Handy Hints and Tips for First Time Buyers

If a first house purchase is top of your 2022 list, then you will no doubt be wondering where to start your house buying journey.

Whilst it may seem like there are so many things to think of, our team of experts, who have guided thousands of first-time buyers through the process, share some of their top tips to make it a super enjoyable experience!

Love your home

When you’re looking for a first home you really do need to fall in love with it. For some it may be just bricks and mortar, but to many it’s a place where memories will be made. Make sure it has what you need practically whether that is a home office or space to work, a downstairs cloakroom, or that rear facing dining kitchen that you’ve been dreaming of! Making sure it ticks all the boxes now could save costly renovations, extensions, or even moving in the long run.

Location, location, location

In addition to making sure the home suits your lifestyle, you should make sure that the location does too. If you drive to work, will the commute be straightforward from your new home, or will it mean you get caught in rush hour traffic? If you like walking to a pub or restaurant on a weekend, is there one nearby that will suit your social life? Do you like to go for a walk and if so, are there plenty of walks to be enjoyed from your doorstep? It really is worth exploring the location when you think you’ve found the perfect home to make sure the area is right too.

Look after the pennies

If you are ready to purchase your new home, you are probably no stranger to saving money and being sensible with what you spend. However, just because that deposit was finally saved, it doesn’t mean that you can start being frivolous with your funds just yet. Remember that you may well need furniture, carpets, and lights (if they are not included in your home) and things like solicitor’s fees, stamp duty, insurance and moving costs will all need to be considered early in the process. These types of costs vary, but on average you should be looking at saving an extra £2000 for your additional fees.

Keeping everything in order

With the fun bits, like furnishing your new home, there comes responsibilities (unfortunately) such as the more serious matter of ‘paperwork’! When you own a home there are things that you will need to consider – a TV license is a legal requirement and home and contents insurance is typically required as part of your mortgage terms and conditions. You may also want to consider taking out insurance should you be unable to work and pay your mortgage and investing in an ISA will also see you start to grow a nest egg for your future, perhaps when you want to upsize your home, or relocate.

Be finance savvy

Whilst you may have had great success saving, using a financial adviser or mortgage broker can help you work out which deal is best for you. They have years of experience in advising people at all stages of their house buying journey and are there to make it easier; all you have to do is read the small print and make sure the deal is perfect for you now and for the whole of the term that you have signed up for. There are many deals available now and with interest rates expected to rise this year choosing one that can prevent costly increases may be a wise decision to make.

Ask questions

Call on all the industry professionals that you will deal with and ask as many question as you can. If it’s a wonderful Miller home that you are purchasing, where you want to know what’s going on at each stage of the build, or you simply want to understand some of the financial detail a little more, make sure you speak up. We all have lots of professional knowledge and are here to help!

Buying a first home is a very exciting and rewarding experience and, should you choose a brand-new Miller home, you can be assured of a helping hand throughout your house buying journey.

A Miller home really is the place to be.