Advice for first time buyers

[Modernstoneage]

Hello, posting on here for more traffic.
Currently saving for a deposit, should be on track to buy within 1-2 years. Relatively flexible on where I want to live (buying alone), currently live with parents.
I want a house, not a flat.

Interested in Berkshire, bucks, Bedfordshire, (would love South Hertfordshire if I could afford it, have ruled out north/west London as its too pricey for me). 2 bed, off street parking and garden are my main wants. Not fussed about being super close to the train station. Looking at up to 260k price band. I don't have kids, and I'm single so plans to start family etc are nowhere near 😂

So here are my questions:

1)What are some towns within those areas that reasonably priced?
2)What are somethings you wish you knew as a first time buyer?
3)Are there specific things you wish you knew as a woman during the buying process?
4)How did you prepare mentally about living alone? - I currently live with family and my younger siblings are still at home.

TIA

1. Don't know
2. How stressful and complicated it is even if everything goes according to plan. Honestly, even if there are no complications, it's a bloody nightmare! Not trying to scare you - just warning you how stressful the process is, so that it doesn't come as a surprise.
3. The estate agent will try to persuade you to use their recommended solicitor or conveyancer. Don't use them. They get commission and usually you will overpay for shoddy service.
4. Didn't need to really because it's great living alone, not having to put up with others.

1)What are some towns within those areas that reasonably priced? don't know
2)What are somethings you wish you knew as a first time buyer? My parents gave me money so i had to go with THEIR first choice of house which I know what wrong. The house they preferred where I am now is in a private estate as opposed to ex council but the walls are so thin. When the ndn sneeze I can not only hear the sneeze but hear ''bless you!'' in response.

3)Are there specific things you wish you knew as a woman during the buying process? The estate agents will try and pretend there are other buyers and sometimes that's true but when there is nobody else interested they'll insinuate that there is. Taking a call from another interested party while they're showing you around. And they will say ''oh yes, I'm showing somebody round it now!''. Might be bollix might not be bollix but always get fixed in your head first how high you're willing to go regardless of any other phony interested parties. That way you're only competing against yourself, your wishes, your budget.
I actually told an estate agent I was bailing because I didn't like the stress of a bidding situation (and she later came back to me., the other bidder didnt...proceed? or maybe even exist?)
4)How did you prepare mentally about living alone? - I currently live with family and my younger siblings are still at home.
I wish I lived alone. Can't wait for my teenagers to leave home. I'm single though so touch wood at some point my house will be just how I like it and the scissors will be where I left it

1. pass as I live in a different area

-that things can take ages for no obvious reason even when things aren't going wrong.

• estate agents get annoyed if a simple sale hasn't gone through in a couple of months as they don't get their commission so can make up crap about your vendors e.g. they are putting it back on the market
• makes sure your vendors have your contact details and vice versa. Talk to them about delays but don't harass them.
• take someone trusted with you on second/third viewings who knows about building work with you and get them to give an opinion on the property.
• get more than just a mortgage valuation when getting a survey

3) nothing woman specific 4) You will find it odd to come back to things left where you placed them and realise you can walk around naked.

Just go to Rightmove, put your requirements in, zoom the map out and see where there are houses

Avoid South Oxhey and Hemel Hempstead. Sadly, £260K will not get you a house in most halfway decent parts of Herts.

Nothing woman specific...

Make sure you are clear that ALL spaces including sheds AND loft are cleared.
Pps covered practical.
Don't do any big changes straight away. Live there and see what would work the best.
Don't be stingy on upkeep. No need for most expensive stuff and tradesmen, but do nkt go too cheap. False economy.

Unless its vacant and just been redecorated, assume you will have to redecorate every room and factor this into the budget. No matter how good condition the decor looks to be, once they start taking down pictures and removing furniture, you will suddenly see the outline of the old picture imprinted on the wall and the scuffs that were hidden by furniture. If you've got any odd shaped windows, curtains are insanely expensive.

I'd say ask ALL the questions. So many people I know have moved and the boiler hasnt worked or the shower had a leak or the hot water had an issue. It's meant to be buyer beware and the onus is on you to check stuff but it's difficult to go into someones house and check the shower works etc. I'd ask if anything isnt working, if anything leaks or has leaked, what work they have had done since they've been in the house, any insurance claims on the house, any burglaries, any insurance issues (eg cant get cover for flood or subsidence), if they have a good relationship with the neighbours.
Visit at different times of day on different days to check parking, traffic, noisy neighbours etc.
Ask how much bills are generally
Do your rightmove and zoopla research once you've found your area, so that you have a good idea what similar houses go for so you are not paying way over market value

I’m not in the uk but even here budget good money for a good survey. Also, from reading on here, download the land registry plans first so you can inspect the back yard properly. Also, having yourself so obviously prepared makes other people sometimes think twice about the level of bullshit they might give you.

