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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Ooo it's the co-op who I rang

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!

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.

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

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...

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).

Your list looks good.