Congratulations on taking the initial steps to owning your first home! Buying your first property can bring a mix of emotions – excitement, overwhelm, stress, disappointment and joy.
As a first time buyer the legal process of getting onto the property ladder can seem daunting and confusing. There are a lot of terms and phrases that can feel alien. But don’t worry – even seasoned property buyers get baffled by parts of the process.
At Barker Booth & Eastwood we enjoy being a part of your first home purchase. We take care to explain everything in plain English and are always happy to guide you through the process and answer any additional questions that you have along the way.
It is important that you are making an informed decision and buying the right home for you. We will make sure that you have all the available information and know what to expect.
5 key steps to purchasing your home
- Offer accepted and solicitors instructed – the current owner has accepted your offer, you have your mortgage offer in place and have chosen a solicitor to take care of the conveyancing.
- Conducting the relevant searches and surveys – this is the research stage to reveal any issues and give you a deeper understanding of what you are committing to buy.
- Exchanging contracts – once you are happy to proceed, documents are signed and deposits are paid, if there is a chain, then completion dates are looked into.
- Completion – Once funds have been received from the mortgage lender, transfers take place between the buyer’s and seller’s solicitors and the sale is completed, with keys released for collection.
- Post-Completion – After completion your solicitor manages the application to the Land Registry to register the change of ownership into your name/s and arranges the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (if payable).
See our Property Purchase Guide for a more detailed explanation of the house buying process, with answers to our most frequently asked questions and a helpful checklist of the steps involved.
To instruct Barker Booth & Eastwood to help you buy your first home, or to ask us some questions before you embark on the process, please get in touch.