How to become a home owner

Tony Hodges, a Senior Partner at Robinson Jackson's Welling branch, says being prepared is key to a successful purchase: "The first stop for any property buyer is an independent mortgage advisor. They will work out just how much a buyer can afford to spend, given their deposit, income and the current offers in the mortgage marketplace. At Robinson Jackson, every branch has an in-house mortgage advisor, so the buying and finance process can take place under one roof. Once the buyer knows how much their budget is, they should register with us as an applicant – they should not rely on website searches with Rightmove and other property portals, as they may miss ‘new to market’ properties.“

Viewing potential properties is the exciting bit, as you never know what you are going to find. Most buyers will get a feel for a property pretty quickly. Before making a decision it’s important when standing in a property that you view it as a blank canvass, so you can visualise how you would personalise the property.

“It's worth checking if the estate agent you are buying a property through has a ‘Sales Progressor’. The presence of a Sales Progressor will make the process a lot smoother. They will be on your side every step of the way; chasing up solicitors, mortgage lenders and other estate agents in the property chain. They will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have. Our clients often comment that Robinson Jackson Sales Progressors are ‘worth their weight in gold’.

Be aware of timescales and plan accordingly. In today's market expect the process to take between 4-6 weeks to reach exchange on a freehold property if there is no chain. If the property is leasehold but chain-free, expect exchange to happen in about 8-10 weeks. If you're buying a property in a chain, expect to add about 4 weeks.”

Hodges offers his final words of advice. “Give as many contact details to the estate agent as possible so you can be kept up to date. Mobile numbers and emails are crucial in today's buying and selling process. Emailing letters, rather than waiting on the post will certainly speed up the process."