Whether you’re buying a home for the first time or whether you’re a frequent mover we have a great deal to offer. Property Investment Agency will talk you through the options available to you when it comes to moving.
Step 1 – Make an appointment with us as we will want to meet you and get to know all about you, so invest some time and think about the following:
- It is useful to establish how much you can afford to spend. *cost of buying a home* If a mortgage is required then it is always advisable to discuss your financial details with a bank or building society. Many lending institutions will enable you to apply on-line and tell you how much you can borrow; or you could talk to an independent mortgage adviser who will be happy to guide you through the process and help select the right mortgage for you.
- Which areas would you consider buying in?
- Are there other areas you would consider but don’t know well?
- What kind of property are you looking for?
- What are the “must-haves” and “don’t wants”?
- How much are you prepared to spend to get what you want?
- When do you want to have moved by?
- Do you need to sell and if so, is your property on the market yet?
Step 2 – Start viewing some property
Once your agent has a good idea of your needs, it’s time to get out there and see a good range of properties so that you can get a grip on what your money will buy in your chosen area.
The sooner you become confident about value, the sooner you will be in a position to buy with conviction.
See as much as you can, however if you find the perfect property early on in your search, don’t delay – if you like it, the probability is that someone else will as well!
Give detailed feedback to your agent; it will help to guide them in assisting you.
Step 3 – I’ve found it! This is the one! I want to make an offer!
If you are interested in a property then make an offer. If your offer is accepted it will be on a “subject to contract” basis. It is important to remember that once an offer is accepted neither the seller or the buyer are legally bound until contracts are exchanged so, it is important to move as quickly as possible to avoid being disappointed at a later stage. Remember that the estate agent is legally bound to place all offers in writing to the seller and is instructed to act in the interests of the seller and not the buyer.
We will be asking you to provide details of:
- your buying position
- proposed time frames
- any inclusions (curtains, carpets, etc)
- how you propose to fund the purchase
Step 4 – What happens once the offer has been agreed?
Property Investment Agency will be the main point of communication between all parties involved in the transaction and will be with you every step of the way to assist where at all possible.
It is important to instruct your solicitor to carry out the conveyancing process as soon as your offer has been accepted. Conveyancing covers areas such as checking legal documents which are required for change of ownership, and making local authority searches to find out if any plans have been submitted which may adversely affect the property or its value. The conveyancer will deal with the actual purchase of the property and advise you of the costs involved.
If you do not know of any conveyancers then ask ourselves who will be happy to recommend a suitable firm of solicitors. You may want to get two quotes in order to satisfy yourself that you are getting a fair deal.
Instruct and pay your IFA/ Mortgage broker (if applicable) to order the survey.
Step 5 – Exchange of Contract and Completion
Once the legal (or ‘conveyancing’) work has been carried out and your finances are in order, you will be in a position to ‘exchange contracts’ prior to the agreed ‘completion’, at which point you can take possession of the property.
Congratulations! You are now a proud owner of your new Home.
Step 6 – Time to move
Picked up your keys? Here are some more useful tips:
- Change the lock
- Take the meter reading & contact your utility provider
- Arrange a professional clean (if required)
- Go and knock on your neighbour to let them know you have moved in. You never know, they might help you with your boxes/ cuppa tea & biscuits / they could even be DIY experts!