Buyers
Working out what you can afford and getting a mortgage
Buying a property is a huge step and a substantial long term financial commitment so the first thing to think about is what you can afford to pay each month for your mortgage. Our independent financial advisers are here to help you.
- They can provide face to face advice in the office or in the comfort of your own home and telephone advice.
- They search thousands of mortgage deals to find the right one for your circumstances and needs.
- They continue to offer an ongoing service by advising you on family, home and income protection so that you are covered against the unexpected.
Our mortgage adviser will be able to give you an Agreement in Principle which will show us that you are a serious buyer with a mortgage lined up - and put you a step ahead of other buyers.
Call the office on 01422 370320 or submit an enquiry using the form on our Contact page.
Our mortgage calculator is also a useful tool.
Finding the ideal property
When buying a property with Dawson Estates, we feel the best service that we can provide you with is our expert guidance and assistance with finding your perfect home. With many years experience in estate agency in the Calderdale and Kirklees areas, we have already helped thousands of people buy.
The first step to finding your new home is to register with Dawson Estates. We have hundreds of properties available and we want to help you find the right property for you. Register with Dawson Estates and we can ensure that you will know about any new homes matching your requirements as soon as they come on the market.
Consider what aspects of a home are most important to you. Do you want a conservatory? How many bedrooms? A private garden? New build or an older character property? The more specific you are the better chance we have of matching you to your ideal home. Although it is always good to keep an open mind and consider the potential a property could have!
The area is also an important factor. Our website is extremely useful and we are able to supply comprehensive data sets which provide home movers with the right local amenity information to help them make informed decisions.
The schools information we provide has proved to be hugely beneficial. We can generate a map for every property showing where it is and then where the schools are immediately around it. We can then show the OFSTED performance data for each school. This is updated every year and is hugely useful to buyers, tenants, vendors and landlords alike.
Visit our office
Visit our relaxed office, where you can pop in, have a coffee and tell us face to face what your requirements are. We will be able to show you some properties that you might like and arrange viewings, there and then.
Searching for your perfect property
Once you have registered with Dawson Estates, you can use our website to search for properties from the comfort of your own home. Our search filters are tailored specifically to you - so you can specify the location, price, property type and number of bedrooms.
If you prefer the more traditional methods of finding a property, we are in the local property papers, we will update you by telephone or you can pop into any one of our offices.
Viewings
Dawson Estates provide an accompanied viewing service 7 days a week.
Use our website to find out as much as you can about a property you like using the photographs, floorplans, virtual tours, online brochures and local information that is available with most descriptions. Always call or email us to check any missing information.
As soon as you have established the property is of sufficient interest for you, book a viewing.
Also, don't forget to take a camera and tape measure on every viewing you go on - the camera is so you can avoid having to rack your brain about which property had the lovely en-suite. With cameras built in as standard on most mobile phones, this is easier than ever. But remember to always ask permission with us or the owner before taking any pictures. The tape measure is for you to see if your large/favourite pieces of furniture will fit in the rooms.
Negotiating and making an offer
Once you have found the property of your dreams, the next step is to make an offer. It is important to consider a variety of factors when choosing your price level in order to achieve the right deal for you. Take a step back to logically look at all the things that matter before making your offer.
First time buyers, buyers with no chain and buyers who have pre-arranged mortgages have a head start on most of the competition. If this is you, then make us and the seller aware of this, as this can put you in a very favourable negotiating position, especially if the seller is in a chain.
Knowing your budget ceiling is crucial so decide your maximum limit from the start and stand firm. Once you make an offer make it clear that it's subject to contract and a satisfactory survey. If you are buying from a developer, while selling an existing property, see if they will offer a part exchange to buy your existing house.
And good luck!
Offer accepted. What next?
Once the seller has accepted your offer, ask them to take it off the market. They don't have to agree to this, but doing so will shut out other potential buyers. Now you need to move fast - the seller will want to see progress so try to avoid any unnecessary delays in getting the surveys and other legal work done. Complete the lender's application form and send them the documents they require - this will include proof of your ID, evidence of your earnings, proof of your address over the last few months and your bank statements, so have these ready.
The lender will arrange for a valuation to be done on the property. If you are lucky enough to not need a mortgage, you don't have to get a survey done, though buying a property without one is not advisable and risky. If you are buying an older property, one that needs repairs or just for your own peace of mind, you could consider getting a more detailed survey done than the basic lender's valuation.
The lender will use the surveyor's Valuation Report and other information you provided to calculate how much they will allow you to borrow by way of mortgage secured on the property.
Conveyancing - the legal aspects
Here is our quick guide to understanding what a conveyancer does. They will:
- Obtain sellers' responses to questions, such as who owns the boundaries, whether they have had any disputes with neighbours and what fixtures and fittings are included.
- Check copies of any guarantees on the property, details of planning permissions and building regulation certificates.
- Check the seller really is the owner of the property and prepare a Report on Title for you.
- Check local authority searches and plans for the local area.
- Pay stamp duty tax on the property.
- Arrange registration of title in your name.
It can take anywhere between 6 and 12 weeks from the day your offer is accepted to getting all the paperwork completed and queries answered, even where there is no chain.
What happens next?
In England and Wales, Exchange of Contracts is the last stage of the legal process after which you cannot pull out (without losing your deposit and any legal costs you may have incurred).
Once everything is ready, you'll then be asked to pay a deposit- usually 10% (but sometimes 5%) of the property value before contracts can be exchanged. If the buyer pulls out after this stage, they will lose their deposit and may face legal action from the seller. It is essential to have Buildings Insurance cover in place at this stage and buyers should also consider other protection such as Life Insurance.
A date for completion is usually set for at least two weeks after contracts are exchanged. This should give you enough time to arrange moving in.
Your conveyancer will call you to tell you when your money has arrived - so you can get the keys and move in. The conveyancer will also send you a completion statement. Read it carefully - it should reflect their original quotation.
Preparing for Moving Day
It is unusual to hear from someone who didn't have a stressful time moving but being organised is the trick to minimise your stress levels during this time.
Use a good removal firm - seek recommendations from friends or get removal quotes from us. Look for members of the British Association of Removers who operate a strict code of conduct.
