The cost of buying your home
Before you buy a home it’s important to be aware of all the costs involved so that you can budget for them. Of course, there are mortgage repayments and household bills to consider, but there are some further costs that you will need to be conscious of:

Valuation and/or survey
A valuation and homebuyer’s report will cost from £255, while a valuation on its own will cost from £85. The cost of a full structural survey varies depending on t
he age and size of the property.

Legal costs
You’ll need a solicitor or conveyancer to take care of the legal side of your purchase, which will normally cost you at least £400 not including VAT and disbursements. Disbursements are added expenses such as stamp duty, land registry charges and search fees.

Deposit
You will normally have to provide a deposit of up to 10% of the purchase price when you exchange contracts.

Stamp Duty
This is a tiered government tax based on the value of your property. Your solicitor will include this cost, if any, in the completion statement that details all the
fees to be paid.

Mortgage fees
With a fixed rate mortgage, a booking fee may be payable when you arrange the loan. Some lenders may also charge additional arrangement and/or administration fees.

Furnishings and fittings
If you’re already a homeowner, you’ll still have to think about things like carpets and curtains which may or may not be included in your purchase.

Repairs and decorations
If your property isn’t brand new, money may be needed for renovations straight away, as well as any cosmetic decorating you’d like to do.

How much can I afford?
Before you start looking at properties you need to work out how much you can afford to borrow, and how much you can spend on your new home.

Visit an online Mortgage Calculator
First things first - work out how much you can afford to borrow, and how much it will cost each month by using an online Mortgage Calculator (most Lenders have these on their Websites), a quick, easy way to work out a house buying budget. Play around with figures until you’re comfortable, as it might not make financial sense to borrow up to your maximum limit.

Calculate your regular outgoings
Once you’ve worked out the amount you can borrow and added it to any resources you may already have, you’ll have a very good idea of your price range. However, it’s important to take into account all the extra costs associated with buying and running a home. It’s time to think about what your monthly budget needs to be - complete our handy checklist.

Mortgage repayment	£
Insurance	£
Electricity	£
Gas	£
Water	£
Telephone	£
Council Tax	£
Ground rent/Service charge (if leasehold)	£
Other repayments (Loans, credit cards etc)	£
MONTHLY TOTAL	£

Agreeing a mortgage in principle
In today’s competitive housing market, good properties go fast, so it’s a good idea to arrange a mortgage in principle with your lender. It can normally be arranged over the phone and is a conditional offer from your lender that, provided the information you have given them is correct and certain other conditions are met, they will in principle lend you up to a certain amount.

So, when you do find your dream house, you should have a head start because your borrowing is more or less in place. You might also like to ask your lender to give you their offer in writing, so you can prove to Estate Agents and sellers that you are genuinely interested in their home - this could also give you an edge
over other prospective buyers.

Register with estate agents
Visit estate agents and give them as much information as you can about the kind of thing you’re looking for so they can post you the details and photos of suitable properties. That way, rather than spending your weekends trawling their windows, you can sit back and let the estate agents do the work. It also makes sense to register with several different estate agents to make sure you hear about every single potential home. As the seller pays the estate agent’s fees, it costs you nothing to register with any number of agents. Also look in the property pages of the local press and on the Internet.

Choosing a solicitor
Now it’s time to choose the solicitor or conveyancer that you’d like to handle the legal process that transfers the property from the current owner to you. Solicitors and conveyancers normally charge between 0.5% and 1.5% of the purchase price for their services, plus VAT. Other expenses such as search and Land Registry fees, which are known as disbursements, will be charged separately andadded to your bill.

Also remember that some solicitors offer a full range of services whilst others only manage a limited selection. Make sure that you are paying for exactly what you want and not just what the firm does as a matter of principle Shop around and get at least two or three quotes before choosing your solicitor or conveyancer.

However, bear in mind that if legal complications arise, your final bill may be larger than the original quote. We hope of course that you will choose us as we offer a competitive and professional service.

