Buying your first house will be up there as one of the most exhilarating things you will ever do with your life.
Here are a few top tips to help your property purchase go as smoothly as possible.
Get your Mortgage application in early.
Having your mortgage approved will make you as a buyer far more attractive as often sellers will be looking for a speedy transaction.
Save as much of a deposit as you can.
A mortgage deposit is the lump sum that you put down on a house, which is a percentage of the house’s price. Usually between 5% & 20%. The bigger the deposit you put down, the more likely you are to get a low interest rate.
Be patient
Sometimes the processes that go along with buying a house can be excruciatingly slow. Lots of paperwork has to be done in the background, so don’t stress if it’s taking a bit longer for you to move.
Extra fees
The deposit is saved. That’s the hard part. But think about all the little extras. Your solicitors fees can add up, you may need to hire a van to get your stuff moved. These things need to be considered so you can make sure you are covered.
Buying
It is your first time! Buying a house is one of the biggest financial decisions that most people will make throughout their life. Try not to feel overwhelmed with the jargon and paperwork. Brokers, estate agents and solicitors are the professionals and they’ll be very accommodating in looking after you.
There are a few ways you can give off a first-time buyer vibe, and there are a few things to remember. When buying a property, the estate agent will try to get the best price for the seller.
Keeping this in mind, whilst on viewings, if you find the most perfect property, don’t make it too obvious. This won’t help when you want to negotiate or when it comes to pricing further down the line.
Remember, the asking price will not be the same as its value, research local properties and their prices. Get a good feel for the true value of the property. That way, you will be in a much better position to understand how much more or less you will be willing to offer.
Consider the first offer carefully, look at how long the property has been on the market, the reason for the sale and what interest they have had.
If you need to haggle, don’t forget, being a first-time buyer is an advantage. As you don’t have your own sale going through, the seller may be willing to accept a slightly lower offer than they would from a buyer who can’t progress with the sale as quickly.
Primarily, have a budget and stick with it. If there is no way the seller will come down to a price within your budget, don’t be scared to walk away – it obviously wasn’t meant to be.
If you are looking for your first home, we can help.
Get in touch with us here to discuss your property requirements.