Your budget
The first thing you need to do is decide how much you can afford. You will need to look at how much deposit you have available and how much you can borrow. Usually, you will apply to a building society or a bank for a mortgage.
It is advisable for any buyer to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage. A mortgage agreement in principle (AIP) can be generated by a mortgage advisor. An AIP is a written estimate from a bank or building society that gives you an indication of how much money you can borrow. This will always be subject to the property having a successful valuation which meets the lending criteria, e.g. LTV (Loan To Value).
Our expert mortgage consultants can offer expert tailored advice as to your target budget. Seeing a mortgage advisor prior to viewing will give the seller confidence that you can afford the property and has finances in place to enable a purchase. A seller is more likely to choose someone who is already pre-approved.
Additional costs
Before finally deciding how much to spend on a property, you need to be sure you will have enough money to pay for all the additional costs.
These include:
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Survey fees
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Valuation fees
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Land registry fee
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Local authority search
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Fees, if any, charged by the mortgage lender or your mortgage broker
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Conveyancing fees
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VAT
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Removal expenses
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Any final bills, for example, gas and electricity, from your present address which will have to be paid when you move.
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Stamp Duty Land Tax. This is payable on properties costing more than £125,000 and is at least 1% of the purchase price (in a limited number of areas, designated as 'disadvantaged', it is only payable on properties costing £150 000 or more) – for more information please see http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/sdlt/intro/rates-thresholds.htm
You should also take into account the running expenses of the property you wish to buy.
These may include:
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Heating, lighting and water rates
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Community charge/council tax (in England and Wales)
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Ground rent, if the property is leasehold
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Service charges, if the property is a leasehold flat
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Insurance costs, including life insurance, buildings and contents insurance.
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You will also have to pay a deposit on exchange of contracts, which can be anything from 10% to 40% of the purchase price in the current market. This would normally be payable, via your solicitor, a few weeks before the purchase is completed, and the money is received from the mortgage.
What our customers say about us
Sold my house with Arden, very professional service, quick sell and at my asking price. Will definitely use Arden Estates again.
Sam Ansell
The most professional estate agency in Ward End. I have tried others and will not move from this letting's agent.
Parma Singh
Exceptional service at this Estate Agent both in buying and selling properties and invaluable service with their letting service. Very highly recommended and efficient reliable service. Simply the best.
Veronica Morgan
Very helpful and professional estate agents. They will go out of their way to try and help you and they always have the time to explain to you what's happening. Would definitely recommend!
Mell Cath
We recently sold our property through Arden Estate Agents, and having failed to sell through another local estate agent we tried Arden's after they were recommended to us, I am so glad we did, as they sold our house within a couple of days and kept us in the loop throughout the entire process. I would genuinely recommend them to anybody who wants to sell or buy a property.
John Reid
Exceptional. From meeting at the valuation to sales completion, Arden provided an honest, professional service throughout. Tony and Paul kept me updated with progress from finding a genuine purchaser to ensuring we experienced no unnecessary delays. I highly recommend them. My only regret I didn’t knock their door first. Exceptional.
Declan Galligan
What our customers say about us
We’re always here to help
Frequently asked questions...
When should I arrange a mortgage?
When should I arrange a mortgage?
We recommend buyers seek financial advice early on and ideally have a mortgage in principal prior to viewing. This reassures the seller that you can finance the purchase and will put you in a stronger position than other buyers without one.
Do I need to get a survey before I purchase a property?
Do I need to get a survey before I purchase a property?
Your mortgage lender will arrange a valuer to inspect the property. You don't have to have a survey done on a property you are considering buying. However, we would advise any prospective buyers to instruct a chartered surveyor to inspect the property in detail. A full condition report will list any problems found within the property and will avoid any expensive or unwanted surprises following exchange of contracts.
Are there any fees if my property does not sell?
Are there any fees if my property does not sell?
No, we work on a No Sale, No Fee basis! The only time you pay our fee is upon exchange of contracts.
