Advise

Fedupandbroketoo

So my husband (50) and I (43) have finally got 20% of a deposit together to buy a house.  We are moving to a cheaper area of the country and hope to get a modest mortgage. This is our first time buying in the UK. Any advise would be very helpful thanks

Thrugelmir

Do you have employment lined up in the new area? 

AlexMac

Congratulations on getting to this point and taking the decison; buying a run-down house in what was then a run-down area was the best thing I ever did. 

The lack of response to your original post so far not only reflects the fact that you only put it on the site at approaching midnight last night, but that the question is so wide open that we don't know what you're actually seeking advice about; 

Expert poster Greatcrested can suggest books about housebuying and the web will reveal useful guides like 
https://www.nationwide.co.uk/guides/buying-and-owning-a-property/home-buyers-guide/getting-started

Read these and then firm up your Qs; e.g.

- where to move to?  (invite specific suggestions or generalise; somewhere in an economically depressed area if you want cheap property, or somewhere with access to jobs or commuter links...?  There's lots about regional house prices on the web... e.g. https://propertydata.co.uk/charts/house-prices  )

- Cheapest house in the best street? (always the best tactic in my experience)

- ready to live in or tatty doo-er upper (like my 1st wreck, which forced me to learn how to DIY; decor, kitchens, carpentry...) 

- Freehold or Leasehold (and watch out for Service Charges and who manages the freehold if the latter)

- Use a Mortgage broker or apply direct to a lender ?(I like Nationwide who have been brilliant to us over the years so try 'em.  They and other lenders have affordability calculators   https://www.nationwide.co.uk/products/mortgages/our-mortgages/mortgage-calculators?cmpid=PPC_5_1_71700000017246528_nationwide+mortgage+calculators&ds_rl=1236956&gclid=CjwKCAiA57D_BRAZEiwAZcfCxe98yEb2E8lFrNFPVzxR4cSWTHzpJq9R-x24WI7ojzvRgad-hIbc8xoCGFEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds )

.... Pink door or Blue...

I could go on, and frequently do; Happy New (property buying) Year

tacpot12

Look carefully at the photos of any property before you ask to view it. Often you can see all sorts of revealing information in them.

Have a look up and down the street using Google Streetview.

Study the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) carefully before you ask to view a property as it can help you understand how the property is constructed as well as how expensive it will be to heat. Many mortgage lenders will not lend on properties that have "non-standard construction". The UK "standard" house is built with brick walls, often with a brick or block inner "leaf" to the wall to create a cavity that help insulate the property and prevent damp comping in - anything else, e.g. timber-framed, concrete panels, straw bales, etc. are "non-standard construction".

Don't use a conveyancing solicitor recommended by an estate-agent. Pick your own; if you have found work in the area, try to ask your employer if they can find someone who can provide a recommendation of a solicitor for conveyancing.

Old houses can offer good value for money when it comes to space, but they can be expensive to heat and this is only going to get worse in future. Brand new houses can be very energy efficient, but are tiny by comparison. Houses built in 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s can offer more space and reasonable energy costs, but you need to check carefully that the properties have been built well - a HomeBuyer's report will usually be sufficient unless there are obvious faults with the building. 

Check the loft, especially for spray foam insulation. 

greatcrested

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