| Planning Your Move |
Register with Cross & Prior |
Finding a Property |
Viewing the Property |
If you require a mortgage, it is
recommended that you obtain
a mortgage in principle before
you start your search, as it will
let you know exactly what you
can afford, and can give you an
advantage over other buyers
when making an offer.
If your purchase is reliant on
the sale of an existing property
you should consider marketing
it prior to your property search,
as you will need to be under
offer before any offer you make
will be considered, and will also
help to determine your budget.
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Once you are ready to begin
your search you should register
with Cross & Prior either by
calling us on 0208 715 0555,
coming to see us in person at
our office, or alternatively, if
you are short on time you can
Register with us online.
It is important to register, as
some properties are sold before
entering the public domain. We
recommend you provide us
with as much information as
possible, so we can update
you as soon as a suitable
property becomes available.
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Looking for a new home can
often become time consuming
and frustrating, but the process
can be simplified with a little bit
of homework and drawing up a
detailed list of your needs such
as location, property type, local
schools, and transport links.
Our renowned website acts as
an excellent buying tool offering
useful advice and a number of
guides to aid you throughout
your Property Search. we
ensure that our property lists
are regularly updated to keep
you constantly informed.
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You should shortlist properties
you are interested in, arrange
to view them at the earliest
possible opportunity to avoid
potential disappointment. All
viewings will be conducted
at a time that suits both you
and the vendor.
You are encouraged to ask any
questions about the property. If
you really like a property, it is
very important to arrange a
second viewing, which allows
you to check anything you may
have missed or overlooked the
first time around.
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| Making an Offer |
Agreeing the Sale |
Instructing a Solicitor |
Organising a Survey |
When you have found a suitable
property and make an offer, we
will ask you to provide us with
information about your current
position, for example, how you
intend to finance the purchase,
and if applicable details of your
existing property.
Your offer will be put forward for
the vendor’s consideration, you
will be advised if there are any
other offers for the property
which are also being considered
and we will then contact you
straight away after the vendor
has made their decision.
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Once the seller has accepted
your offer, we will confirm in
writing the agreed sale price
(STC) and any conditions
relating to it. At this stage both
parties are under no legal
obligations until the contract
has been signed.
We will continue to market the
property until we receive your
solicitor details and proof of
finance, unless after consulting
the vendors and they instruct us
to withdraw the property from
the market. However, we will
not show it to other buyers.
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After the sale has been agreed
you will be required to instruct
a solicitor or conveyancer to
act on your behalf, and they will
liaise with your mortgage lender
and attend to all of the legal
formalities and requirements
that are involved.
It is essential you find someone
you can trust, as you will be
reliant on them throughout the
process. If you do not have a
solicitor in mind we are happy
to recommend a number of
reliable local firms, who will be
able to assist you.
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You will need to complete your
mortgage application and
arrange a survey after your
offer has been accepted. It can
sometimes take up to 14 days
for a survey to be carried out,
so you should book it as soon
as possible.
We will contact you once the
survey has been officially
confirmed and we will keep you
updated throughout the whole
process. You will normally
receive the survey results from
your mortgage provider within
3-5 working days.
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| Finalising Your Mortgage |
Exchanging Contracts |
Insuring the Property |
Completion |
Once you have received the
survey report, your lender will
write to you to confirm if your
application has been approved.
This is important, without a
formal mortgage offer you may
not be in a position to proceed
with your purchase.
The written offer will confirm the
terms and conditions specified
by your lender, and you should
carefully check them thoroughly
for any discrepancies, and your
solicitor will then be able to
proceed to exchange knowing
the funds are secured.
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Arguably this is considered to
be the most significant stage
of the buying process, as once
contracts have been exchanged
the agreed terms of the sale
become binding and both you
and the vendor are now legally
committed to the transaction.
When your solicitor is entirely
satisfied with the results of their
legal searches and enquiries
you will be asked to sign the
contract and pay a deposit
(normally 10% of the purchase
price). If you pull out at this
point you will lose your deposit.
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From the point of exchange of
contracts you will become liable
for the property, and will be
required to have an adequate
Buildings Insurance Policy and
any other necessary insurance
in place, to ensure you and your
new home are protected.
If you are buying a leasehold
property, the freeholder will
generally be responsible for
arranging the insurance policy,
your solicitor will be able to
advise you and liaise with the
freeholder to make sure the
policy is sufficient.
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The completion date will have
been agreed by all parties
involved in the chain prior to
exchanging contracts. The
length of time for completion
is usually 2-4 weeks however
in some circumstances it can
happen on the same day.
On your completion day we will
make sure everything goes
smoothly, and contact you to
arrange a suitable time to come
to our office and collecting your
keys. Congratulations! You are
now the legal owner, we hope
you enjoy your new home.
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