Buying your first house can be a daunting experience. Imagine the scenario facing so many of our potential first time house buyers. You have only recently started your first job, your student loan still hangs heavy on your mind and the lease has run out on your rental property.
Not only are you beginning to search for a permanent place to reside, but you have the added concern of where to live in the short-term and where to keep your belongings whilst you seek to make the first move on the property ladder.
Here are SIX tips for first time house buyers
1. Try to find a suitably safe and accessible neighbourhood
You should always pay attention to the home’s surroundings. What is next door? Are you overlooked by a raised, heavily used road or train line and are the local amenities and transport links suitable for what you need? Also, do you know and like location? If you have pets, are you situated close to a main road that could be an issue for your pet.
When you leave a viewing, make sure you rate each home on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest. Your rating will be far more accurate if you do it straight away, rather than leave it until you have viewed a number of properties.
2. How Long Should It Take to Buy Your First Home?
First time house buyers should not plan to spend weeks or months searching your chosen locality for a house. By the time it comes to the viewing process, you will almost certainly know what you want, where you want it and at what price. So, forget viewing properties that are beyond your means. Leading estate agents will listen to your requirements and arrange to show only those homes that fit your particular parameters.
3. Be prepared when you start viewing
First time house buyers should lay off the soft drinks and have a hearty meal of carbohydrates before viewing. It will give you a decent start to the day. If you are planning a day of viewing, you will need plenty of energy to keep your focus. If you ignore this, you will struggle to concentrate for any length of time and might miss an important feature at your chosen viewing.
4. What size of property do you want and can you afford it
Make sure you do your homework. Speak to a mortgage adviser and / or your bank to see how much you can borrow. Don’t ignore this side of house-hunting or you could be very disappointed. There is nothing worse for first time house buyers than setting your heart on a property and then finding out that you can’t get a mortgage. The Money Saving Expert website has some great advice
5. Always take photographs of the property you are viewing
As long as the current owner agrees to you taking photographs, make sure you take as many as possible. When you come to sit down and make your decision, the evidence will help you choose. A photograph of the garden, kitchen or bathroom might also help when it comes to budgeting on any work that needs doing.
6. Consider the self-storage option
If you have built up a collection of belongings and valuables during your time at university or college, make sure you have somewhere to house them before you buy. A local self-storage centre is always the best option. It’s cheap and there are no long-term contracts to worry about.
At Space Centre Self Storage we have a variety of units, of all sizes, to house anything from furniture to files and cars to clothes. If you are in the North Bristol or Gloucestershire area, and need some advice get in touch.
Are you currently looking to buy your first home? How easy or difficult are you finding it? Share your tips or frustrations with our readers – maybe they can help!