The search begins
With a clear understanding of your requirements we will access all
properties that match your criteria. Full details of this selection
will be sent to you. These can also be printed from this website.
However, in order to secure a property, we recommend an early viewing. |
Mortgage
It is advisable to get a mortgage agreed in principle as early as
possible, as this will speed up your mortgage application. Our resident
Mortgage Advice Bureau adviser will provide you with independent
impartial advice on over 2,000 repayment mortgage schemes on offer
from over 100 lenders and help you to find the most competitive
and suitable mortgage to buy your home |
Viewings
We conduct viewing appointments on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
at times convenient to our vendors and staff, these need to be booked
during our office hours which are Monday to Friday 9.00am - 5.30pm
and Saturdays 9.00am - 4.00pm |
Making an offer
Once you've identified a suitable property, we'll put your offer
forward to the seller both verbally and in the form of an offer
letter. Any offer is subject to a contract being signed and at this
stage there are no legal obligations for the buyer to buy, or for
the seller to sell, until the contract is signed. |
Legal
A solicitor will be required to handle the legal paperwork involved
(conveyance). It is preferable to use a solicitor who knows the
area that you're moving to and specialises in conveyancing. We recommend
that you use a solicitor from TOPS Panel, thereby benefiting from
a no sale no fee promise, a personal service with competitive charges
and a faster transaction with speedier completion. |
Sale agreed
Once your offer is accepted, you will need to instruct your solicitor
to proceed immediately. Always ensure that exchange and completion
dates are agreed at this stage. This is also the time to instruct
your mortgage broker to proceed with your mortgage application and
make arrangements for a survey. |
Draft Contract
This is drawn up by the seller's solicitor and sent to your solicitor,
who will raise some preliminary enquiries and make a Land Registry
search. |
Local Authority Search
Your solicitor will submit a local authority search to the local
borough council. This will reveal, for example, planning consents
granted for the property and other local issues. |
Survey
A survey is carried out by a surveyor on behalf of the mortgage
lender to check for any structural problems and advise on the property's
value. If you are purchasing without a mortgage you will likely
want your own survey carried out. TOPS Surveys can do this job for
you within our trading area, and as an existing customer of TOPS
you will benefit from a 10% discount off our standard fees. |
Contract approval
Once results of the local search and answers to the preliminary
enquiries are received, the draft contract is approved by your solicitor
providing there are no further enquiries. |
Formal mortgage offer
This document will be sent to your solicitor for your signature.
Once signed and returned your mortgage is in place and you are ready
to exchange contracts. |
Exchange of contracts
Now the contract is signed by both buyer and seller, and the deposit
(usually between 5% - 10% of the purchase price) is either telegraphically
transferred or paid by the buyer's solicitor, by banker's draft.
The completion date is set at this stage. |
Completion
This is generally set anything between a few days and a few weeks
after exchange of contracts, depending on the sellers and your personal
requirements. Residual monies from your mortgage company (usually
about 90%) are now transferred from your lawyer's to the seller's
lawyer's account. Finally Congratulations, you are now the legal
owner of your new home! |
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At a glance
- The search begins
- Mortgage
- Viewings
- Making an offer
- Legal
- Sale agreed
- Draft contract
- Local authority search
- Survey
- Contract approval
- Formal mortgage offer
- Exchange of contracts
- Completion
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