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First time buyer timeline

Leftyness
Posts: 23 Forumite


Hi all,
First time buyer and I have read the website's advice for purchasing a house. Below is my understanding in terms of the process, I understand the timeline will vary of course. Please can I confirm whether I am right or have I missed out some important bits? Thank you all for your help!!
First time buyer and I have read the website's advice for purchasing a house. Below is my understanding in terms of the process, I understand the timeline will vary of course. Please can I confirm whether I am right or have I missed out some important bits? Thank you all for your help!!

- Working out budget
- Arrange a mortgage in principal
- Search for property (whilst checking the neighbourhood including flood risk and other planning)
- Search for conveyancers
- Put in offer via Estate Agent (or vendor directly if they are not with EA) and ask to 'take it off the market'
- Offer accepted
- Arrange full mortgage
- Property survey after mortgage offer has been made
- Negotiate completion date
- Purchase building insurance, starting on completion date
- Deposit to solicitor
- Contract exchange
- Completion statement from solictor
- Transfer of deeds
- Solicitor will pay for the house and the new house is purchased
- Stamp duty is paid via solicitor
- Register ownership with Land Registry
- Title deeds will go to solicitor
0
Comments
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Your solicitor will need to be on your lender's panel, so those two decisions will have to overlap slightly.
You should ensure the entire chain is complete before spending any money (ie sorting mortgage, survey, or instructing solicitors). By all means "appoint" a solicitor, just don't instruct them to start work.
Buildings insurance will need to start from exchange. Deposit will also be needed at exchange. Completion dates are agreed with everyone in the chain before you're all ready to exchange. Once exchanged (all on the same day usually unless anyone chooses to break the chain), you're all committed to buy. Before that, anyone can pull out.
You won't need to register anything yourself. Your solicitor will sort all that. Property deeds are usually held online. Your lender may be given a copy or the original (AFAIK).
2024 wins: *must start comping again!*2 -
hazyjo said:Your solicitor will need to be on your lender's panel, so those two decisions will have to overlap slightly.
You should ensure the entire chain is complete before spending any money (ie sorting mortgage, survey, or instructing solicitors). By all means "appoint" a solicitor, just don't instruct them to start work.
Buildings insurance will need to start from exchange. Deposit will also be needed at exchange. Completion dates are agreed with everyone in the chain before you're all ready to exchange. Once exchanged (all on the same day usually unless anyone chooses to break the chain), you're all committed to buy. Before that, anyone can pull out.
You won't need to register anything yourself. Your solicitor will sort all that. Property deeds are usually held online. Your lender may be given a copy or the original (AFAIK).
I am currently on stage 3 and want make sure I understand the whole process. Also trying to get things prepared in case I would like to move quickly.
I have quotes from local solicitors to be prepared.0 -
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