To narrow down your home search and keep within budget, it’s important to calculate how much you can afford and be aware of the other costs of buying a home. 

Check your credit score and deposit requirements.
Typically, a higher credit score will lead to more favourable interest rates, which could impact your total budget. First-time buyers or those with limited equity need a deposit, usually 5% of the purchase price. A larger deposit can lower your mortgage and may secure a better rate.

Appoint an IFA.
We know that buying a new home can be costly, which is why we’re happy to put you in touch with an Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) to help you find a package that works for your situation.

Additional costs: solicitor, conveyancer and Stamp Duty.
You'll need a solicitor for legal documentation and may wish to hire a conveyancer for a survey. In the UK, properties over £125,000 incur Stamp Duty tax, with some exemptions. Check with your IFA for details.

Mortgage Agreement in Principle (AIP).
Once you have an idea of your budget, it’s advisable to apply for a ‘Mortgage Agreement in Principle’, where a lender performs a soft credit check and lets you know how much they are willing to offer you.

With your budget sorted, you can start looking for ‘the one’.  

Location, location, location.
Yes location is important, although it is very much a personal decision. 
What transport options or school catchments do you want nearby? Do you want to live in a built-up area or the countryside? 
We put a great deal of thought into choosing the location of our developments. Simply chat to our Sales Team about the things that matter to you.

Choose the type of home.
Our new homes range from stylish apartments to spacious 5-bedroom houses. Create a checklist of your must-haves, such as the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and features like a south-facing garden or garage.

Arrange viewings.
To understand what’s available and if it fits your budget, view multiple homes. Start with online photos and floor plans, then visit in person to get a true sense of the property. Also, inquire about personalisation options and any offers to ease your move.

Congratulations. You’ve found your ideal home. Now it’s time to make an offer on it.  
How you go about doing this depends on the type of property and how you found it. For example, you may make an offer via an estate agent or directly to a homebuilder. Regardless, you should put the offer in writing and provide supporting information, such as the deposit amount or if you are a cash buyer. 
If you are buying a new build  home, you may have to pay a reservation fee to take it off the market (usually for 28 days), while the legal aspects are taken care of.   

Steps four and five are interchangeable, although many will advise confirming your mortgage prior to appointing solicitors. If you have a mortgage in principle agreed, or are confident about securing a mortgage, you could run these steps concurrently. 
Either way, you are likely to need a mortgage to complete your home purchase. Once your offer has been accepted and any fees are paid (such as reservation fees), it’s time to submit a full mortgage application for approval. 
This requires a lot of information. To avoid any delays, find out what you need and have these details and documents prepared in advance. You could employ a mortgage broker to guide you through this process and help you get the best possible deal.

As part of the homebuying process, you will need to appoint a solicitor or conveyancer. They help to provide a carefree experience by handling all the legal elements of buying your new home. 
This could include performing local authority searches, legal checks against the property and if necessary, ensuring the property aligns with any mortgage requirements. 
You might want to get the property surveyed. This isn’t compulsory, unless your mortgage lender stipulates it. There are different types of surveys. For example, you may want a snagging survey on a new build or a full building survey on an older property.   
Your solicitor will then help arrange transfer of ownership of the property when required.

At this point you'll likely start to choose your options for your house and really start to make it your own.

Once everything has been agreed, surveys and searches have been completed, and mortgages approved, you are now ready to exchange. 
For this to happen, you will have to transfer the remaining deposit amount to your legal representative and agree a completion date with the seller. 
Once both parties are happy, you’ll be invited to sign a Contract of Sale and your legal representative will deal with the contract exchange.

You will need to book a removal service to transfer your belongings to your new home. However, the time between exchanging contracts and your completion date is a great time to take care of other essential items such as:
• Organise utilities. 
• Arrange an internet provider.
• Sort your council tax. 
• Forward your post. 

Before the big day, you will be invited to a home demonstration. We’ll show you around your new home, explain how everything works, and make sure you're totally happy.

The final step. On the agreed completion date, your legal representative will transfer the remaining fees to the seller and in return they will receive the title deeds. Then, for the really exciting bit: you get the keys to your new home.

Find out about our after-sales service. You may not need any extra help, but if you do, there should be someone to talk to. 

Happy homecoming.