Viewing houses

Our useful tips:

• Try not to get carried away by the initial excitement you may feel.
• Don’t let yourself be persuaded either by the owners or estate agent.
• If you feel pressured after your initial viewing, ask if you can look around the property again on your own.
• It’s a good idea for first-time buyers to ask someone who has been through the home-buying process to accompany them - their experience can be invaluable and they’ll also be able to give you a detached opinion.
• Remember that both the owners and the estate agent will be doing their hardest to sell the property and gloss over anything that may put you off the property.
• Keep your eyes open and make sure you ask all the questions you want to.
• Although you will be anxious to get inside, stop and take stock of the exterior.
• What are your immediate impressions? Has the property been cared for or has it been neglected? Look at the roof and the brickwork to assess its general condition. If the window frames are wooden, do they appear sound?
• Make notes of anything that needs repairing or renovating. After you have finished your first round of viewings, you will find these notes help you analyse all the properties you have seen.
• Try not to pay too much attention to the decor or furnishings - you can change these to your taste later. However, recent redecorating could be concealing one or two problems.
• Be practical and methodical with your approach. The most important aspect of the property is its structure. Just as with the outside, look for any obvious signs of neglect and general defects. Is there evidence of damp? Is the electric wiring old?
• Before you decide you want to buy a property, make sure you can afford to undertake essential any work.

Making an offer
The majority of sellers are optimistic about what their property is worth. They get it valued and add a bit to the price, reasoning that if they’re offered slightly less than the asking price, they can graciously accept it and everyone comes out of the deal thinking they’ve got a bargain. This means that you could have some
room for manoeuvre when deciding what to offer.

However, remember that if the market is buoyant and it’s a desirable property in a popular area, you probably won’t be the only interested party. If this is the case, you could find that someone else is prepared to pay above the asking price. You should base your offer on what the property is worth to you - if you don’t think it’s worth a penny more, walk away.

Making a formal mortgage application
If you’ve already received an agreement in principle, it should just be a case of letting your mortgage provider know that you wish to borrow the money. It’s then simply a case of signing a few forms and you should be away.

If you haven’t arranged a mortgage in principle, then this process can take longer and you run the risk of either being rejected by the lender you’ve chosen or losing the property to a faster buyer.

Arranging a valuation and survey
Most mortgage offers are subject to valuation, as lenders need to know that the property you intend to buy is adequate security against the loan. For peace of mind you may wish to consider an in-depth survey as it could save you a great deal of money in the long run.

The survey can either be a homebuyer’s report or a full structural survey.

Homebuyer’s report
In most cases, a homebuyer’s report is sufficient. This is a reasonably detailed survey that covers basic information on the overall structural condition. It will also point out the major as well as some minor defects. Although it doesn’t cover everything, it should provide enough information for you to decide whether or not you want to proceed.

Full structural survey
This is a comprehensive report that should reveal any major as well as minor defects. Don’t be alarmed if the list of minor problems is long after all, it is a comprehensive survey and surveyors who carry them out have to go through the property with a fine-toothed comb. They have to be thorough, as they will be liable if they fail to list existing faults that you later discover. This comprehensive report is strongly recommended for older properties. It is also recommended for any property that is located in a known subsidence or flooding area.

Insuring your home and yourself
As soon as you’ve exchanged contracts, you need to arrange buildings insurance, as this is the point
that any risks associated with the property are passed on to you.

Arranging building and contents insurance
The key to arranging insurance is to make sure you understand your policy. Small print may be boring, but it’s important to read it - for example, if you have building work done on your home it may affect your policy so you’ll need to get in touch with your insurance company.

Protecting yourself
As well as protecting your building and contents, it’s just as important to arrange protection for yourself. That way, if the worst should happen and you are unable to meet your mortgage repayments for whatever reason, you don’t have to worry about where the cash is going to come from each month.

Life assurance
We believe that it is important in most cases for you to have adequate life assurance when you take out a mortgage. It ensures that the mortgage will be repaid in the unfortunate event of your death so your surviving family will not have the financial burden of mortgage repayments.

Critical illness cover
Critical illness cover will repay your mortgage should you be unfortunate enough to suffer a lifethreatening illness. Not surprisingly, critical illness cover is popular with mortgage holders. It is designed to pay out a lump sum on diagnosis of any one of a range of the more common critical illnesses. This means that your mortgage would be paid off, resulting in peace of mind. This can be taken out alongside our life assurance.

