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Draw up a criteria for what you
are looking for in a new home with a priority against each one
- you can then rate each house you look at against this. |
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Make a checklist of all the key
things you need to find out about any house you go to view. |
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Shop around for your home insurance
- tying everything in with your mortgage may seem the easiest
thing to do but sometimes it can cost you more. |
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Take a good look round the market
at the mortgages on offer - fractions of a percentage on the
interest rate can cost you quite a lot of money over the course
of a 25 year mortgage. Also see a mortgage broker or financial
advisor. |
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Don't stretch yourself too far
on your mortgage so that you will struggle to make the repayments
- remember that whilst interest rates are very low now, this
might not always be the case |
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Consider carefully the type of
survey to have done when buying a house, especially one which
is several years old. Saving a few pounds by getting a bare
minimum valuation can cost you later. |
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When buying a new home, check
out the area you're looking to move to - many sites can provide
information on crime rates, schooling & pollution. |
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Check out aerial photos of the
home you're interested in - this can tell you a lot more about
the surrounding area than you can see at ground level! |
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Take the chance to review your
utility suppliers when moving - tying in several of your services
with one supplier could save you some money |
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Take time out to properly plan
your move - it is a complex and stressful thing but making sure
you've got everything covered can make it easier - some sites
offer very good planning guides |
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If your new home hasn't got good
locks or an alarm, take some time to consider what you can do
to make it safer before you start on any extensive home improvement
programmes. |
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Be very clear about all the fees
you will need to pay to solicitors, estate agents, removal firms,
surveyors etc., - add a contingency on top of whatever you budget
- it always costs more than you think! |
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Make sure you find out everything
about the history of the house you're looking at - history of
flooding or subsidence is very important. |
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Look at several of the home buying
sites before deciding who to sell your home with - by using
some of the new wave of internet sites that are not tied to
traditional estate agents you can save a lot of money on fees. |
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Decide whether you want to get
a buyer for your home before looking at what's available, or
vice versa! |
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Make sure your home is clean and
tidy outside as well as in - first impressions count for a lot |
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Consider doing some home improvements
before putting your house on the market - if you do re-decorate
always go for light or neutral colours |
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A nice kitchen and bathroom can
make a big difference to the chances of selling your home easily
- people spend a lot of time in these rooms so it's very important
they look nice. |
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Get an estate agent to value your
home so you've got a good idea of what it's really worth. |
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Decide what items you will be
prepared to leave behind and what you're taking with you. |
