Thankfully we’re here to remove the uncertainties and help you in every way that we can. It’s what we do. Here’s our complete guide to the first time buyer mortgage process.
Getting together a deposit can take a lot of willpower and sacrifices along the way as you build up enough savings to secure a mortgage. Even if you already have some money put aside or some generous relatives to help you, saving for a deposit can seem tough.
You are going to need to save at least 5% of the cost of your first home and it’s worth remembering that the more
that you can afford to put down for your deposit, the less you'll need to borrow from a mortgage lender, which is going to save you more money in the long run.
Looking for your property and imagining yourself in your new home is the fun part of being a first-time buyer.
You might want to start by familiarising yourself with the market before making
any decisions. What is for sale? What are the prices like? Browsing websites and the property pages of your local newspaper will give you a good idea of what’s on offer and what you might be able to afford – something you should establish before starting off your search.
Create a list of all your criteria, including the areas you would like to live, and any properties that meet most or all of them are the ones you should arrange viewings for. Anyone will tell you that you don't settle for the first house you see – viewing more will give you something to compare it with. If you've never owned a property before, it is difficult to know what you're looking for. This is where we can be a big help, because we know exactly what to look for!
Before you start searching for your first home the key question you need answering will be about the size of mortgage that you can afford.
This is where a mortgage advisor can help you. If you are just starting to think about buying your first home we suggest you come in for a chat at The Cumberland and we can give you some guidance. We will explain how the process works and give you an idea of what monthly payments might look like for different mortgages.
If your plans are more advanced we can sit down with you to work out your mortgage affordability. We’ll discuss your savings for a deposit, your income and whether you are buying a home with another person. We’ll also review your monthly outgoings and commitments such as car finance or student loans and after a credit check, we should be in a position to give you an ‘agreement in principle’ on a mortgage. You can then show this to estate agents and other parties as proof that you are likely to get a mortgage.
You can now begin the exciting part of being a first-time buyer: choosing your home, looking through the local newspaper’s property pages or scrolling through websites - with the full confidence that you can afford a mortgage that will buy you a good home.
At The Cumberland, we do not use credit scoring or other rigid models to decide on mortgage offers, but pride ourselves in working with you to decide on the mortgage that’s right for you and will see you moving into your first home.
This is where things start to get really exciting - or nerve-racking, depending on your circumstances.
You’ve looked around and fallen in love with a house that you’ve already started to imagine yourself in. Now it’s time to make an offer and see if you can reach an agreement with the seller, but what price should you bid?
If you’re discussing your first house purchase with friends and family you’ll probably get lots of conflicting advice about making an offer, but there are some key factors that can help you decide on your tactics.
Getting your first mortgage is easier than you think and we’re here to guide you through the process.
By the time it comes to applying for a mortgage, you should have already spoken to one of our mortgage advisors at an earlier stage and are likely to have an agreement in principle.
Once our mortgage advisor has completed all of the details on your application, they will then ask you to sign it. At that point we’ll get the process started straight away. We will arrange for a mortgage valuation to be carried out on your property. This will confirm whether the property is suitable for us to lend on.
This is also the point where you have to arrange for a conveyancer to get the legal work started for you – of course, we can suggest a few conveyancers for you to contact.
A key part of buying your home is the survey which needs to be carried out on the property. This is to make sure that the value of the property covers your mortgage and, of course, that it does not have any major problems.
There are three main types of valuations and surveys that you can choose from – our mortgage advisors will help you decide which is right for you.
The most basic valuation, it is designed simply to allow us to assess how suitable the property is as security for the proposed mortgage loan.
Usually less than 20 minutes in length, this shouldn't be confused with a survey – it is for the benefit of the mortgage lender. You should not rely solely on this report when buying a home as it is a very limited inspection that will not flag up any serious faults with the house.
As a first-time buyer, it is important that you have the right advice and expertise to draw upon.
With their legal expertise, solicitors and conveyancers will guide you through the legal procedures that need to be completed, such as dealing with the Land Registry and transferring the funds to pay for your property. They will also keep you updated on the processes, which can be a big help during what is often a stressful period!
Solicitors are qualified lawyers, so they can offer a full range of legal services, while licenced conveyancers specialise only in property.
Conveyancing is the legal term for transferring ownership of property. You can ask somebody to do this yourself, but we can provide a list of reliable local conveyancers – you may want to get a few quotes from different firms to compare the costs.
In England, once your conveyancer has completed all the legal processes and necessary checks, you will be asked to sign a contract.
By this stage, your mortgage will have been approved, your solicitor is happy with the results of the surveys, you've agreed on which fixtures and fittings will remain with the house, and the seller is ready to pass over the deed. When you have signed and exchanged this contract, you are agreeing to become the legal owner of the house and are legally bound to buy the property. Both buyer and seller sign identical contracts, before being formally exchanged by the solicitors.
Your conveyancer will finalise all of the paperwork and transfer the balance of the money to the seller’s conveyancer.
This is also where you pay the mortgage deposit, and the lender will usually insist that you get a home insurance policy. It's not a legal requirement like it is for cars, but almost all lenders will withhold a mortgage until insurance is in place because, at the end of the day, they are investing a large amount of money in the house and they want to make sure it is protected.
Getting an insurance quote is often as easy as searching for home insurance lenders online, where you will fill in
several questions that seek to establish how secure the property is, how close to a water course it is, or if there are any nearby trees. If you've had a survey done, all this information should be in there.
Your policy should be ready to start on the completion date.
On the contract you signed will be a completion date – that’s normally the date when you can pick the keys up from the estate agent and move in.
This can be any time after the contracts are exchanged, and it is mutually agreed by all parties – it can even be the same day - but two weeks is the most common time period to have to wait.
It is important to remember that you will need time to pack up your belongings, acquire essential furniture you may be missing, and arrange transport for the big day – so give yourself enough time before the completion date. The seller will also need time to move out and clean up.
If you have any further questions, or are looking for more information on buying your first house or First Time Buyer Guide is filled with useful information to help you along the way. You can download a copy of the guide using the button below.
You can also book an appointment with a member of mortgage team here.