Congratulations – you’re buying a new house! There are few things in life more rewarding than reaching the point where you own your own home.
That being said, the house buying process can be incredibly stressful if you aren’t organised and prepared for what lies ahead.
To make the process smoother for you, we’ve assembled a ‘buying a new house checklist’ – it’s a handy list that you can refer back to, making sure you’ve covered all the necessary bases.
Property
- Where – Do you know where you want to buy?
- What – Flat? House? Terraced? Semi? Detached? Bungalow? New Build? Shared ownership?
- Commuter Links – Easy to reach? Local amenities around? Can you get to work easily from there?
- Bedrooms – Do you have enough? Right size?
- Garden – Do you want one? Is the size right?
Finances
- Price – What can you afford?
- Value – How does the house compare to local market rates?
- Deposit – How much have you got? How much do you need?
- Mortgage – Have you been accepted? How much can you borrow? Have you researched the best deals?
- Renovations/Projects – Can you finance any renovations? Can you buy new furniture? Can you afford extras you may need? Carpet? Flooring? Tradesmen?
Professionals
- Solicitor – Have you got one? Well recommended?
- Mortgage advisor – Do you need a mortgage advisor or will you go through your bank?
- Estate agent – take their contact details. Try to work with one particular person.
Area Research
- Are there any planned developments in the area? New roads or buildings that could affect you. New housing estates.
- Crime – is the level acceptable to you?
- Schools – if you need them, are they good enough? Close enough to you?
- Mobile phone coverage – can you get a signal?
- Broadband speed – can be very important for home workers etc.
Logistics
- Make sure your dates line up – keep you rental place (if you have one) for longer than you need to, in case of delays. If not, check hotel availability or tee up family and friends for a place to stay!
- Book your removal van – have them ready to go!
- If needed, arrange storage – have a place to store belongings if needed.
- Arrange services – broadband, services etc.
- Inform everyone – banks, work, family and friends, service providers etc of the new address.
The ‘buying a new house checklist’ can seem dauntingly long, which is why we’ve sectioned it up. Don’t worry though, by taking a deep breath and logically working your way through the list you will make the whole process much, much easier.
Buying a house is made a lot less stressful if you are prepared and organised. Keep all of your documentation organised, ideally in a single folder so you have access to everything quickly and easily.
Try to deal with individuals, rather than companies. If you deal with individuals or small businesses, you’ll have an easy and accessible point of contact. They’re also likely to have a smaller number of clients and deals on their books, meaning they’ll know more about you are your circumstances.
The house buying process is often stressful, but not always so. By preparing and organising yourself properly, you’ll give yourself the best chance of a stress-free purchase, leaving you free to enjoy the house rather than being overwhelmed by stress!
For more information on buying new build homes see Anwyl Homes.
