Research Your Mortgage Provider
A lot of people might do a quick search for a local mortgage broker, or they might be hell bent on finding the best mortgage rates. However, these aren’t the only things you need to check. Sure, the mortgage rate is likely the headline figure you’ll be looking for but what if you decided to go with the lowest rate only for your provider to go bankrupt? Do some background research if it’s a provider you haven’t heard of before. There are companies who can help, like Altrua Financial. But you need to do some of the work yourself. Check whether they have a good customer service score. Have a look for some reviews online. Just put some time into ensuring things are as they should be to ensure you can have that peace of mind during your mortgage term.
Get A Survey Done
So many people don’t and end up regretting it. You need to ensure you get a decent survey done by a qualified individual. It may cost a bit of money you’re unwilling to part with, but it can end up saving you a lot more in the grand scheme of things. Think about it. If they find major structural problems you can ask the current owners to fix it, or pull out of the deal altogether. If you didn’t get the survey done you’d be responsible for them upon buying the home.They have a more practised eye than you and can see things which you might not think is a problem. Even with new builds this is needed. Especially considering the amount of bad press certain new builds have received recently.
Check The Local Area
It’s important to do some research in the local area. This is to ensure there are schools, shops, and amenities that your family might need. You might have found the perfect home but it’s useless if you have to drive miles to work or school. This also includes checking what the crime rate is in your local area. Speak to some of the neighbours before moving in. Check what’s going on and whether they’re the kind of people you wouldn’t mind living with or mixing with.
Council Plans?
Always research local council plans, if possible. Your house will sink in value if the lovely forest or fields close by are suddenly demolished for high rise flats. Same of any factories or industrial plants are built nearby. Check plans for any building or alteration work nearby which could hamper the value of your home. In a similar vein, check for things which might improve the value too. A home is an investment at the end of the day. When doing this you should also check the local area for potential natural issues like flooding or earthquakes. A quick check can tell you about these and whether they’ve been a problem in the past or not. If they have, you may want to reconsider. However, bare in mind this issue might have been resolved by the local authority by building flood defences or taking steps to ensure the problem doesn’t happen again. If this is the case, be aware because home insurance may sky rocket.
Hire Removals In Advance
If you need a removal firm to help you with the big move, make sure you hire them well in advance. If you don’t, you’ll end up calling to book a few days before with absolutely no luck at all. You may need to change the days around or change when the contracts are exchanged. Booking in advance means you can take you pick of the firms, choosing one with good reviews for a fair price. If you book late you may have to pay over odds for sub par service.
