Tips for Buying

Whether you are looking for your first home or have moved ten times before this can be a daunting task! Take one step at a time using our guide but remember it’s always about what’s most important to you.

Budget

Most importantly you need to know how much you have to spend, there’s absolutely no point in wasting your time looking at homes at an unrealistic budget. If you haven't already made a budget in the MoveReady mobile app, you can use our Move Budget tool to help calculate how much you can afford. 

Getting prepared

Although it’s not essential, getting prepared ahead of time may help when it comes to making an offer, particularly if there are other interested parties. Do your research early on with regards to mortgage providers and solicitors, see our guides on Arranging a Mortgage and Choosing a Conveyancer for more help. 

Finding the right area

Choosing the right location is paramount, not only to suit your life now but also when the time comes to sell and move on. These are the questions to ask yourself:

• Commute time - how long will it take to get to and from work at peak times?
• How good are the transport links (motorways, trains, buses etc)?
• Are there local nurseries and schools? What is their Ofsted rating?
• What shops are within walking or driving distance? Who delivers to the area?
• Are there any public parks or recreational facilities?
• Check out the local press, council websites and social media groups - are there any plans that may affect the area?

Go To Viewings

Don’t prejudge. Look at everything in your budget in the area you’ve decided on, you don't want to miss out on something amazing and if the property is not for you at least you can use it to compare with others. It’s a good idea to look at properties up to 10% over your budget with the view that the seller may accept an offer.

Makes notes on each property immediately after the viewing, after you’ve viewed a couple they will start to merge! Make a short list of those you are most interested in and review the notes you made, you often see things differently a second time round.

Ask to see the upfront property information. This detailed information is required by law following a change made in 2023 by Trading Standards. If the seller is MoveReady, you can ask for the MoveReady Property Profile that contains this information. 

Compromises

It’s rare that you get everything you wish for but nevertheless you should aim high! Make a list of 'must haves', 'would likes' and 'don’t wants' and use this when you view each property. 

Making an Offer

So you’ve decided on one or two properties that you like, it’s time to make an offer! This can be intimidating but don’t worry, your estate agent will do all the hard work for you. Before deciding on a figure there are a few things to take into consideration.

• Does the property need any work addressed immediately?
• What have similar properties sold for recently?
• Is the seller MoveReady, showing they have everything in place for a faster move?
• Is there a complete upper chain in place or does someone still need to find somewhere?
• Have you reviewed the MoveReady Property Profile that shows detailed information about the property?
• Are there any items you want to be included in the sale?

Work out from this what you would like to offer on the property. If they say no you can always increase your offer, most sellers will turn down a first offer. Set yourself an upper limit of which you’d be willing to pay and stick to your guns! Buying a home can be an emotional event which can make it harder to negotiate. We suggest giving it some time and thought before coming back with a counter offer, your agent may be able to give you some guidance - maybe the seller has suggested a price that they’d accept?

If you're not already MoveReady, you can get MoveReady by downloading the app. Once your offer is accepted, you can also sign up for our Move Track service that will guide you through the whole process of buying your new home.

Good luck!