A Guide For First-Time Buyers

Selling your home can be a long process, especially when you have never done it before. If you're a first time buyer and you're a little confused about certain aspects of the property world, hopefully this article will give you some peace of mind...

Estate Agents

When you want to find a new home to live in, the first people you should visit are your local estate agents. They will take into account what you are looking for a in a home, e.g. how many bedrooms, bathrooms, whether or not you want a garden and if you are looking within a certain location etc. They will also take into account your budget and will try to find a home that matches your requirements and budget as closely as possible. Then they will arrange appointments for you to go and see some homes that are for sale. They may or may not take you on appointments personally. Typically, an estate agent will take 2-3.5% from a house sale.

Chains

Chains can be never-ending sometimes. A chain is a way of explaining the links between those buying and those selling. So if one seller needs to sell their home before buying another and the buyer needs to sell their home before buying the seller's home - that's a chain. If every buyer needs to sell before they buy, there can be a never-ending chain. If you're a first-time buyer, you are less likely to have a chain following you. If you are buying from a seller who isn't buying another place, you have the best chance of a quick and easy sale.

Solicitors

When selling a home or buying one, you will need conveyancing solicitors to draw up contracts and provide advice. They will also deal with submitting the offers and the entire legal side of the purchase/sale. Convey law is a very specific business, so make sure you go to the best professionals for the finest service.When dealing with convey law, talk to your solicitors and ask for advice if you are ever failing to understand something.

Packing

For first time-buyers, moving can be a real challenge when it comes to packing your belongings up. It's the first time you'll have ever really experienced something like this, so it's best to ask advice from parents, friends or family members who may be able to help you. Try to remember that packing your fragile items takes a lot more time than simply putting books and DVDs into a cardboard box. Use lots of bubble wrap, foam peanuts and air cushions to keep your fragile belongings from moving around in their boxes and smashing into other packed things. This will also ensure that they remain intact if someone should drop the box or rest something else on top of it.

Change of Address

Lastly, make sure that you notify all important services (such as gas/electric, council or TV companies etc.) of your address change. You don't want to be paying someone else's bills and you certainly don't want to be fined for missing bills because they kept being sent to your previous address.So there you have it. If you're a first-time buyer and have never lived alone, I hope these tips have proven useful!