Mortgage Repayment Protector
This is designed to cover your monthly mortgage payments if you are unable to work for more than a minimum number of consecutive days due to accident, sickness or unemployment. The exact wording and timing of the protection varies between each insurance company. Again read the small print.

Income protection
Is designed to complement Mortgage Repayment Protection. The principle is the same - for a small monthly fee your monthly outgoings can be covered in the event that you are unable to meet them due to accident or sickness.

Moving in
To ensure that everything goes swimmingly, it’s vital to plan ahead. As soon as you know the completion date, book time off work. If you think you will need a removal firm, get quotes from several and to be on the safe side, always use a firm that belongs to the British Association of Movers so you can be confident that they’ll have the transport, skills and, most importantly, the insurance necessary to carry out the task. Alternatively, you may prefer to move yourself, in which case you need to hire a van and arrange for friends to help you with the move.

To make sure your move goes as smoothly as possible, use the checklist below to remind yourself of all the things that need to be done before you can put your feet up and relax.

Countdown to the move checklist

4 weeks to go:

• If you live in rented accommodation, give the required notice to your landlord.
• Agree on a day to remove all your personal possessions.
• If you are considering undertaking the removal yourself, start collecting packing materials, including newspapers and boxes. If you are using a removal company you can save money by doing the packing yourself. The company will usually supply you with packing materials.
• Use your move as an opportunity to get rid of unwanted items - try holding a car boot sale, posting cards in a local newsagents or small ads in the local paper, or donating the items to a charity shop.
• Call your telephone company to arrange installation and reconnection of the telephone service to your new home.
• Contact your water company and gas and electricity supplier to advise them that you are moving. They will arrange for the appropriate meters to be read
  on your last day and will bill you at your new address.
• Arrange to take over the water supply at your new home and for your chosen gas and electricity supplier to provide their services.
• Arrange for the disconnection of domestic appliances such as cooker and washing machine at your present home and for their reconnection at your
  new one.

2 weeks to go:

• Tell the local authority that you are about to move and give them your new address.
• Contact your local Post Office to arrange for mail to be redirected.
• Make sure everyone knows your new address:
  
  • Bank
  • Building society
  • Clubs and societies
  • Credit card companies
  • Doctor
  • Dentist
  • DVLA
  • Employer
  • Family and friends
  • Finance companies
  • Inland Revenue
  • Insurance companies
  • Magazine subscriptions
  • Motoring organisation
  • National Insurance
  • National Savings and Premium Bonds
  • Optician
  • Rental companies (eg, TV/video)
  • Share registrars
  • TV Licensing Authority
    

1 week to go:

• Cancel milk, papers and other appropriate services.
• Arrange for someone to look after your pets on the day of the move.
• If you are selling a property, confirm arrangements for handing the keys of your present home over after completion and for collecting the keys to your
  new home from your estate agent or solicitor.
• Confirm the final arrangements with your utility suppliers
• Finish packing.

The day before:

• Take pets to whoever is looking after them during the move.
• Pack everything you are going to take with you, but set aside essential items that you will need until the last minute.

The big day:

• Pack a kettle, mugs, tea, coffee, milk and sugar together with whatever soon as you arrive at your new home and clearly label the items for easy
• Keep your valuables secure at all times.
• If appropriate, lock all the doors and windows before leaving.
• Protect the carpets in your new home by putting down dustsheets.

Next steps
Buying a house and/or moving your mortgage are big decisions, which is why we’re on hand to make things easier.

Sit down with one of our mortgage specialists
There’s nothing like speaking to someone face-to-face, so why not pop in and meet with one of our specialists? They will be happy to provide you with a quotation and guide you through the whole process.

Once moved in consider the other matters:

Neighbourhood attractions

• How easy would it be to reach the local amenities you regularly use shops schools, health centres?
• If you need to use public transport, is it easily accessible? Even if you don’t rely on it, what would you do when the car is in for servicing or repair?
• Sometimes neighbourhood amenities can be too close for comfort would you be comfortable living next to a pub, a disco or a school playground?
• Think about features of the neighbourhood that might be noisy, create air pollution or generate heavy traffic flow at certain times of the day, such as factories, dairies, quarries or goods yards.
• It’s a good idea to visit the neighbourhood at different times of the day, so you can find out if
• it’s busy during rush hour, noisy when the schools finish for the day, safe at night.
• If there’s vacant land nearby, think about how any potential new buildings would alter the neighbourhood - and your view.
  

