What is the proper order of housebuying things? HELPFULL FOR HOUSEBUYERS

[ClueLessFirstTime]

• save like crazy for a deposit
  
• check you budget
  
• look at places
  
• ask a thousand stupid questions
  
• make an offer
  
• nervous breakdown
  
• arrange mortgage
  
• arrange building survey (s)
  
• re-negociate
  
• nervous breakdown
  
• exchange
  
• complete
  
• nervous breakdown
  
• housewarming party

[JarethTheGoblinKing]

I would say to have a mortgage sorted before you make an offer? Can put you in a better position to negotiate if all your finances are in place.

[JarethTheGoblinKing]

..and don't forget to arrange house insurance for when you exchange :)

[ClueLessFirstTime]

[gulp]
thanks, more useful things to think about.
can you insure your nerves?
I'm a wreck...

[juneybean]

I'm a bit confused, when I rang up the bank for a mortgage, they said I had to put in an offer before applying for a mortgage

[tricot39]

Me too. Agreements in principle seem to be a thing of the past. Couldnt get one out of any of the 3 different companies we have dealt with as they say it depends on the property. Sensible to get an appointment to see roughly what theyight lend tho. I was surprised how much changed now we have kids.

[ClueLessFirstTime]

juney that's what they told us as well
those bankers in their flash houses have no clue

[Springforward]

We've got an AIP from the Co-op at the moment. They still do them.

[juneybean]

Ooo it's the co-op who I rang

[Springforward]

We went in to see a mortgage advisor at a Britannia branch, juney, and as a result we have a letter on headed paper saying they will lend us a figure which would terrify us!

[juneybean]

Ooo looking at Britannia's website, I'm too poor to go with them haha, I shall have to pop into one of the co-op's branches.

[BerthaTheBogBurglar]

You can get agreements in principle, but they don't mean much. They mean they've done a credit check on you, and, if your income is what you say it is, they might give you a mortgage if the wind is in the right direction when you come to apply.

ClueLess - you forgot

• wait for ages while your buyer's buyer fails to get a mortgage
  
• panic while buyer's buyer pulls out
  
• sigh with relief when your buyer finds someone else to buy theirs
  
• nearly get to exchange and have chain fall apart again
  
• wait while chain reforms
  
• lie to removal men, telling them you are definitely moving on xx date
  
• exchange and complete and move on the same day
  
• sit quivering in a corner of your new home muttering to yourself
  
• vow to never move again

[ClueLessFirstTime]

the survey showed some damp in the loft from broken chimney pots and some damp and wood beetles in the cellar. not good...sounds expensive...

[ClueLessFirstTime]

yes, one of the vents for the cellar has been blocked up, that should be cheap enough to fix. and if the beetles are all dead it's not a big deal either. shame that all the newbuilds we have seen were very tiny (and not of better build quality tbh).

[grobagsforever]

Your list looks good.