Start reading all sorts of stuff now. Blogs on renovating, reviews of boilers, anything and everything. How-to videos. If you can go in and ask informed questions you will end up better. (We bought a safe once, I did the prep and dh went in and bought it. Dh was told I was a hard woman. Gosh I was pleased with that.)

I think you’ll be lucky to get what you want in decent parts of those areas for that budget. If you came a bit further north, northants/bucks/beds border you could.

2. Don't forget you can't add any stamp duty charges onto your mortgage, you'll need this money in cash on top of your deposit/legal fees/survey costs. Also, you need to insure the property from exchange, not just from completion.

It costs more money than you think to buy: deposit and stamp duty, but also solicitor’s fee, miscellaneous costs (searches, land registry, etc), surveys, movers. Plus IKEA and B&Q will rinse you dry for the first year when you realise you don’t own anything – hoover, ironing board, waste paper baskets, loo plunger, toolkit, curtains, bleach, spices, shower caddy (random top of my head list - basically everything useful at your parents’ house). Budget for white goods.

Make sure you find out where the stopcock is. Check the neighbouring house deeds to see if it’s an HMO or dodgy landlord.

Renovating costs twice as much and takes twice as long as you expect, and you have to do the boring invisible maintenance stuff (roof, wiring, plumbing) before you can do the fun finishing stuff (tiles, wallpaper), and you suddenly realise why most people just go for cheap white paint and metro tiles…

Some advice after too many moves...

1. It always costs more than you think, and takes longer
2. Always have a look at the house during quiet times AND rush hour (get a feel for traffic etc.)
3. If you like a house, spend some time walking around the area (in my case, fell in love with a house, and then went for a walk.... the heavy grafitti just round the corner, broken glass etc. put me off). You often get a feel for an area more walking around than just driving through
4. Once you have a house, be prepared for the upkeep costs. If you have been renting/living at home, this can be a bit of a surprise. The fridge packs up, the washing machine springs a leak, etc.
5. If yhou don't like a house, despite it ticking all the boxes, DO NOT BUY IT. You do NOT want to feel depressed every time you walk into your house
6. Use a mortgage broker, not a bank, to get a mortgage. What seems like a small difference at the start can add up a LOT over 25 years!
7. However.....When you first close the door, after buying a house... enjoy. It is a wonderful feeling, closing the world outside!

Good luck

Check out the parking situation if you drive.

If the vendors offer to sell carpets, curtains separately only buy them if you really want them.
We refused to pay once as they weren't brilliant and the vendors left them anyway which gave us a few months grace. (Realistically who can bother with ripping up carpets).

A good builder will often tell you more about a house than a surveyor.

I don't have much to add, but as a PP said, definitely check the area out at different times of the day and week.

DH and I were ready to put in an offer on a house in a really nice little town - thankfully we decided to go for a look on a Saturday night because it was totally different! It had quite a threatening atmosphere, and we noticed groups of lads squaring up to each other. Several cars on the main street had their windscreen wipers bent and twisted too.

Again, yes, get a decent survey.

Finally, when you see a house you like, put the street name and town into Google, and have a read. You'll possibly see things from the local press telling you about things that happened, "news from the courts", any new housing being planned for the area etc.

Good luck!

I forgot.

Voew it without owners there. It makes massive difference. And have a look behind some bigger furniture (without moving it, just a peak) to see if the sellers didn't just paint around it, if you don't count on painting everywhere right away...

Voew it without owners there. It makes massive difference. And have a look behind some bigger furniture (without moving it, just a peak) to see if the sellers didn't just paint around it, if you don't count on painting everywhere right away...

If you can't view it without the owners there bring a child under about 9 with you to one of your viewings and leave them to crawl around.

I know about 3 people who discovered random holes that way.

😂 nice @RedMarauder

We had even someone just chilling on a bed during viewing. Really made us miss some bits since there was always someone behind us. I think it's on purpose...

Don't get emotionally invested until you have the keys - a million things can go wrong.

