Buying your first home can be a daunting experience, even with the advice and support of parents and friends, so here are some useful tips to consider before owning your own property.

Take mortgage advice…

Before looking at properties, obtain independent mortgage advice. A specialist mortgage advisor can look at the whole mortgage market and match your individual circumstances to the right mortgage products available, taking into account your income, credit history and deposit.

This simple step could save you thousands of pounds over the life of the mortgage and ensure that you are eligible for a mortgage in the form of an ‘agreement in principle’ – something which means that Estate Agents will take you more seriously when you start to view houses.

You will also be able to find out just how much money you can lend to buy a property, so you know what price houses you can start viewing.

Plan your finances…

Once the mortgage advisor has given you a borrowing limit, do not be tempted to take this to the maximum and never borrow more than you can comfortably afford to repay.

You must allow for all the other expenses of home ownership such as council tax and utility bills, home insurance and property maintenance. This is particularly important if you are leaving home for the first time and have never budgeted for these before.

Choose a property carefully…

Once you start your search, look for properties which are likely to re-sell easily such as in popular locations close to amenities. Look for standard types of construction and styles which have a universal appeal to first time buyers such as modern two bedroom terraced properties or semis.

Most first time buyers stay for an average of three years before moving on, so you want a property which can easily be re-sold in the future.

Research the location…

Before you make an offer on a property, visit the location on workdays, weekends and at different times of day to assess issues such as parking in the neighbourhood when people are at home, noisy neighbours or other potential anti-social problems such as littering or graffiti which may occur only occasionally, but not at the times you viewed the property.

Do some research on crime statistics for the area and the performance of local schools to gauge the suitability of the area if you are not too familiar with it.

To look at all the properties we currently have available please click on the ‘Sale’ bar at the top of the page.

If you have any questions or queries or would like to book a viewing please call:

Marple – 0161 914 7620

Hazel Grove – 0161 300 7144

 

Springtime is a great time to sell your property. Many factors are coming together to help you. The weather should be improving and this helps one often forgotten about aspect to selling your property; the garden.

A garden of any size can really fire the senses of viewers. As the weather is starting to get better there’s some obvious and not so obvious things you can do if you fancy doing some gardening in preparation of selling of your property.

Let’s start with the obvious and the “quick wins”. However, don’t be fooled. An overly manicured garden can also turn people off if they are the viewers who want to design or implement their own changes to a garden. It’s about striking a happy balance.

• Mow the lawn
• Remove any weeds
• Trim any trees – not excessively.
• Cut back eager plants, like ivy
• If you can, put a small tree by the front door, in our experience can help the eye when people come to view. A bay tree, for example.
• Can you move recycling bins out of view?
• If you have a patio, the presence of table and chairs can help the impression of a loved exterior environment
• If you have a shed, a tidy up here is not only good for the soul but means your garden items are not spilling into the garden space.
• Clear up all children’s toys
• Clear away any animal mess

If you fancy doing a little bit more to your garden – either front or back – these ideas can help:

• Lavender plants often help the scent on visiting vendors and helps create a great impression.
• Pots around the patio area add a splash of colour. Even if you live in a property without a garden, pots can make the difference
• Consider some bedding plants in your borders
• Like the pots, hanging baskets add colour. Look for plants that trail – lobelia, for example.
• Trim the edges of your lawn to give your lawn a nice finish
• On the subject of the lawn, you can give your green area a refresh with some lawn feed. Ask your local garden centre for advice on what’s best for your lawn.
• If the garden has potential, we would advise against any personal features – archways, statues – let your viewers visualise your property in the years after they have bought it from you.

Happy Gardening!

Call now to arrange your free no obligation valuation.

0161 914 7620 – Marple

0161 300 7144 – Hazel Grove