Buying first house

Valderrama

Hi,

Recently I have decided that it's about time I looked to buy a house. I have been renting for the last 8 or 9 years, and have finally managed to get a deposit together.

Now, I have been accepted for a mortgage, and I have found a place I like and am looking to put a bid in.

I went to First Mortgage to sort out a mortgage for me, and I recently e-mailed them to confirm the mortgage would be in place etc. It was, so it's good for me to go on.

The next thing I know a Solicitor has called my girlfriend and informed her that they have put in a note of interest on the property for us, and has tried to advise her on a price to bid (and pretty much mocked what I wanted to enter as an initial offer). I know First Mortgage has links to solicitors, but this is ridiculous!

Firstly, I wasn't at a stage to put in a note of interest, and if I was, I don't want some unknown solicitor doing it for me.
Secondly, I wasn't too keen on a solicitor doing my bidding and negotiating for me when it actually comes down to making an offer.
Thirdly, to me they may know about the market as a whole, but I've done the ground work of viewing this flat, and speaking to the owner who is absolutely desperate to sell (I see a good deal, sols think about market value).

I live in Scotland, am I ok to go ahead and make an offer myself, and just get a solicitor when I actually have to (and one that I actually want to use as well).

What to do?

googler

Did you instruct First Mortgage to appoint a sol for you? If not (check your paperwork), then you need to dis-instruct them (the sol). It may be in the T&Cs for the mort that you're obliged to use their sol....

If you like the place, why wouldn't you put a note of interest in? It doesn't commit you to anything and virtually ensures that if there's other interest, that you will be given a chance to offer. If you change sols and want to keep the note of interest, phone the selling agent after the change and tell them your interest remains, but you've changed sol.

You can't make an offer without a solicitor. The offer has to be in written format, and you want this format to be correct, since it forms part of your contract to purchase. You can try agreeing a deal verbally with the owner, but anything you agree here won't be legally binding until your solicitors each exchange and conclude missives following a formal offer from you, so you may as well get them to do the formal offer straight off.

Most buyers are advised by their sol on what to offer, and tend to hire their sol before they go looking for something to buy - so that when they do see something they like, their sol can act quickly

This is the first time you've done this. Solicitors in Scotland do this every day for a living on behalf of people like you. Why do you think you'll do a better job of the negotiation?

googler

Oh, and with regard to you not wanting "some unknown solicitor" to note interest on your behalf - if you phone up the selling agent yourself to note interest, they're likely to ask you who your solicitor is, and are equally likely to tell you they'll only accept a note of interest from another solicitor....