Clueless first time buyer

[ObviouslyOblivious]

Help! What do we need to know? How do we time viewing properties and arranging a mortgage? Which comes first? I really don't have the first clue? Would appreciate any advice at all :)

Are you in England? Im in Scotland so this may differ but i would suggest going to see a financial advisor or your bank manager to find out about what kind of mortgage you can get, and arrange one in principal. Even if you get some info, come home and google it, and then go back and arrange something. This will then give you an idea at what price houses you can look at. Then all you have to do is look around at Estate Agents/Solicitors to find a house you like (this may be lots) and arrange viewings with them.

You need to know how much you can afford so it's best to at least get an idea of how much you can borrow before house hunting. If you're financially aware then you can get better mortgage deals these days by not going via a financial adviser. If you're unsure about the whole process then a good adviser can be helpful.

A vendor will expect you to have your finances arranged before accepting an offer.

Get your mortgage in principle then look for houses.

The once you know what you have to spend go for it! It is often worth looking at houses just over your budget too in this market because pricing is still a bit random and its a buyers market, so always worth a cheeky offer. Just don't go mad and get carried away.

Also consider how much money things will cost like legal fees and stamp duty if it will apply.

As a rule you want to buy the worst house on the best street. So don't get carried away by a pretty interior if the area isn't so good, it is a much better investment to buy a house that needs a bit of work in a better area.

Look ahead too, how long do you plan to be there, do you have/plan to have DC? Check out schools and parks etc.

I always 'stalk' a house I'm interested in. Drive by at different times so you can see what the parking is like, how busy the traffic gets, are there kids hanging around near by on an evening, that kind of thing.

And most importantly post links here so we can be nosey help .