If you’re not already set on an area, we would recommend doing some research into a few areas you like the look of. As well as online, you can also spend some time visiting each place, perhaps at different times of day, to explore what they have to offer.
Have a look through our area guides for more information about where we cover, including schools, transport, restaurants and local businesses.
Before you start looking for your property, you’ll need to have a good idea of how much you’ve got to spend. If you’re going to be getting a mortgage we would suggest speaking to a broker first who will be able to give you an indication of what you can borrow. It is also worth getting a mortgage offer in principle - a short letter confirming what you can afford. A broker can arrange one for you and having this will assist in getting your offer accepted when the time comes.
Remember to take stamp duty into consideration when deciding on your budget.
If you are selling your property we would recommend having this on the market before you start your search. Vendors will want to know that your sale is in hand (or at least being marketed) so that it won’t cause any delays to your ability to purchase.
If you’d like to speak to us about a valuation we’d be delighted to assist - it can help having the same agent managing your sale as well as the purchase.
Now to the fun part! Register your interest so that you are the first to hear about new properties that come to the market. It’s good to know your requirements - how many bedrooms do you need; is outside space important; do you have requirements on which floor you need to live on; are you more interested in period conversions or new builds? Then you can start arranging viewings and having a look around.
Once you’ve found the right property you’ll need to make an offer and we will then put this forward to the seller. Once the price is agreed, you’ll need a solicitor to act for you in your purchase. In our experience it is worth paying for quality here to ensure there are no hiccups during the transaction. If you need any recommendations please do get in touch.
Your solicitor will arrange for local authority searches and will make enquiries to the vendor’s solicitor. At the same time, your mortgage lender will arrange a valuation visit and you should also arrange a buildings survey if you require one.
This happens when enquiries have been satisfied and you have received a final mortgage offer. Once the contract has been signed by both parties, the deposit (usually 10%) will be transferred from your solicitor to the vendor’s solicitor.
A completion date is agreed and at this point you can breathe a sigh of relief and start arranging your move!