Car parking
Whether or not you own a car, the neighbourhood should be safer and more pleasant to live in

• There are enough parking spaces for residents and visitors;
• You can park near enough your home to unload the shopping and watch the children;
• There’s space for cars and lorries to turn;
• You can see your car from your window, where it’s less likely to be stolen;
• There are no garages or large parking areas, which often attract vandalism.

Street layouts in older neighbourhoods may not allow off-street parking, which means there may enough spaces for two-car households and visitors, especially in streets of terraced houses.

Space for children to play
If the property hasn’t got a secure garden, is there somewhere safe for your children to play? In flats, very few balconies are large or safe enough for children to play, while games in shared gardens may annoy ground floor residents.

School age children often like to play with friends in the street or in playgrounds, but they may disturb neighbours, and parents may be worried if they can't see them. Children of all ages like play equipment and places to meet. If there are facilities nearby:

• Who will maintain them?
• Is there a good view of the street and play area from your house?
• Are pavements wide enough to keep children away from traffic?
• Is the area out of the way of traffic - but not too close to houses?
• Is there anything to keep teenagers entertained?

Avoiding road accidents
Bear in mind that:

• Small groups of houses attract less traffic.
• If residential roads don't link to main roads they won't be used as short cuts.
• Drivers can't reach high speeds on short roads.
• Most drivers are slowed by sleeping policemen but it's more comfortable for cyclists if there's a gap between the bump and the kerb.
• Narrowed sections of roads and tight bends help to reduce speeds.

Relationship with neighbours
While you can't pick your neighbours, you may be able to find developments that are laid out to reduce the likelihood of conflicts. Helpful features include:

• Marked parking spaces for visitors' cars.
• Separate driveways and separate front paths
• Front doorways that don't look directly into each other.
• Unobtrusive spaces for rubbish bins.
• Space out of sight of neighbours to repair a car or to keep a boat or caravan.

Blocks of flats

• Gardens and paved areas may only belong to ground floor flats or be shared by other residents find out who can use the gardens.
• People on the ground floor may have no control over who can use the garden near their flat many people may not enjoy a garden full of other people's children playing near their windows. Are there any restrictions on what goes on in the garden barbecues, drying clothes,
  ball games?
• Shared bin stores, entrance lobbies, stairways and corridors can become unattractive if they are not regularly cleaned and tidied. Who is responsible for
  the upkeep? How much is covered by the service charge?

Gardens and balconies

• Short gardens and shallow balconies often get little direct sun, especially when the sun is low in the sky. A shaded garden can be pleasant but you'll probably make most use of your outdoor space if it's sunny at least some of the time.
  
• Balconies in tall blocks of flats may be too windy to enjoy.
  
• Planting a garden from scratch, building fences or buying containers all add to the cost of a new home. If you aren't all that interested in gardening, a paved area, a turfed lawn and sturdy walls or fences provide a useful space for your family and friends to enjoy.
• Some front gardens are large to allow space for parking - which may mean that the back garden is too small to enjoy.
• Walls, fences and trees can give privacy even when houses are closely spaced, but gardens may be shared.
• Walls and closely boarded fences with lockable gates prevent small children and animals straying.
• In gardens that get little direct sunlight, you must select plants that enjoy shade
• Neighbouring buildings and trees may shade even a south-facing garden.
• You may need to find room to store spades, forks, a lawn mower, potting compost and flowerpots.
• Steeply sloping gardens may be difficult to care for and dangerous for children.
• Garden ponds may be dangerous for young children
• Neighbouring front gardens may not be separated by a fence or wall. Some developments have restrictions prohibiting fences.
• A good layer of topsoil is needed to grow most plants successfully. Some gardens may have little more than a sprinkling of topsoil over rubble!
• Green areas and borders next to roads can make a neighbourhood look good or look uncared for. Who is responsible for their upkeep? How often will they
  be mown, weeded, replanted, pruned?

