agreed and put on paper
• Initial offers are generally 5-10% lower than the asking price
• Likely demand for the property you are interested in. See ‘The Best Time to Sell Your Property’ 
• Position of the seller; do they want a quick sale? Can you boast the freedom from a property chain and guarantee fast completion?
• Getting a written agreement in principle to show the seller that you are a serious buyer with the funds to back up your interest.

Get a survey and valuation done

Surveys and valuations can be expensive but they are necessary. You are spending a huge amount of money and so everything must be checked and double checked.

You do not want to pay over the odds and you certainly do not want to buy a home that has got a whole load of hidden problems.