How to buy a house

Action Plan:

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Action Plan Overview

Whether it's your first or fifth, buying a house can feel like a big challenge, but there's no need for stress. We show you how to find, and buy, the perfect property for a price you can afford.

		a	Find out: How much do you get paid?
		b	Find out: How much do you earn from other jobs?
		c	Find out: How much do you earn in interest or dividends from savings and investments?
		d	Find out: How much do you receive in tax credits or benefits?
		e	Find out: How much do you earn in bonuses?
		f	Find out: How much do you earn from overtime?
		g	Find out: What's your average monthly income?

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		a	Do: Get all of your paperwork together
		b	Work out: How much do you spend on compulsory expenses?
		c	Work out: How much do you spend on essentials?
		d	Work out: How much do you spend on luxuries?
		e	Consider: Do you need to budget for any big expenses?
		f	Work out: How much do you spend each month?

		a	Find out: How much of your savings should you put down as a deposit?
		b	Work out: What's your monthly mortgage budget?
		c	Find out: What's the cost of moving house?
		d	Work out: How much can you borrow on a mortgage?

		a	Decide: What do you need from a property?
		b	Decide: Where should you buy?
		c	Do: Check out potential areas
		d	Do: Speak to estate agents
		e	Do: Check property websites
		f	Do: Arrange viewings of any property you're interested in
		g	Decide: Which house do you want to buy?

		a	Do: Find a solicitor
		b	Find out: What surveys should you get on the house you're going to buy?
		c	Decide: How in depth do you want the surveys to be?
		d	Do: Arrange surveys on the property
		e	Decide: Should you renegotiate the purchase price in light of the survey results?

		a	Do: Agree a sale price
		b	Do: Exchange contracts
		c	Do: Make the deposit available
		d	Do: Agree a moving date

		a	Find out: What is the best type of mortgage for you?
		b	Do: Apply for a mortgage in principle

		a	Do: Make an offer
		b	Find out: How do you negotiate on house prices and get an offer accepted?
		c	Do: Get the property taken off the market

		a	Do: Inform necessary parties of your change of address
		b	Do: Arrange a removal company
		c	Do: Set up a redirect on your post
		d	Do: Start to pack

		a	Do: Finalise the transfer of funds and complete the sale
		b	Do: Collect the keys
		c	Do: Move in