Easier way to buy home?

confusedfreelancer

Flugelhorn said:

confusedfreelancer said:

Would you say that getting a solicitor is the first thing to do? Do you know of any in the UK that will communicate with me purely through written communication? Or is it better to find a property first? There seem to be a lot of new blocks going up nearby.

I'm looking for something along the lines of a one-bed flat. I'm not sure if it's possible for me to supplement my savings with a mortgage, as my income isn't in GBP and I'm classed as self-employed (I basically work in the gig economy for several American companies).

You can scope out solicitors ie get quotes and see how they respond to you - always better to get someone local you can  see face to face and makes you feel as though it is OK to ask questions.

THen  you would need to find a property and formally appoint solictors   and if it if a new property then DON'T go for any solicitor that the developers recommend - you need someone working for you and not just for them! It may cost a bit more but is worth it. 

New one bed flats come with complex leases, management companies etc etc there is going to be a lot of communication whatever - much of it will be on paper.

I didn't realise the developers could find a solicitor for me. That sounds ideal if there's an established process to follow.

confusedfreelancer

bobster2 said:

confusedfreelancer said:

Would you say that getting a solicitor is the first thing to do? Do you know of any in the UK that will communicate with me purely through written communication? Or is it better to find a property first? There seem to be a lot of new blocks going up nearby.

I'm looking for something along the lines of a one-bed flat. I'm not sure if it's possible for me to supplement my savings with a mortgage, as my income isn't in GBP and I'm classed as self-employed (I basically work in the gig economy for several American companies).

The solicitor I've used communicates pretty much entirely via email - and through a special app/website with forms to complete and documents to download.

What's their name?

Flugelhorn

confusedfreelancer said:

Flugelhorn said:

confusedfreelancer said:

Would you say that getting a solicitor is the first thing to do? Do you know of any in the UK that will communicate with me purely through written communication? Or is it better to find a property first? There seem to be a lot of new blocks going up nearby.

I'm looking for something along the lines of a one-bed flat. I'm not sure if it's possible for me to supplement my savings with a mortgage, as my income isn't in GBP and I'm classed as self-employed (I basically work in the gig economy for several American companies).

You can scope out solicitors ie get quotes and see how they respond to you - always better to get someone local you can  see face to face and makes you feel as though it is OK to ask questions.

THen  you would need to find a property and formally appoint solictors   and if it if a new property then DON'T go for any solicitor that the developers recommend - you need someone working for you and not just for them! It may cost a bit more but is worth it. 

New one bed flats come with complex leases, management companies etc etc there is going to be a lot of communication whatever - much of it will be on paper.

I didn't realise the developers could find a solicitor for me. That sounds ideal if there's an established process to follow.

they can but I (and probably most people on the forum) would not recommend it - you need someone on your side when dealing with the the developers - they could get you to sign up to anything and you might find you were responsible for all sorts or that there were very onerous restrictions - seriously, tempting though it is, there are many who regret using the developer's "recommended" (ie they have received commission from them) solictors

confusedfreelancer

housebuyer143 said:

Is there a service near you that provides support for things like this? 
Near me all councils have funding to provide in property support and you don't need to be renting etc. They help with forms, reading mail, setting up utilities - anything really. Your autism would make you eligible as they class you as more vulnerable.

It's not widely known or advertised but you might find your council does something similar. Maybe give them an email and ask if they know of a similar scheme they can direct you to.

There is but I'm not eligible because I'm "in work" (have found ways to make money online) and currently housed (my ex kindly agreed not to tell the letting agents when he moved out two years ago).

bobster2

confusedfreelancer said:

Flugelhorn said:

confusedfreelancer said:

Would you say that getting a solicitor is the first thing to do? Do you know of any in the UK that will communicate with me purely through written communication? Or is it better to find a property first? There seem to be a lot of new blocks going up nearby.

I'm looking for something along the lines of a one-bed flat. I'm not sure if it's possible for me to supplement my savings with a mortgage, as my income isn't in GBP and I'm classed as self-employed (I basically work in the gig economy for several American companies).

You can scope out solicitors ie get quotes and see how they respond to you - always better to get someone local you can  see face to face and makes you feel as though it is OK to ask questions.

THen  you would need to find a property and formally appoint solictors   and if it if a new property then DON'T go for any solicitor that the developers recommend - you need someone working for you and not just for them! It may cost a bit more but is worth it. 

New one bed flats come with complex leases, management companies etc etc there is going to be a lot of communication whatever - much of it will be on paper.

I didn't realise the developers could find a solicitor for me. That sounds ideal if there's an established process to follow.

As others have said - it is a bad idea to use solicitors (or mortgage brokers / surveyors) recommended by a developer or estate agent you are buying from.

ss2020jd

You could try searching this directory from the National Autistic Society for solicitors:

https://www.autism.org.uk/autism-services-directory

It can be a stressful process but if you have a good solicitor and perhaps seek advice from the autistic society or other similar organisations before you start. A lot of the transaction process can be done online now. 

400ixl

I wouldn't use any solicitor a developer recommends as they will not be working entirely in your best interests.

Given your description, if looking at new builds I would try to avoid buying off plan and find one which is already built and complete.

If looking for something which is not new, I would avoid anything with a chain as that brings variability. Maybe look for something that a family is selling after a relative passing. If probate has been issued it should be fairly straight forward.

This way there is no absolute deadline and you are in more control as you are renting. You may want to have a good overlap between completion and end of rent to allow for any last minute snags causing stress.

gwynlas

I think i would be better for you to find  solicitor who is used to dealing with people with autism prior to finding a property as this will take some of the pressure off. You would probaly need to approach a number of firms in orde to do so but I suggest firms dealing with family law might be a start as they might have more experience of a range of conditions.Yorkshire is a large county so you should be able to find something. Takinng it as a whole there are over 9000 listed under £175K but you might have a particular area in mind. Do continue to seek answers on this site as there are many knowledgeable people with house buying experience.

Keep_pedalling

Apart from your issue of communicating on the phone you come across as a very capable person, so I would contact a few local solicitors via their contact page and explain the situation exactly as you have done to us. I am sure that you will find one will be more than happy to accommodate you. 

We are currently buying and selling. Our initial contact with our solicitor was via Zoom and every thing else has been via email. Had we just been buying I don’t think we would have needed the Zoom session.

dramaticat

I agree that using a local firm of solicitors might suit you better. They may be more alert to your problems and take the trouble to communicate with you in the best way for you. You can judge this from their response to your email for a quote, which should also set out how you want the communication to be handled.

When I last moved, I used a local firm of solicitors. Nearly all communication was by email. I had one pack of documents through the post because there was a form that needed my physical signature. If I remember rightly, my solicitor phoned me once, only because the question she had could be answered more easily and quickly by phone – you can of course specify no phone communication. I also received a phone call when completion took place, but again this could be by email for you if you aren't in a chain and moving in on completion day, so time isn't of the essence. If you are happy dealing with sometimes complex legal information in written form, then I don't think you will have any problems with the legal side of buying a property.

Where you might struggle is in communications with estate agents/developers and during actual viewings. You'll just have to make your boundaries clear to them in your emails – and keep reminding them if they don't follow your instructions.

Good luck!