Buying a home may be the biggest purchase you ever make and can be a daunting process but there is no reason to feel overwhelmed.

If you do your homework and educate yourself to make sure that you understand the basics about key issues,  your efforts will pay off when you find the right home and successfully finance it with a loan you can afford.

Do some market research and work out your budget

Talk to your Bank about a conditional pre-approval so you know how much you can borrow before looking at homes. 

Then look in your local paper’s property section to get a feel for the market.   You can also use online property sites to help you decide on areas you may like to live in and to filter properties according to location and price.

Go house-hunting

Once you’ve decided on a suitable area and have an idea of your budget, speak to estate agents in the area to show you some properties. 

When you start viewing properties, you might like to take:

A criteria checklist, to know what you’re looking for

A camera to keep track of the properties you’ve seen

A notepad to jot down pros and cons, the price and other distinctive features

 Don’t fall in love with a house you can’t buy

 Find out how much you can afford: establishing your purchase power upfront, including how much money will be required for a down payment and closing costs, is a must for first-time buyers.

Apply for a home loan

You can apply for your home loan online or make an appointment with your bank.  Once you’ve filled in an application form and supplied the necessary documents, your bank will discuss all the options with you so you can select which home loan is right for you.

When you apply for a home loan, you will be asked for these documents:

Proof of your identity and photographic identification, such as your driver’s licence or passport

Proof of your income such as payslips if you are regularly employed or financial statements if you are self-employed

A record of what you owe, including one month’s statements for any credit cards or personal loans you may have

 Take out building insurance

Your bank will require that you take out building insurance, also known as mortage insurance.  This you can either do directly with your financial provider or you can save money by bundling the insurance with your home contents or vehicle insurance.  Speak to Indwe Risk Services for a competitive quote so you can consider all your options and get the best possible rate.

 Make an offer

As a first time buyer you are more attractive to a seller because you are not in a chain waiting to sell an existing property.

Work with your real estate agent to determine the appropriate amount for your initial offer based on comparable home sales, market value, condition of the home and your closing date.

Put your offer in writing and handle all negotiations in writing to make sure both parties understand the terms of the agreement.  If you negotiate verbally, follow up in writing.

 Exchange of contracts

Once your conveyancer or solicitor has reviewed the contract of sale, you and the seller each sign a copy, which is known as an “exchange of contracts”.

You will be required to pay a holding deposit to show good faith and the full deposit with you exchange contracts.   

Settlement

You will receive a message from your financial institution advising when the bank is ready to settle your loan. Once your loan has settled, your lender will call you to confirm settlement is complete and confirm your loan details,stamp duty and registration costs will be charged, your title deeds and mortgage will be registered and you will get the keys to your new home!

Ensure you are insured

Speak to your insurance broker about in-transit insurance for your home contents.  Also ensure that you inform your insurer of your new address and find out how this might impact on your home and motor insurance.  Our advisors at Indwe Risk Services are on call for competitive quotes and advice to ensure you are adequately insured.

Remember that the following elements will impact on your home and motor insurance at your new home like security features such as an electric fence and home alarm system or whether your car will be in a garage or outside in the road as well as the value of your home contents.

Being under-insured is one of the main causes of disappointment when home owners claim.  Indwe Risk Services will advise and guide you, making sure that your home and the things you love most are insured and replaceable in the event of a break-in or damage.

 Get Moving

You are now ready to move into your new home and it’s time to celebrate! Be sure to keep money aside for miscellaneous expenses such as:

removal companies

costs for connection of utilities

your first home loan repayment

Also don’t forget to update your contact details. This is important when it comes to your driver’s licence, medical details, tax office and insurance company

 

Get connected

And finally, you’ll need to sort out connection for;

Gas and electricity

Satellite TV

Water

Internet and phone

 

Enjoy your new home! Remember Indwe Risk Services is just a phone call away, standing by to give you sound insurance advice and competitive quotes.