How to find the ideal home for you

August 9, 2016 by Brendan O'Neill

Home owners

The largest purchases you will ever make will probably be your home. Buying a house is a huge financial commitment and is potentially a life-changing experience. It is crucial that you take the necessary steps to ensure that you discover the perfect home for you and your family, and there are some things you can do to make the process easier.

What price range can you afford?

Don’t start looking for a property until you know your budget. This will be dependent on the size of deposit you have, your income and your outgoings. All lenders have differing criteria and they will all conduct affordability checks to make sure you can afford your mortgage. Consult with a professional adviser so that you are in the best position to buy a house.

What are your requirements?

Sit down and discuss the needs of your new home. You may want to consider the number of bedrooms, whether you require a separate dining area, what size garden you want and any other specifications. If you think you may not be able to move up the property ladder in the near future, you may want to factor in the possibility of starting a family in that home.

The location

The location of the property will depend on whether you want to live close to family and friends, or perhaps you need to be closer to work. You may have a specific location in mind, and you should concentrate your search for a property in this area. Once you have a location in mind, decide whether travel to work is feasible, and whether the local transport is convenient and reliable.

Finding a property

Supplement your use of local estate agents with a healthy amount of house-hunting on the internet. Register your interest with estate agents so that they can notify you of any suitable properties in your location. You can also do this online, so that you will receive an email notifying you of any homes which come up for sale. Drive around the location where you hope to live, so that if any new properties are placed on the market, you will be among the first to view it.

Once you have found a home

When you’ve found a house that fits your requirements, don’t be too eager to place an offer on it. Request more than one viewing so that you see the house at different times of day. Take a good look at the property for signs of any damp, or other problems that could be expensive to resolve. Spend time in the neigbourhood so that you will become familiar with the community, and also get a feel for the traffic and noise levels.

Make an offer

Once you have made an offer, you will need to have a survey carried out, to assess whether the property has any problems which need rectifying. Don’t be afraid to renegotiate your offer if any problems are found on the survey. You are investing in your future home, so take your time before settling for a property.