Make a hard headed decision based on area, size, parking etc, don't get swept away by the fancy furnishings and decorations etc. Take an objective friend for any second viewings who can point out the negatives.

Learn basic DIY skills, it'll save you a bomb!

The renters in the house I bought had gone out of their way to make the house look as awful as possible.

They had mixed in one pile drug paraphenalia with barbie dolls, very creepy! there were takeaway wrappers and boxes and bottles of beer in the bedrooms on the floor, piles of laundry and nappies everywhere. I nearly gave them a slow clap.

Don't know the areas but general advice: don't buy somewhere your initial gut was against, don't be afraid to knock on walls turn on taps, boiler etc, this is a massive buy, two 10 minute visits need to be thorough. Be clear on what's being left and taken. Sit in sitting room/kitchen and breathe it in, look around, can you see yourself there? Ditto stand in garden and upstairs front and back, this is your view. Amy planning permission notices up nearby/behind? Visit the neighbourhood at 10pm on a Saturday night. Park and walk around midweek. Ask about neighbours - are they renters etc, some people like to call and ask neighbours a few questions if you have anything specific. Decide on what's important to you - a shop within walking distance, a bus route etc, we all have our non-negotiables; they help with sorting the yays and nays. Bring an experienced parent/sibling/friend and don't feel rushed.

And pay for a decent survey before signing.

Best of luck. An exciting time!

The only slightly woman-specific/living alone thing I'd add is to go back to any house you're considering in the evening when it's dark and walk to the nearest shop to make sure you'd feel comfortable doing so. Not good to find yourself feeling unsafe to go and buy a pint of milk after dark.

As a single person buying a house you are in the lovely position of choosing something you really love, not what you compromise over, so that's great as you need somewhere you really really love and want to come back to - it has to have the right 'feel' to be home especially as you are used to living with family. It depends on your taste in houses, but I've found myself and amongst my friends that older properties often have the right feel, compared to new properties - just be a little wary of this, as it's easy to be seduced by a place that needs lots doing to it as you can 'make it your own'. You want to have a life though, not be coming home to diy projects, so just be a little bit cautious when you do fall in love with a place. The usual advice on this is to take someone with you, but I advise against that - this is your place, to please you, your home for years perhaps, so it has to be your eyes and no one else's initially. Other people will often push you one way or another without meaning to, so just go by yourself the first time. My other advice would be location, location, location. Get that right and everything else starts to be right.

Good luck and I hope you find the right place!

1)What are some towns within those areas that reasonably priced?
Don't know anything about that I'm afraid

2)What are somethings you wish you knew as a first time buyer?
I wish I had prepared all my paperwork and have my finances in order before starting the process.
My deposit was on a foreign bank account, and I spent a ridiculous amount of time chasing paperwork, translating documents, and transferring the money in the UK. Good thing is, the pound was quite low at the time.
Wish also I had paid attention to details such as skirting boards, squeaky floorboards...I looked at everything which was "expensive" such as boiler, water pressure, plumbing, electrics, windows, but overlooked the small stuff, and now here I am with an annoying gap between my skirting board and floor.
Last thing is, keep some of your savings post deposit. For furnitures, for small works, for power tools, you're bleeding money in the first couple of months.

3)Are there specific things you wish you knew as a woman during the buying process?
Nothing woman specific really. Maybe just don't feel overwhelmed by small DIY jobs and invest in some good tools. You'll always need them.

4)How did you prepare mentally about living alone? - I currently live with family and my younger siblings are still at home.
I've been living alone for a long time so I was born prepared.
I guess try and be deliberate with your space, time and energy. Don't think short term. Have a saving strategy. Don't buy low quality furniture just because you're short on money, start with getting free stuff and save for the right stuff. I've been living in my flat for 10 months and still don't have a dining table and chairs. I'm saving to buy them.

Last thing - Uninstall the rightmove app the day of completion. There will always be a better property at some point, but you don't need to see it.

And yeah the stress haha, I forgot about that. It's extremely stressful. You get decision fatigue. It took me 20 min to decide to buy the flat, and 10 weeks to decide what hammer drill I would get. Because I was just mentally exhausted by all the micro-decisions I had to make.

Always be prepared to walk away.
Never trust an estate agents patter.
Don’t buy anything brand new
Visit the area at all times of the day, walk and drive
Look at the police database for crime in the area
Get a decent survey
If you know any builders get them to look round
Look at stuff in area, I loved a house but it was too close to a school and I knew parking would always be an issue.