Welcome to Atwel James’s guide, specially designed for the first time property buyers! We understand that the first time property buying experience is both awesome and overwhelming and depends much on your knowledge of the domain, research and on-hand preparations before starting to look for suitable properties.
We have created this guide for our property buyers looking for more information to get started with the search. You may find some of the below sections more relevant than others. We will continue to add more information to this page, so keep coming back!
Working out your budget
If you have decided to own a property, we suggest you research about the kind of property that interests you. It is important to estimate your budget before starting to look for a property as it will save you a lot of time in narrowing your search. It is also important to find out what you can afford comfortably in the long-run without getting your family into financial risks. So take some time to find out the price ranges for the kind of property that suits you and estimate your budget!
Getting your mortgage
As property buyers, it is usually not easy to pay the real price of the property at the time of purchase. So, securing a mortgage with a lender / financial provider is a great alternative. While you need to know your mortgage payment options before beginning your property search, it is also important to know that an initial deposit of more than 5% – 15% can get you better mortgage deals.
Knowing your budget, timescales and logistics make the process fairly easy for you, the property seller and the businesses that help the legal and financial aspects. So we suggest you get all the information that you need before finalising your mortgage with a lender.
Finding your perfect property
With properties already waiting on the market to be sold and with new properties adding every day, a comprehensive list of your ‘like to have’ and ‘must have’ is important to stay focused and shortlist the properties efficiently. The preferences are different for each buyer and it’s a good idea to let your letting agent know about it. We, at Atwel James, can help you create a comprehensive list and keep you informed about the properties matching your preferences.
Maximising your house viewing time
Some viewings are shorter than expected with short prior notice and a quick viewing of the property. Without prior preparation, it’s not easy to remember everything after you have left the property to refer back to and compare with other viewings. So we suggest you be available for the viewings and carry a checklist when you visit a property to see if it matches your expectations and whether you would like to proceed!
Negotiating and making your property offer
Once you have found your best matched (or even, perfect) property, Atwel James advises that you be careful and tough in your negotiations with the seller. When you already know the best possible deal for you, it will give you a huge boost in confidence through the last stages of the buying process. And of course, we will help you all the way!
Conveyancing – the legal bits
Don’t be too overwhelmed by the legal aspects of buying a property. Atwel James has several experienced letting advisors to help you deal with different types of property. We will put all the key steps into plain English to help you along your journey from offer to completion.
Preparing for your house moving day
Moving house can be a stressful time for everyone in the family and being organised is the only key to minimise everyone’s stress levels. We are here to help you manage the transition and owning your property. Come in or give us a call and let us get you where you want to be!
