Buying a property will not be free of stress but we firmly believe that with the right preparation, conveyancer and agent, you can make it smoother, easier and often save yourself money. Below are some points to consider when you embark on the process.
Finance
If you are one of the large percentage of buyers who need a mortgage, it’s important to start researching mortgage brokers and the type of mortgage you’d like as soon as possible, as, leaving this too late can slow the sales process down for you. When you make an offer on a property through the home selling company or any respectable agent, you will be expected to provide various documentation to show your financial position, information about yourself and whether or not you have a “decision in principal” from your mortgage provider. Having all of this information readily available is important as when we put an offer forward to our client we want to ensure you are put forward in the best and most accurate way. Finally, there are lots of other costs associated with buying a property such as stamp duty land tax, assigning of leases (in leasehold & share of freehold properties) and it is important you are aware of these from the outset – we can provide more information on these by request.
Legal
A very important point that many buyers often overlook is the importance of a good conveyancer who oversees the legal process involved in buying a property. We personally recommend that you do not shop on price but ensure you find a local, reputable firm who will know the agents and properties in the area where you are buying. As soon as your offer is accepted you must inform your firm of solicitors as soon as possible as this gets things off to the right start.
Surveys
As you can imagine, every property is different and some are in better condition (both internally and externally) than others. Surveyors will be able to inspect the property and give you a report on the condition and various aspects of the property you may or may not have considered that can affect value and/or highlight any potential costs that you may incur in the future. Whether or not you choose to instruct a surveyor should depend on you as the buyer but also the property you are buying. We can always give our opinion on this but naturally the decision should be made by you.
