Tips for buying a house in the UK
1. Establish your moving costs
2. Find out how much you can borrow
3. Decide where you want to live
4. Find a property
5. Get a solicitor/conveyancer
6. Get a property survey
7. Arrange home insurance
8. Research moving companies

Buying a house in the UK may appear to be a stressful, complicated, and lengthy process, especially if you are doing it for the first time. You have to make a myriad of important decisions and consider so many things before buying the desired property. The good news is that there are some simple tips that can make your home-buying experience much more enjoyable.

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1. Establish your moving costs

How much will you need to spend? Apart from mortgage payments, there are many other costs related to the purchase of a house in the UK. Removal costs, furnishing and decorating costs, buildings insurance, lender fees, legal fees, and solicitor’s fees are just some of those that you should consider. As well as these, do not forget about hidden costs. A great idea is to ask professional financial consultants to help you calculate all the costs involved in the complicated process of buying a house. This way, you can be sure there will be no nasty surprises down the line.

2. Find out how much mortgage you can borrow

Generally, when buying a house, you will need to apply for a mortgage. The amount of money you can borrow from a building society or bank depends on various factors, such as your income, credit score, and the size of your deposit. If you are going to buy a house with other people, their finances will also be taken into account. Also, keep in mind that in most cases, you will need to put forward a substantial sum of money as a deposit – anywhere from 5%-20% of the house price is standard. Therefore, it is worth saving as much as you can before you buy. The bigger your deposit, the lower interest rates.

3. Decide where you want to live

Things are much easier if you want to buy a new house close to where you already live. However, if you are moving across the country, you need to spend more time choosing the area. Everyone wants to be happy with where they live, so you must do your research thoroughly to get this important decision right. If possible, spend several nights in the potential area to check out the shops, schools, restaurants, transport links, flood zones, development applications, crime levels, and overall atmosphere. You should also consider the cost of living in the new area, as this can differ greatly across the country.

4. Find a property

Start looking for a house in advance. You can keep track of new offers by registering on the property portals, such as Zoopla and Rightmove. Do not hesitate to get some advice from local estate agents. Once you have found a property you are satisfied with, arrange a viewing. Some estate agents can provide you with virtual and physical viewings, so you can get a general idea of a property before you visit it in person. After that, it is time to make your offer. Be ready that your first offer may not be accepted, as the seller can also negotiate for the best price.

5. Get a property solicitor or conveyancer

After your offer is accepted, you need to get professional help to handle the legal work. In England and Wales, this involves dealing with the Land Registry, drawing up and checking contracts, paying stamp duty and carrying out searches. A qualified solicitor or conveyancer can make conveyancing easy for buyers and ensure there won’t be any problems with the property. Be sure to hire a professional with enough working experience.

6. Get a property survey

Unless you are very experienced with property, you will probably need to get a survey. This will help you assess the condition of the building. You always need to be aware of any potential structural problems before you buy a house to make an informed decision. This will reveal if there are any structural issues that would affect the value and allows you to reduce the offer if there’s work that needs to be completed.

7. Arrange home insurance

It is vital to get quotes for your building and contents insurance. This makes sure that you will be covered if your house is, for example, flooded, or burnt down. There is a wide range of insurance companies that will always be in contact with you to meet all your needs and requirements.

8. Research moving companies

Even if you do not have a lot of furniture and other stuff to move, to handle a removal yourself is often not the best option. According to https://fineartshippers.com/, with professional help, you can make the moving process a lot easier and much more hassle-free. Take your time to find a reputable moving company, check its availability, and only then agree on a completion date with the seller.

Remember that the costs of your removal will mostly depend on the distance to your new property and the number of items you need to move. Because of this, a lot of moving homeowners will choose to declutter before they move, to reduce the amount they’re taking with them.

With this all done, you can finally relax and think about how you want to celebrate the move to your new property.

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