Steve and Graham are a credit to the industry. Lee was wonderful, we had a difficult time with someone down the chain and he kept us informed. We cannot thank or praise him enough.
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Expert Advice on Buying a home
Where do I start?
Firstly contact our office and speak to one of our staff, at this point they will want to get to know all about you so it is a good idea to consider some of the following:
- Which areas are you considering buying in?
- Are there other areas you may consider but do not know as well?
- What style of property are you looking for?
- What are your “needs” and what is on your “wish list”?
- How much are you prepared to spend for your “ideal home”?
- In terms of location, accommodation and price what are you most prepared to compromise on?
- Do you have a timescale you need to meet?
- Do you need to sell an existing property and if so, have you put it on the market yet?
- Do you know how much you can borrow and do you have the finances in place?
As soon as we have an idea of your requirements we can begin to show you properties that are currently for sale and begin to arrange for you to view some properties.
- We would advise seeing a good range of properties, however if you find the perfect property early on in your search, don’t delay as the likelihood is that if you like it someone else probably will as well!
- Give detailed and constructive feedback to your agent following viewings. This will help them know exactly what you need and save wasting valuable time during your search.
Once you have found your dream home
- Once you have seen your dream home, contact your agent and discuss making an offer. It is important to remember at this stage that an offer is not just about the money. A good agent will ask you to provide details of:
- Your buying position and if you are selling a property, which agent is handling your own sale.
- Your proposed timescales
- Any fixtures/fittings or conditions which form part of your offer
- How you propose to fund the purchase
- If you are arranging a mortgage then evidence that you have the required funds agreed in principal with a lender
Our sellers will expect us to obtain all of this information as it is a crucial part of their decision making process.
Once a price has been agreed, your agent will be the main point of communication between all the various parties involved in the transaction and will be there to assist wherever possible. Priorities at this stage are:
- Instruct an established local solicitor with knowledge and experience of your chosen location
- Instruct and pay your Independent Financial Adviser or Mortgage Broker to organise the survey.
Once the legal work has been completed and your finances are in place you will be in a position to “exchange contracts” and agree a moving date (completion) at which point you are able to take possession of your new home.
