Finding the ideal property

You will need to consider what aspects of a property are most important to you:

  • Number of bedrooms / bathrooms
  • Parking provisions
  • Separate kitchen and dining room
  • Private garden
  • Conservatory
  • How much time/money you may want to spend redecorating etc

Tell us exactly what type of property you are looking for and the elements that you could possibly compromise on. The 'perfect property' rarely exists, so be prepared to consider what aspects of your 'wish list' you consider to be the most important. Also - inform us what you don't want too as this will help us to be more specific and when contacting you with new property to the market.

Make sure you have an AIP (Approval in principle)

Arranging your mortgage finance before you start looking for a property is really important as lending criteria changes almost daily. Being certain about your finances will put you in a stronger position when it comes to making an offer on your ideal home - our Financial Advisors will be happy to help in this respect, offering advice from the whole of the market with no fixed agenda.

You can contact one of our Advisors here, or call 0800 0350353.

The area

If you are moving to a new area, you may want to do some research to see if it is suitable for your lifestyle. Useful information about house prices, school performance, public transport links, and other amenities can be found on Rightmove.

The checklist below covers some of the most important things you need to know and where to get the information:

  • Use the Government websites to find out what the council tax bandings are in the new area. The VOA website can be used for England and Wales while the SAA website is for Scotland.
  • Get information on a variety of subjects including: population, crime, health and housing from the Office for National Statistics website.
  • Check out the public transport links on the Transport Direct or the TGL website for London.
  • Visit the Highways Agency website to check your road transport links and any plans for future road developments that may affect house prices in the future.
  • Look at the Environment Agency website to find out more about the local environment; from pollution to flooding.

For any further help or advice please contact your local branch.