When thinking of moving home

When thinking of moving home, you will need to consider what aspects of a property are most important to you:

1. Number of bedrooms / bathrooms.
2. Parking provisions.
3. Separate kitchen and dining room.
4. Private garden.
5. Conservatory.
6. How much time/money you may want to spend redecorating etc.
7. Tell your agent exactly what type of property you are looking for and the elements that you could possibly compromise on. Also inform them what you don’t want and whether you have a mortgage agreed in principle.

New Builds
You may want to consider buying a new build; which are growing in popularity and offer many benefits to homebuyers. The benefits of buying a new home include:

1. 1. Not having to spend money or time redecorating or repairing your new home. You may even get to choose the design before it’s built.
   2. New build house developers registered with the National House Building Council (NHBC) provide a 10-year warranty. Similar guarantees can be gained from other providers.
   3. You can avoid waiting for detailed surveys to be completed as your guarantee covers any unforeseen problems.
   4. The average new home is up to six times more energy efficient than a traditional second-hand home.*
      There are no upward chains when buying a new build house, so the whole process is quicker and less stressful. Some new home developers offer part exchange deals on your current home. (*Source: The New Homes Marketing Board http://www.nhmb.co.uk) 

The Area
If you are moving to a new area, you may want to do some research to see if it is suitable for your lifestyle. Useful information about house prices, school performance, public transport links and other amenities can be found on Rightmove.
The checklist below covers some of the most important things you need to know and where to get the information:

1. Use the Government websites to find out what the council tax bandings are in the new area. The VOA website can be used for England and Wales while the SAA website is for Scotland. .
2. Get information on a variety of subjects including: population, crime, health and housing from the Office for National Statistics website.
3. Check out the public transport links on the Transport Direct or the TGL website for London.
4. Visit the Highways Agency website to check your road transport links and any plans for future road developments that may affect house prices in the future.
5. Look at the Environment Agency website to find out more about the local environment; from pollution to flooding.

The Viewings
As soon as you have established the property is of sufficient interest for you, book a viewing with the agent. Also, don’t forget to take a camera and tape measure on every viewing you go on – the camera is so you can avoid having to rack your brain about which property had the lovely en-suite. With cameras built in as standard on most mobile phones, this is easier than ever. But remember to always ask permission with the agent or owner before taking any pictures. The tape measure is for you to see if your large/favourite pieces of furniture will fit in the rooms.

Feel free to give us a call on 0845 026 8527 or visit our website www.RightEstateAgents.co.uk

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