Security and safety

• Locks, bolts and metal grilles may keep people out - but can trap you inside if there's a fire or you're injured.
• The position of porches, extensions, garages, balconies, windowsills, and drain pipes shouldn't form an easy climbing route to upper floors.
• Open ground, woods, railway embankments, alleyways and paths backing onto gardens and yards all make it easy for thieves to get into gardens, break in unseen and make their escape.
• Anti-lift devices don't affect safety but prevent burglars from removing sliding patio doors.
• Trellises and prickly shrubs make gardens, balconies, and roof terraces more private.

Burglars should feel that breaking in isn’t worth the hassle.

• Are letterboxes out of reach of locks and latches?
• Are there double-glazed/wired glass panels in doors or beside locks and latches?
• Are there sturdy doorframes that overhang door edges
• Are the windows double-glazed?
• Is the garden secure - upright boarding, fence supports and trellises inside the garden, with prickly and thorny shrubs and trees by boundaries.

Can you control whom you let into your property?

• Are there door viewers and chains that help you see who is at the door?
• Are there entry phones, electronic surveillance and access systems, concierges or security guards for shared entrances? Bear in mind that such things
  will add to service charges.

Security devices
Mortise sash lock operated with a handle:

• Easy for people with a weak grip.
• Easy to open quickly, easy to find in the dark.
• Locks and bolts turned with a key take longer to open (especially if you can't find the key!).
• Two widely spaced locks are more secure than one but both must be easy to reach and not more than one should be key-operated from inside.

Hinge bolts:

• Work automatically and don't delay escape.
• Make it difficult to force doors but won't stop fire-fighters getting in.

Button release, casement window handle, optionally lockable with a key:

• Secure to leave unlocked when you're asleep.
• You can lock the handle when you're out.
• Fire Prevention Officers recommend that each bedroom should enough to escape through that you can open without a key.

Some new developments are designed according to police recommendations to prevent assault and burglary. Certain features that make new homes more secure can't be seen, such as the way in which door frames are fitted or metal reinforcement to UPVC window frames: the SECURED BY DESIGN symbol offers reassurance that they have been inspected and approved by a Crime Prevention Officer.

The way you live
People live in different ways and homes aren't just for sleeping and eating in:

• You may prefer to dine more formally when friends or relations visit.
• You may not want guests and relations to see your entire home.
• Everyone would like some privacy sometimes.

Would you prefer open plan or separate rooms?

Open plan:

• Does not allow as much privacy as separate rooms and could be difficult for families with lively teenagers.
• Can make a small home appear spacious - but creates a single space for cooking smells, the noise of the TV, washing machine, tumble drier and, of course your guests.
  
• Makes it easier to keep an eye on small children but could you easily prevent toddlers playing near the cooker or stairs?
• Allows more imaginative furniture arrangements.

Separate rooms

• Separate areas on the ground floor can compensate for lack of space in bedrooms for study, work or hobbies and may be preferred when entertaining visitors and relations.
• Mean that different activities can go on at the same time - homework, ironing or DIY projects can be left undisturbed.
• May allow someone who can't manage stairs to sleep downstairs and live independently - provided there's also a downstairs WC.
• May mean that rooms are quite small - it could be difficult to arrange furniture.

Fitting in furniture and equipment

The number of ways in which furniture can be arranged is limited by:

• The size of a room;
• The shape of a room;
• The positions of doors, windows, fires, radiators and electric sockets; and
• Routes through a room to other parts of the home.

Halls and stairs

• Integral garages and hallways sometimes produce L-shaped rooms, which are difficult to furnish.
• If there is no way through to the front of the house except through the living room, it could be messy to take rubbish to the bins or to move gardening equipment.
• If the stairs are in a living area, you need to leave space for people to move around without disturbing others; some designs work better than othersÉ
• If you or someone in your family or a friend uses a wheelchair, there should be enough space for them to move and turn around in all the areas they're likely to use - without scraping against or bumping into doors, walls and furniture.

