Great 'What I wish I’d known before I bought my first home' Hunt

doodlebug21uk

Get a Co-habitation deed drawn up if not married.

I've just come out of a 10 year relationship, got a joint mortgage 9 years ago, now going through a lengthy legal battle to get back my 10% deposit back, share of improvements etc etc etc.

The rules for co-habiting and marriage appear to be different! So be aware that relationships may not last.......!

corp0193

2 things learnt the hard way:
1) Ask them to put the heating on and check the downstairs radiators are hot (the survey doesn't check this)
2) Try the shower (make sure it has pressure and gets hot)

norfolk.enchance_2

Don't forget to check out the local schools and colleges. These will be important if you have or are planning a family. A good school catchment area can also increase the saleability of your home should you move.

marylou2121

Get a removal firm if you have more than a few clothes and books to go. Doing it yourself is seriously false economy. It needn't cost much if you use a "man and van" type of operation but it will save you so much time and trouble it's well worth it.

Tiddles12

1. DO NOT trust the vendor! Maybe I was just unlucky but mine was a lying snake who under-quoted the maintenance charge on my leasehold flat by 50% - if I'd have known the truth I may not have even put an offer in. He also stated when I viewed it that he'd include all the furniture (he had been renting it out previously), I never got this in writing and had to fight to get it included near the end.

2. Don't assume your mortgage broker will get you the best deal. I secured a great offer through a well-known broker company and it was only on a whim that I phoned the mortgage provider direct to double check. I ended up with exactly the same deal but without the £1,000 fee!

Having said that, I've been in my home for two months now and am LOVING IT. It's true what they say - it's all worth it in the end!

PS No I did not let the vendor get away with it - I was furious when I found out and demanded £2,000 off the sale price plus the furniture included or I was walking. He agreed. That amount will cover the extra service charge for the next 2.5 years.

helena1_2

Check out whether you have to pay someone to manage the land around your house, i.e. communal parks, or just grass and plants by the path. Many newer estates are NOT covered by the council for this and have to pay extra ontop of their concil tax (which of course pays for the other estates parks, grass cutting etc.!)

We are not alone in feeling ripped off by what we pay for here (even though we did know about it beforehand).

Also... don't move into a property right beside a...
* train line
* car park
* woodland path (if youngsters might use it for motorbikes or late night jollies)
* pedestrian crossing
* hospital
* school

Most of all - keep you head and ENJOY your new home )

CaptainFantastic

It's only a small tip but:

We were asked to send bankers drafts for our deposit and other money for which banks charge.

So you could
a) transfer all money to one account before getting a bankers draft
or
b) ask if you can do a normal transfer, you will need to allow more time for it to reach their account (could be 3 or 4 days), but it will cost nothing.

We had our savings spread across several accounts, so we saved around £100.

Not mega-bucks compared to the general cost of moving.
But it all counts.

Thanks
CF

meames_2

My house was empty when I looked at it but "dressed" for viewings (i.e some furniture in some rooms. I since discovered this was to hide the bits of floor where the laminate top has peeled away.

All utilities where tuned off, so I couldn't check the taps etc, only on the day to find that the boiler was broke (£365 to fix) and the hoses to connect to the washing machine were left because they are blocked in! Not only that, i found a mouldy poo in the toilet,:eek: because of the amount of bleach / cilit bang we used the toilet has never looked clean since.

I also discovered the fence that only came part way up the garden between me and the neighbours was too far over my side, causing 4 months over her giving me evil glares through the kitchen window (but at least it did stop her 2 year old weeing in my garden!!!:eek:. I ended up paying the £700 for the fence even though it was her responsibility, and luckily the solictor did it for free after i sent her the lovely letter the neighbour had sent me along with the threat from her husband. So checking boundaries are correct is a good one too!!

zcrat41

I've just loved the first few months of living in my house. Stuff I wish I'd known (or glad I found out just in time!!)

1) Get lots of quotes. Highest quote to repoint my chimney was £1800, cheapest £100.
2) Don't use the solicitor the estate agent recommends. The one my Mum recommended was about £600 cheaper and I would imagine an awful lot more helpful.
3) Get the vendor to turn the heating on.
4) Reiterating everybody else don't be afraid to check everything, doors, taps, washing machines if they come with it.
5) Don't use estate agents mortgage advisors; mine couldn't come anywhere close to the deal I got with my bank.
6) That you need at lease £500 to "move in with" e.g stocking your kitchen for the first time, buying lampshades and random things you didn't think of. (And one almighty Ikea trip!)

Oh, and you will become a DIY obsessive! B & Q opens up a whole new world of shopping opportunities!

xoAmyox

CaptainFantastic wrote: »

It's only a small tip but:

We were asked to send bankers drafts for our deposit and other money for which banks charge.

So you could
a) transfer all money to one account before getting a bankers draft
or
b) ask if you can do a normal transfer, you will need to allow more time for it to reach their account (could be 3 or 4 days), but it will cost nothing.

We had our savings spread across several accounts, so we saved around £100.

Not mega-bucks compared to the general cost of moving.
But it all counts.

Thanks
CF

This is a great idea, most banks will allow you to transfer between your own accounts immediately, then you can arrange the outside transfer/bankers draft.

I work for Barclays, and one of the perks of having one of our fee-paying accounts is that for a bankers draft or CHAPS payment there is no charge, also bear this in mind.

But also remember the good old fashioned cheque, it may take longer, but you then have a paper trail for your own records, and some recourse should anything go awry in the system.

My partner and I are in the process of considering our first flat at the moment from as a housing association that does shared ownership. I see people saying that maintenance fees can vary quite a lot, how appropriate is this for new build properties, or is it pure luck of the draw?

We seem to be lucky with this flat, as its the top floor and has no adjoining walls with any other flat, as I know they can be paper thin. But how about the floors? We have a 3yr old son, and it can be impossible to keep him quiet at times (boys will be boys eh?) how aware of our downstairs neighbours do you think we will have to be? And more importantly how aware (or annoyed) of us could they be?