Before you start the process of buying a home you will firstly need to know how you are going to pay for it.

If you are a first-time buyer you will need to save up a deposit, and it is worth at this early stage speaking to a Mortgage Advisor to find out how much you can afford.  They will be able to issue you with a “Mortgage Agreement in Principle” which will be useful later in the process.

You may also need to sell your existing home in order to afford your next one.

Speak to your LOCAL Michael Tuck office who can provide you with a free market appraisal of your property and will put you in touch with a “fee-free” independent mortgage advisor.

Once you have an idea of how much you can borrow, you can start thinking about the area you would like to live in and the kind or property you can afford. Check out our local area guide to find out more about each location!

Think about transport links and how close you are to shops, restaurants, pubs, schools and your place of work.

Also think about the type of home that you want to buy.

Considerations will include number of bedrooms, parking, gardens and storage etc..

Now you can register with Michael Tuck Estate Agents and we will keep you informed of any suitable properties that fit your criteria.

It is important to view any shortlisted properties in person.  Feel free to visit our viewing guide page, on the website or print and use our viewing check list to help with your decision making.

Once you have decided upon the property you want to buy, you can put in an offer.

Mention any points that stand in your favour.  For example, if you’re a chain-free first time buyer, or have a “Mortgage Agreement in Principle” already prepared.

Michael Tuck Estate Agents will confirm your offer in writing and put it forward to the vendor.

The vendor will then decide whether to accept, refuse or make a counter offer.  We will confirm the outcome to you in writing at stages of the negotiation.

We recommend that you read our “how to make an offer on a house” guide.

Once your offer is accepted you will now need to apply for your mortgage officially.  We recommend that even if you have a “Mortgage Agreement in Principle”, you should speak to an independent Mortgage Advisor to ensure that you are aware of all of your options and secure the best deal for you.

A mortgage application usually takes at least three weeks but can take longer during busy periods.  There will be lots of paperwork involved so it is worth having your bank statements and pay slips to hand to avoid any delays.

Your mortgage advisor will provide you with a mortgage illustration which will outline details of the loan and after a few weeks the lender will issue a formal mortgage offer which will be required to buy the property

Speak to your LOCAL Michael Tuck office who will put you in touch with a “fee-free” independent mortgage advisor.

Read our article “What happens now I’ve had an offer accepted on a house?”

A conveyancer or solicitor will need to be employed to take care of the legal side of your house purchase.

We recommend that you obtain several quotes from local conveyancers who understand the local area and are on hand for you to deliver any documents that are required.

The conveyancer will ensure that you sign all the necessary documents, will arrange all the money transfers, and ensure that the property is transferred into your name.

They will undertake checks on the property  called searches to make sure you know exactly what you are buying, the conditions of ownership, where your boundaries are and any other obligations.

Speak to your LOCAL Michael Tuck office who can recommend a selection of local conveyancers.

The mortgage company will arrange for a valuation to make sure the property you are purchasing is worth at least what you are paying for it.

However, you may wish to employ a surveyor to assess the condition of the building and detect any potential problems with it.

Most surveyors provide three levels of survey – a Condition Report, a Homebuyer’s report and a Building Survey.  The cost will depend on the location, size and type of property.

Once the legal work is complete and the funds are in place, it’s time to exchange contracts.  You firstly need to need to pay your deposit, which is usually 10% of the purchase price.

This is now the stage in the process where the agreement for you to buy the property is legally binding, so if you pull out of the sale after this then you forfeit your deposit.

Completion day is the day on which ownership of the property officially transfers over to you.  The date will usually be agreed in advance which is easier the shorter the chain is.

As soon as the money is transferred to the seller you can collect your keys and move into your new home.

Feel free to read our “Five tips for moving house” guide and download our “moving checklist” to help make the move as smooth as possible.

Physically moving into a new property is exhausting work and it is often easier to employ a removals company, especially if you need to be out of your previous property on the same day!

Now comes the much more enjoyable task of starting to furnish and decorate the property to your taste – and maybe even taking a moment to simply relax.  You have earnt it!

Preparation and planning are the key to any move, so use our handy moving guide to work through the list of things to do before the big day.