Bedrooms

• Bedroom furniture takes up a lot of space, so the design of the bedroom is especially important.
• The convenience of an en-suite bathroom may mean that space is sacrificed in bedrooms.
• It's difficult to make a bed that's pushed up against a wall.
• A bed next to a window could be an uncomfortable place to sleep. It's also difficult to open the window and draw the curtains.
• Someone sleeping next to the wall in a double bed can’t get out without disturbing his or her partner.
• Many bedrooms are too cramped to take a full-size bed, a wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a dressing table and bedside cabinets.
• Some 'double' bedrooms are too small for twin beds.
• Radiators and sockets for bedside lamps and radios may dictate your furniture arrangements.
• Larger bedrooms may encourage older children to study undisturbed or entertain friends without disturbing others.

Kitchens

• Some small kitchens can only be used comfortably and safely by one person at a time.
• There may only be sufficient space, sockets and plumbing for a fridge and washing machine - do you need space for a tumble drier, dishwasher, fridge-freezer or chest freezer?
• Small kitchens can be unsafe and difficult to use, especially for families with children.
• Is there enough space for families to eat together?
• Kettles, toasters, microwaves and coffee makers should be at a safe height - with enough space to handle hot food and drink.
• Each regularly used appliance should have a separate socket - it’s also useful to have one or two spare sockets.
• Space for a dishwasher or washing machine should be near to the water supply and wastewater drains - they’ll be cheaper to install and the machines will drain efficiently..

Bathrooms
Bathrooms need to be well arranged, especially when space is limited.

• A hand basin too close to the bath can make it awkward to reach the bath taps.
• You should be able to open the window without climbing into the bath!
• Shaver sockets should be near the hand basin and mirror.
• Cramped designs may not have space for you to bath a child or to help someone who's unwell or who has trouble getting into the bath.
• A WC compartment separate from the bathroom is helpful for households with more than 3 people.

Bathrooms need to be well arranged, especially when space is limited.

• A linen basket;
• A chair or stool;
• A towel rail near the bath - preferably over a radiator;
• A pedal bin;
• A toilet roll holder near the WC.

Storage
One of the most common complaints about homes is lack of storage space. As well as built-in storage you also need:

• Space for freestanding furniture such as wardrobes and chests of drawers - with enough room to open doors or drawers!
• Space for shelving and coat racks - and walls that are strong enough to support them.

It's important that storage is in the right place:

• Near to where you want to use things - especially if they're in everyday use or they're heavy, awkward or messy to move around; and
• Where perishables won't be affected by heat or damp.

Space for storage is particularly important if you don't have a spare room or a garage where would you store:

Clothes	Broom
Ironing board	Suitcases
Dirty laundry	Cleaning materials
Bed linen	Vacuum cleaner
Outdoor clothes	DIY tools
Sewing machine	Stepladder
Boots and shoes	Tins of paint
Frozen food	Fuel for an open fire
Fresh food	Sports equipment
Tinned food	Hobby equipment
Bulk-buy food	Bikes
Pet food, cat litter	Gardening tools
Crockery	Lawn mower
Pots and pans	Papers, bottles, cans for recycling
Umbrellas	CDs, tapes and videos
Toys	Books
Baby buggy/pram

Useful contacts

You might find it helpful to get in touch with some of the following organisations to help you make any decisions.

Consumers' Association
2 Marylebone Road, London NW1 4DF
020 7830 6000

Energy Efficiency Office, Department of Energy
1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE

Local authority planning departments
For guidance on alterations, restrictions in conservation areas and listed buildings, obtaining planning permission for change and new buildings.

Fire stations
For advice on fire safety.

National Energy Services
Davy Avenue, Knowhill, Milton Keynes
MK5 8NA
01908 672787

National House-Building Council
Buildmark House, Chiltern Avenue, Amersham,
Bucks HP6 5AP
01494 434477

National Home Improvement Council
Carlye House, 235 Vauxhall Bridge Road,
London SW1V 1EJ
020 7828 8230

Police Crime Prevention Officers
Speak to your local station about any local problems and initiatives.

Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
12 Great George Street, Parliament Square,
London SW1P 3AD
020 7222 7000

Safe Neighbourhoods Advisory Service
2nd Floor, Cranmer House, 39 Brixton Road,
London SW9 6DZ

British Lung Foundation
London 020 7831 5831
Birmingham 0121 627 2260
Liverpool 0151 228 4723
Bristol 0117 925 5810
Newcastle 0191 263 0276

Find out more about the levels of air pollution in your chosen area particularly useful for asthma sufferers.