The buying process
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Essential steps of buying a home
Our experienced team has guided countless buyers through every stage of the process, from initial property searches to collecting your keys. This guide breaks down the essential steps of buying a home, offering expert insights and practical advice to help you navigate the property market with confidence and achieve your homeownership dreams.
1. Your search begins
Firstly, make sure you register with one of our experienced sales negotiators who will check your requirements and access all properties that match your criteria.
We will then contact you by text message, e-mail or post. Full colour brochures can be printed from this website or posted to you. When you have registered with our office, SMS Property Alerts can instantly transmit the latest property information directly to your phone, whilst simultaneously emailing a full colour brochure to the email address of your choice.
2. Mortgage
It is advisable to get a mortgage agreed in principle as early as possible, as this will speed up your mortgage application. Our mortgage brokers have access to every mortgage on the market and, and unlike most mortgage brokers they won’t charge you a fee.
3. Arrange a viewing
The next step is to arrange viewings of suitable properties. Contact us to arrange a viewing on the property of your choice.
4. Make an offer
Once you’ve found a suitable property, we’ll put your offer forward to the seller, both verbally and in writing. Any offer is subject to a contract being signed. There are no legal obligations on either side until the contract is signed.
5. Sale agreed
Once your offer is accepted, you will need to instruct your solicitor to proceed immediately. At this stage always ensure that exchange and completion dates are agreed. This is also the time to instruct your mortgage broker to proceed with your mortgage application and make arrangements for a survey.
6. Draft contract
This will be drawn up by the seller’s solicitor and sent to your solicitor, who will raise some preliminary enquiries and make a Land Registry search.
7. Local authority search
Your solicitor will submit a local authority search to the local borough council. This will reveal, for example, planning consents granted for the property and any local issues.
8. Survey
A survey is carried out on the property by a surveyor on behalf of the mortgage lender to identify any structural problems and advise on the property’s value.
9. Contract approval
Once results of the local search and answers to the preliminary enquiries are received, the draft contract is approved by your solicitor providing there are no further enquiries.
10. Formal mortgage offer
This document will be sent to your solicitor for you to sign. Once signed and returned your mortgage is in place and you are ready to exchange contracts.
12. Completion
This is generally set a few days to a few weeks after exchange of contracts, depending on each parties’ personal requirements. Residual monies (usually 90%) are now transferred from your solicitor to the seller’s solicitor’s account.
You are now the legal owner of your new home. Congratulations!
