Property Buying Guide

We have been assisting buyers find their ideal property since 1993. We are very proud of the fact that so many of our buyers return to us when they wish to sell. In fact, it is particularly pleasing that we are recommended to friends, associates and family members of our previous buyers.

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This is the best way of measuring customer service as we have always realised that a buyer will one day become a seller and the service we give our buyers, whilst still appreciating our responsibility to our seller, will ensure our future success.

We will endeavour to assist any intending purchaser with the sale of their property and support the purchase with a full range of services that will be required during the transaction. These services include mortgage advice, solicitors, surveyors and removals. We also employ dedicated personnel to assist our buyers during the transaction as we understand that the process can be improved by a regular flow of information between all parties.

MAKING AN OFFER

When a buyer has chosen the property they wish to make an offer on, we ask that they formally make an offer as soon as possible. We will ask questions that will help us provide the necessary information for a sale to be agreed.

The offer will be put forward to our clients for their consideration and ensures there is no confusion as to what the offer is and any associated details.

Points to remember before an offer is submitted:

• Agents act for clients and their first responsibility is to their clients. Our clients will expect us to offer the property in its best light and negotiate the highest price the market is prepared to pay consistent with the clients own ongoing requirements.
• We will always answer questions asked in an honest and open manner, acting in good faith, in providing information we have been given by our clients.
• We cannot act for buyers; they should take their own professional advice to ensure that the chosen property meets their individual requirements.
• We are not surveyors, and do not survey properties or check that the services or appliances work.

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To ensure your individual requirements are met we strongly recommend the following to all buyers:

It is expected that you will make yourself aware of all matters that are in the public domain. You should therefore make enquiries and searches, for example, of the numerous websites that provide information about properties, locations, services to properties as well as to locations, transport links, schooling and environmental issues that would include noise, planning, flooding, pollution and congestion.

Once an offer has been accepted:

• You should complete the mortgage application (if applicable) immediately.
• You should provide proof of funds to the Agent (if applicable)
• The Agent will need to see sight of identification to satisfy money laundering regulations
• Instruct a surveyor to inspect the property at an early stage and carry out an appropriate survey to ensure the property and the services to the property and to the properties environs meet your requirements.
• Instruct a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to deal with the legal formalities and coordinate the purchase.
• It is for the buyer and the buyer’s advisors to ask questions to ensure that have all the information they need to make an informed decision as to the properties suitability for meeting the buyer’s personal requirements.

FORMALLY INSTRUCT YOUR SOLICITOR

We will send a “Notification of Sale” to your solicitor and our clients’ solicitor informing them that a sale has been agreed. However, in order for them to start work on your transaction, they will need to receive;

• Identification from you to satisfy the current money laundering regulations
• Signed Terms of Business
• Payment for them to undertake the standard searches on the property you propose to purchase.
• If you have not already instructed a solicitor, please contact our local branch who will arrange for a quotation from our panel of recommended solicitors.

CONTROL OF THE PURCHASE

By means of the Notification of Sale documents we will hand custody and control of the sale to the solicitors when a sale has been agreed, subject to contract. They will become responsible for:

• verifying the seller’s position to proceed in line with your expectations;
• Progressing the sale through to exchange of contracts to completion;
• Informing you and us of all developments and changes.

Meanwhile, we will maintain a watching brief over the transaction but cannot be responsible for the progress once custody and control has been passed to the solicitor.

ARRANGE YOUR MORTGAGE

If you intend to use a mortgage to fund your purchase you will need to arrange this through a Bank, Building Society directly or through a Broker. You need to submit your mortgage application, in full, as soon as possible. As part of this application, your mortgage lender will need to conduct a valuation of the property you intend to purchase. It is likely that you will have to pay for this valuation. If this is the case, you need to make sure that payment is made to the relevant party as soon as possible. We would expect a valuation to have been booked within ten days of the sale being agreed. If you do not already have a mortgage offer in place, please contact our local branch who will arrange for a local financial advisor to call and help you.

NB: Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up your repayments on your mortgage.

ARRANGE A SURVEY

You may wish to arrange for a surveyor to inspect the property you are buying. Your mortgage lender will arrange for a valuation to take place, but if you would like a more detailed report on the condition of the property, you will need to pay for the additional investigation. This is normally in the form of a Home Buyers Report or a Building Survey. 

ORGANISE DEPOSIT FUNDS

It is strongly advised that you discuss deposit funds with your conveyancer at the earliest possible opportunity. If you have not already done this, please contact your conveyancer as soon as possible.

Buyers