1. Don’t get disheartened by houses in your budget!
I didn’t have a massive budget for house hunting and it seemed all the houses I was looking at needed a new kitchen or a new bathroom. One even needed a wall building to separate the bathroom!
However after what felt like months of searching and signing up to every Estate Agent’s mailing lists, I finally found The One.
2. Take advantage of savings and Help to Buy Schemes
I don’t think buying my first house by 23 would have been realistic, had it not been for the fact that I’ve had a help to buy ISA for a few years now. The idea that the money I pay in is going to grow with help from the Government is definitely what encouraged me to send that terrifying offer email.
It may have meant that I haven’t been going out as much as I wanted and I’ve definitely cut back on the number of McDonald’s I have but it will all be worth it when I put my feet up for the first time in my very own house, on my very own sofa.
3. Don’t feel the need to buy everything from High End Retailers
My mum is a big fan of two well known high street brands, I am not a big fan of their price tags. I did find it helped to go to shops like that for ideas of what colours go well together, but then you can usually find something similar in some of the supermarkets or within the well known blue and yellow building.
These shops are also great for getting the important little things everyone forgets. I bought the most important pieces for my house from here – 6 Wine Glasses.
4. Know your incomings and outgoings
It is important before agreeing to anything that you know it is something that you can afford. You don’t want to set your sights on a beautiful house and then realise after your mortgage and bills have been paid, you don’t have any money for a cheeky Nando’s when you want it.
I would also advise you try to continue saving after you have completed. It’s nice to have a cushion of savings for when your tyre blows coming home from work.
5. Get a conveyancer you can actually talk to
I know the sound of doing everything online is very appealing. But just think – who are you going to call when you find out there’s something that isn’t what you thought? I would much rather be able to pick up the phone and speak to a person I know rather than send an email to a faceless website.
And that's what the team I work with do - they are Conveyancers. Real people that you can talk to, people that have been through the process that know exactly how you feel. So if you need a quotation, please feel free to give me a call on 0800 011 6666, I'd be happy to chat.
