7 Helpful Home Buying Tips

The process of buying a home can be extremely overwhelming, with a neverending checklist of areas to look out for and things to remember. Here are 7 tips to help you keep a clear head.

1. Plan Your Basic Home Needs

Before you begin searching, you need to know what you’re looking for. In the first instance, this should be the basic categories which can narrow down the search field and help you to filter out those properties which don’t quite match.

You can think about:

• House or apartment? Or open to both?
• Outside space or none?
• How many bedrooms?
• Use of a driveway or garage?
• Rural or city setting?

2. Plan For the Future

Buying a home is a long-term investment, which means you need to think about the future, too. You may not be ready to do so yet, but it’s crucial for a property. Buying a one-bedroomed property which is the perfect size for you right now may be great, but down the line if you require more space and more bedrooms, it’s going to cause a problem.

3. Get Help With the Deposit

A deposit is a substantial amount of cash that you need upfront, and if you haven’t been saving since you were young, the prospect of gaining that amount of money as soon as possible can be very daunting. That’s why having any help you can get is going to be a huge benefit. It may be that family or loved ones are happy to contribute, or you may be able to request deposit money as gifts for occasions like birthdays or Christmas.

You also have the option of looking into assistance from the government with help to buy new builds schemes in which you can gain financial support from them to contribute to your deposit amount, whether as a first time buyer or simply for your next home.

4. Be Flexible

You’ll naturally have your own idea of your perfect home, but it may not always pan out that way. It may even be that you end up with something you never expected, but which turns out to be better for you. Flexibility and an open-mind is key for house hunting, as there may be compromises you need to make for the right property.

5. Think About Renovation Potential

Your perfect property may need to be created by your own efforts and renovation work. When viewing properties which aren’t quite right, think about the renovation potential and whether a property can easily be transformed into what you need, such as through extensions, conversions or decorating. You will need to have a renovation budget prepared, however.

6. Take Someone With You to Viewings

It’s helpful to have a friend or family member attend viewings of properties to gain a second opinion. You may be too distracted thinking about the investment and possibilities, so it’s always helpful to have a neutral party in attendance who may notice things you don’t.

7. Check for a Chain

You may be lucky enough to find the perfect property vacant and ready to move in to. However, a lot of the time, there may be a chain in which you’re waiting for a current occupant to move out, but they are also waiting for someone else to move out of their new home. Chains can extend for a considerable amount of time, so it’s important to enquire and understand your expected time frame.