Buying a property

Buying a Property with Laurence Leigh Residential

Laurence Leigh Residential recognises the fact that the purchase of your home is the most important and expensive transaction you are likely to undergo.

Our database features a wide selection of properties and we are sure that with our local knowledge and expertise, we will be able to find you a property to suit your needs, be it a straightforward move or a ‘Buy to Let’ investment.

To enable you to unravel the complexities of buying your home, we have set out below an overview of the various procedures involved:

What you need to know:

Registration
The first requirement is for you to register your details and property specifications which can be achieved in a number of ways i.e. by email, fax, phone, in person of by completing our registration form. This will give us an insight into your personal requirements, thereby enabling us to modify the details sent to you.

Once registered, you are then in a position to receive details from us directly in person, via mail or email or download and print these out from our website.

Viewing
Please call us on 020 7483 0101 to arrange a mutually convenient time.

Mortgage
In order to speed up your house buying process, it is advisable wherever possible; to get a mortgage agreed in principle before any final decision on your new property is made. This has the advantage of providing you with a clear indication of what is affordable and the fact that you have a mortgage agreed in principle is also attractive to sellers.

Making Your Offer
Once you have located your ideal property, your offer will be submitted by us to the vendor for their consideration. This is done both verbally and in writing.

NB: Please note that all offers are “subject to contract” and therefore neither party is legally bound until the contract is actually signed.

Accepted Offer/Instructing Solicitors:
As soon as your offer has been accepted by the vendor, you should instruct a solicitor to act on your behalf. Your solicitor will handle all legal requirements of your purchase (property conveyancing).

At this point, you also need to formally proceed with your mortgage application and instruct your mortgage consultant/broker accordingly.

Valuation/Survey
The next step is to obtain the Mortgage Valuation, as required by law. This will be conducted by a Chartered Surveyor acting for your Lender. The report is to provide a Valuation i.e. determine whether the amount to be loaned is secure and also deals with the basic condition of the property. Since you as the buyer are also provided with a copy, it allows both parties to evaluate the findings prior to entering into a commitment to purchase. The Mortgage Valuation survey is limited and you may want to obtain a full structural survey at this point.

Searches
These are conducted by the buyer’s solicitor who submits a local authority search to the local borough council. Its purpose is to ascertain if there is any planning consented previously granted on the property or if there are any other local issues which may have an impact on the purchase. In some instances, the search may also include an Environmental and Drainage search.

Draft Contracts
The draft contract is drawn up by the seller’s solicitor and is forwarded to the buyer’s solicitor for consideration. Any additional queries or questions will be asked and answered and the contract amended accordingly, subject to final approval.

Mortgage Offer
The Lender is now in possession of the Mortgage Valuation survey and, subject to the findings of this report; receipt/approval of the mortgage application and provided all references and checks have been conducted satisfactorily, the Lender will send a formal mortgage offer to the buyer and their solicitor. The document is then signed and returned and funds requested by the buyer’s solicitor.

Exchange of Contracts
Once the contract has been signed by both parties, a deposit (normally 10% of the purchase price) is paid by either bank transfer or banker’s draft. At this stage, the parties agree on a date for completion.

Completion
Completion usually follows a few days or weeks after exchange of contracts. The balance of the purchase price is transferred by the buyer’s solicitor to the seller’s solicitor and the keys released.

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