For most of us, buying a home is one of the biggest investments we will ever make. At NGU Homesales & Lettings we believe in turning that from a daunting thought into a positive and exciting process.
We are passionate about matching you with your dream house whether that be to live in yourself or to own as an investment, and as such, we take care and time to understand your personal needs while always providing our honest and professional opinion.
As a company, we own over 150 properties so we know our fair share about buying a new home and the steps needed to make things run as smoothly as possible.
Below, we have outlined the process we have run through hundreds of times before, both personally and with our buyers, to give you a clearer picture of what to expect when buying through NGU Homesales & Lettings.
1. If applicable, sell your property first
If you are looking to move from one home to another, you need to decide if you are going to sell your current property. Often, an estate agent or seller will not accept an offer without you having sold your property first. So, it’s best to get your property on the market straight away.
At NGU Homesales & Lettings we offer a 25% discount on our agency fee if you sell your property through us while also buying a property we have for sale; it’s easier for us to manage the sales process and we are happy to pass on any savings we make to you. If you choose to rent out your property as an investment rather than selling, you could change the mortgage to a buy-to-let and we’re happy to provide advice on this if required.
If you’re a first-time buyer, you can skip this step.
2. Organise your finances, speak to a mortgage advisor & get an Agreement in Principle (AIP)
If you are needing to borrow money to purchase your home, you will first need to save for a deposit. A deposit can range upwards from 5% of the property value. E.g. if a property is £100,000 your deposit would need to be upwards of £5,000.
Once you have some money saved, you will need to speak to a mortgage advisor and get an ‘Agreement in Principle’. This shows you the maximum you can borrow and what your budget is, allowing you to choose the right price range to look at.
When making an offer agents will often put customers at the front of the queue who already have finance in place since it shows you are a proceedable buyer. We highly recommend you do this straight away.
Don’t have a mortgage advisor yet? No worries, we work closely with a recommended advisor who can give you access to lots of deals not on the high street.
3. Choose an estate agent and stay in contact with your consultant
Having a close relationship with your property agent can be the difference between landing your dream property or missing out. At NGU Homesales & Lettings we work closely with our buyers to understand exactly what you need, so when that perfect property comes in, you’re the first to know!
There’s nothing better than matching a buyer with their dream home or perfect investment to grow their income. We love to develop a close working relationship with all our buyers.
4. Viewing properties
The exciting part!! Get out there and view – it’s a national obsession!
Although we will be able to guide you and show you properties based on your criteria, there is nothing quite like that first feeling when stepping through the door of a potential purchase.
For many, the feeling is almost instant. You either love it, or you don't… Sometimes the property has everything on your list but doesn’t quite feel right, and other times you might find something you didn't know you needed (that’s where we come in). Our job is to use our experience and put what you have told us into action to get you into properties you love as quickly as possible.
5. Make an offer
You have found the one - Amazing news!
Now it's time to make it yours. You need to make an offer and be clear on your upper limit if negotiations occur; you may need to react quickly.
Finally, be clear on why you’re the best buyer i.e. your financial position, how quickly you can purchase, whether you are local, etc. This could end up being the deciding factor and why the seller chooses you.
6. Appoint a solicitor or conveyancer
This is one of your most important choices throughout the process. Your solicitor or conveyancer will take you from getting the offer accepted right through to you picking up the keys. They deal with all the legalities and guide you through every step of the way.
At NGU Homesales & Lettings we work closely with recommended solicitors who we choose to work with ourselves when purchasing a property.
Buying a house can be extremely stressful, especially when using a solicitor whose communication is poor. That’s why we suggest using a solicitor you’ve used before or going with our recommendation.
The typical time frame to purchase a property is between 12-16 weeks although this can vary depending on the seller/buyer's circumstances.
7. Get a mortgage agreed, if applicable
If you require a mortgage you need to get it secured through your mortgage advisor. From there, the lender, the solicitor, and the agent will work together to make sure that your mortgage is secured and the purchase goes smoothly to completion.
8. Decide if you want a survey
Most mortgage companies will carry out a free survey on any property they are lending money against, however, this tends to be very basic and mainly assesses the value of the property.
It is a personal choice if you choose to get a more in-depth survey done but it will highlight any potential issues the property may have. Most companies offer 2 levels of survey at incremental costs depending on the depth of investigation.
We’d always suggest getting a survey since purchasing a property is the largest investment you’ll likely ever make and the cost of a few hundred pounds could save you thousands.
We can recommend a surveyor to you if required.
9. Take ownership of your home
The big day has arrived!! You have exchanged contracts through your solicitor, you have paid your deposit and now it is time to collect your keys.
This is a huge, exciting, and life-changing day for most, and for us, one of the most rewarding parts of our job. We’ll have the keys ready for you so now you can enjoy it!