FIRST-TIME BUYERS 101
PART IV: FINDING YOUR HOME
So, as a first-time buyer, you’ve scrimped and saved, mastered mortgages, worked out a budget and finally, you’re now ready to begin the search for your first home.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
The first part of the preparation process is to shortlist the locations that not only you can afford, but that you’d like to live in. Picking the right area in which to make your new home requires careful consideration.
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Is it convenient for your commute to work? If you travel by public transport, check out the local train stations and bus routes to see if they’re notoriously unreliable. If you get to work by car, trace out your potential route to estimate how long your journey will be.
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Contemplate what amenities and facilities you would prefer to have at your disposal. Is it important for you to have supermarkets and local shops nearby? Parks and a leisure centre? Or are you more concerned with having trendy restaurants, bars and pubs on your doorstop?
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If you have a family or are looking to start one, cast an eye over the local schools and check to see if your home falls within the catchment areas.
INSIDER KNOWLEDGE
When you’re searching for your first home, getting in touch with the local estate agent is the safest bet. Not only do they have insider knowledge of the local community, but often, they’ll be able to let you know as soon as an ideal property becomes available on the market before it’s even been uploaded onto a website.
With years of experience under their belts, dealing with both vendors and buyers, estate agents will be able to give you the best advice when it comes to finding your first home.
THE INSPECTOR IS CALLING
It goes without saying; view the property before you buy. When you visit a house, it’s easy to be overwhelmed or swept up in the magic of the moment if it appears to be your dream home. To ensure that you’re not caught out by hidden damp in the walls or neighbours from hell, we’ve compiled a shortlist of items to inspect, but be prepared to write a more comprehensive checklist to have on hand every time you visit a potential property.
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Keep an eye out for damp; musty smells, wet spots, peeling wallpaper and condensation on windows are a giveaway.
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Check ceilings and corners for cracks in the plaster.
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Lift up mats and rugs to see if they’re hiding any deal-breaker stains.
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Test out the plumbing and hot water; switch on taps in both the kitchen and all bathrooms, flush toilets and check that the hot water tap works.
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Ask the seller to turn on the boiler and check the central heating, feeling the radiators to make sure they warm up.
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After obtaining permission, take pictures of the property. If you’re visiting several homes, it’s easy for one to blend into another. Keep track by taking snaps as you view.
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Take a look at your mobile and see if you’ve got phone reception. If you’re in a dead zone, you may find yourself perched on a lone windowsill, hand desperately outstretched as you try to catch a bar of signal.
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For serious contenders, view the property at different times of the day. It may be peaceful during the day, but the evenings could reveal noisy neighbours with a penchant for 80’s glam rock.
Don’t be afraid to ask the sellers or estate agents some probing questions; this is likely to be one of the biggest single purchases of your life.
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Why are the sellers moving? Is it a simple case of upsizing/downsizing, or is there more than meets the eye?
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If you’re buying a leasehold, what is the ground rent and how much are the service charges?
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What fixtures and fittings are included? Make sure to get it in writing to prevent disagreement further down the line.
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What is the council tax band?
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Once you’ve finally found your dream home, it’s time to put in an offer. When it comes to the asking price, you may find that as a first-time buyer, you have a little leverage as you come with the benefit of being chain-free. Make sure to investigate what similar properties in the area recently sold for to check that the price reflects the neighbourhood average.
If your offer is accepted, ask the seller to take it off the market while you apply for a mortgage (read our First-Time Buyers Guide, Part III: Mortgages Demystified here), to prevent other buyers from swooping in on your dream house.
In our last First-Time Buyers 101 guide, we will go through the final steps in getting the keys to your first home.
Meanwhile, if you have any questions or want to share your home-buying experiences, get in touch via social media: we are on
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To read our previous First-Time Buyers 101 guides, click
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