The Magnificent Seven – Tips for home buyers

At Orchards Estates we love helping people find their ideal home. Over the years we’ve built up loads of knowledge about the process and what to do, and what not to do.

Here are our seven top tips in no particular order to make buying a property a successful and stress-free experience.

Budget properly – Buying a home is often more expensive than people think. Consider all costs involved including surveys, any mortgage arrangement fees, and legal costs.

Know your credit score – It’s really worthwhile checking your credit score is up to date and accurate before applying for a mortgage.

Mortgage in Principle – If you have a mortgage in principle from a lender this, along with proof of your deposit, will get you seen as a ‘serious buyer’. Ensure you have spoken to a proper IFA though.

Know the neighbourhood – Do your research into the areas you are interested in. Visit at different times of the day, but be careful of old stigmas attached to an area, it may have improved dramatically. Only take advice from those who live there as there is always a bit of location snobbery from those who don’t.

Leasehold Danger – If buying a leasehold property find out how long the lease is for. If it is less than 80 years think carefully about the costs involved in extending it.

Choose solicitors with care – Not all solicitors who deal with property sales are of the same quality. Get 3 quotes and remember cheap is not always cheerful. We can help advise the correct one to use for your property. Dealing with 100’s house sales we have insider knowledge on the best solicitor for your own situation.

Make friends with estate agents – We’re not all dodgy and by building rapport with estate agents you’ll often get alerted first when a prime property fitting your requirements hits the market.

Small print – Although we know these tips are wise they don’t constitute legal advice tailored to your situation.

Thanks for reading and if you have any property-related questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us – we’d love to help you.

Alex.

PS: Want to get a SOLD or LET sign outside your property quicker? Call our team on 01935 277977 or 01460 477977 or email: info@orchardsestates.com for honest, expert, and friendly advice.