Buying your first home is an exciting time, but it can also be daunting. We outline our five top tips for first time buyers to help you prepare and give you the best chance of securing the home you want.
1. Check your credit score and take steps to improve it if you need to
If you will be taking out a mortgage, it pays to check your credit score in the months before you are thinking of buying and, where necessary, take steps to improve it. A higher score may give you a wider choice when it comes to choosing a mortgage deal.
Steps that you can take to potentially boost your score include:
- Make sure you are on the electoral roll, which lenders use to verify addresses
- Don’t have too many credit cards, although you should have at least one that you use regularly so that you can demonstrate that you can handle credit
- Try not to use more than around 30% of your available credit
- Pay your credit card bills and other finance cards when they are due
- Cut any financial ties you may have to individuals with poor credit, for example, closing joint bank accounts and cancelling joint credit cards
2. Work out your budget and organise your finances
You need to be realistic about what you can afford and make sure that you take into account potential rises in interest rates.
If you need help, you may be eligible for the government’s First Homes scheme, which allows first time buyers to purchase certain new build homes for 30% to 50% less than their market value.
Shared ownership schemes also exist, where you buy part of a property and rent the rest. You may be able to increase the percentage that you own over time.
If you are still at the stage of saving and you are aged between 18 and 39, you can open a Lifetime ISA. You can put in up to £4,000 a year and the government will add a 25% bonus of up to £1,000 a year. When you buy a home, you can then use the savings towards the purchase price, provided you and any other joint purchaser are both first time buyers.
3. Research the areas where you are thinking of buying
You should research any areas where you might consider buying to see what they are like at different times of the day and week. You can also check estate agents’ listings to see what sort of housing stock is for sale and how quickly it is selling.
Understanding the locality is important and will help you decide if you want to make any compromises, for example, taking on a renovation project or buying a smaller home in a more expensive area.
4. Instruct an experienced conveyancing solicitor
Using a less experienced conveyancer with low fees might seem like a good idea, but the success of a property purchase can sometimes depend on how quickly a transaction is progressed and how efficiently any difficulties are dealt with. If you use an experienced conveyancing solicitor with a good reputation, you can be sure that they will move your purchase forward proactively and that they will have the legal understanding to deal promptly and effectively with any issues that may arise.
5. Have a survey carried out
It is usually recommended that a purchaser has a survey carried out. Relying on your lender’s valuation is not a good idea, as this could be cursory and not provide you with the detail you need. You can choose surveys of different depths and your surveyor can let you know the level of detail that would be appropriate for the property you are interested in. For example, if you are buying an older property or it is in poor condition, of unusual construction or you wish to make substantial alterations, you may be advised to have a full structural survey carried out.
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If you would like to speak to one of our expert property lawyers, ring us on 0333 3055 189 or email us at info@lpropertylawyers.co.uk
