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A New Home: Solicitors Fees Explained

One of the most important things to remember apart from the actual cost of your property is the other costs involved. Solicitors’ fees make up a large proportion of these...

Adding a Conservatory to Your First Home

There are many different types of conservatories so plan which is the best type for you and what the best materials are to build it with...

Adding an Extension on Your First Home

Adding an extension can make a huge difference to your first property, opening up the downstairs and upstairs space to make it far bigger...

All About Endowment Mortgages

Endowment mortgages are an interest-only repayment mortgage with a separate endowment policy designed to repay the total capital borrowed at maturity...

All About Pension Mortgages

Pension mortgages are a way of taking an interest-only mortgage and combining it with a pension plan...

All About the Lender's Fee

mortgage fees can have a big impact on your long term total...

Arranging Home Insurance

Ensure you have the right Buildings and Contents insurance policy for your property...

Budgeting For Your New Appliances

Budgeting is hard work but often a necessity when moving into your first home. This article gives some tips on saving for your new household appliances....

Buying Furnishings for Your First Home

Home furnishings are carpets, floorings, curtains, blinds and drapes and help build the design basis of your property...

Choosing a Building Firm

Building work on your first home is a huge investment so ensure you get it right by choosing the right building firm...

Choosing a Utility Supplier

When moving into a new home make sure you shop around for the best prices for your utilities...

Choosing Furniture for Your First Home

Buying and choosing new furniture can be exciting but requires a bit of planning...

Choosing the Right Location

Moving house - choosing the right area when you start looking...

Colour Schemes for Your New Home

choosing a colour scheme throughout the property will help when it comes to redecorating...

Complaints About HIPS

Consumers are now better protected if information in Home Information Packs is incorrect or omitted...

Complaints About Tradespeople

Employing tradespeople to do work on your home can go wrong, so know how to handle complaints...

Complaints With The Buying System

Buying a house means dealing with a big team and things can go wrong, so know how to deal with issues along the way...

Dealing With Bad Service in the Utilities Sector

You may have a query or grievance about your utility supplier so ensure you know how to deal with your query...

Decorating Your First Home

There is a very good chance that one of the things you are highly likely to want to do is a bit of redecorating in your first home...

Different Interest Rates

There are a number of different ways of applying interest to mortgages...

Exterior Work on Your First Home

The exterior of your property needs regular maintenance to prevent long lasting or more serious damage...

Finding a First Home: Case Study

Nigel had finally found his dream home after months of searching; follows his next steps as he exchanges contracts and secures the property....

Finding a Mortgage: Case Study

A look at the experiences of one first-time buyer trying to find the right mortgage deal for her first home....

Finding Local Services: Doctor, Dentists, School

Moving into a new area, you will want to find a local doctor, dentist, optician, school etc...

Getting Connected to a Utility Supplier

Connecting to the right gas, electricity and other utility suppliers takes a bit of time and thought – and some research...

Group Mortgages

With house prices high and affordability low the group mortgage is becoming increasingly popular...

Home Removals: Hiring a Firm or Doing It Yourself

Home removals can be done yourself or by hiring a firm to pack and move everything for you...

How The Credit Crunch is Affecting First Time Buyers

We look at how the credit crunch is affecting first time buyers and offer some practical advice...

How to House Hunt

How to house hunt - finding your ideal home and how to search...

How to Secure a Mortgage

Mortgages - how to secure a mortgage...

How We Renovated Our First Home: A Case Study

Taking on a renovation project is hard work but it can give you a step onto the housing ladder, this article looks at how one couple renovated their first home....

I Chose to Rent Instead of Buy: A Case Study

A look at how and why Leah decided that renting instead of buying would not mean throwing her money away....

Improving or Changing the Garden at Your First Home

You will want to put your own stamp on the garden in your new property...

Informing Businesses and Friends of Your New Address

When you move into your new property remember to inform everyone about your new address...

Installing New Fittings and Appliances in Your First Home

Most of the appliances you have in your new home will be in the kitchen and you will need to choose them with care...

Introducing Yourself To Your New Neighbours

Having a good relationship with your neighbours is very important so introduce yourself properly...

Land Registry, Local Searches and Stamp Duty

land registry, local authority and stamp duty costs and how to effect them...

Local Authority: Council Tax and Electoral Registers

Moving into a new home means you will have to go through all the process of registering your address for council tax and the electoral register...

Making An Offer On A House

Planning how much to offer, and how to negotiate a price on your chosen property...

Moving Away from Home: Case Study

Moving out of your first home can be a scary time, this case study follows in the footsteps of someone moving into their second home....

My Friends Shared My First Home: A Case Study

Moving a friend into your first home is a great way to split some of the cost of your mortgage, this article looks at how Chris shared his living space....

Negotiating Fixtures and Fittings

Negotiating fixture and fittings can be heated but need careful clarification...

Outdoor Buildings at Your First Home

Often first time purchases will be properties that need some work doing and this will generally include many of the outside buildings that go with it...

Property and Estate Agents Jargon

Estate agents jargon - finding your way round the terms used in property sales...

Questionnaire: Are You Ready for Your First Home?

Buying your first home should not be something you rush into, this questionnaire should help you decide whether you are ready to be a homeowner....

Questionnaire: How Far to Stretch Financially on Your Home

Everyone is always tempted to stretch themselves financially when it comes to taking out a mortgage, but these few questions should help you decide how much is realistic to borrow....

Repayment and Interest-Only Mortgages

Choosing the right mortgage for your needs is vital. Select the wrong one and you could end up with monthly repayments beyond your means, or find maybe you could be paying off your mortgage quicker...

Replacing the Heating System in Your New Home

You may need to replace the central heating in your new home, or even install it for the first time....

Should I Rent or Buy My First Home?

Whether to rent or buy a property is a dilemma that faces many potential homeowners, these questions should help you decide which is your best option....

Should I Rent or Buy?

There are upsides and downsides to both buying and renting property so make sure you make the right choice for your needs...

Storage Solutions for Your First Home

you may find that moving into your new home means you will need some storage options...

Structural Changes to Your Property

Structural changes can make a big difference to your property but need to be handled by the experts...

Surveyors: What They Do and How They Work

The type of survey you choose will depend on the property you are buying...

The Cost of Buying a First Home

Buying a house is always going to be expensive, this article looks at just how much you will have to stretch your purse strings....

The Costs Involved in Moving to a First Home

Buying your first-home is always going to be financially challenging, take a look at the costs involved in getting on the housing ladder....

The Deposit and Your Home Purchase

When you buy your property you will need to make two types of payment for the actual property purchase. The first is your deposit...

The Home Information Pack (H.I.P)

Since December 2007 in England and Wales it has been a legal requirement for every property that is sold to have a Home Information Pack...

The Procedure for Making Small Claims

If you have a dispute with tradespeople or suppliers, the final port of call is the small claims court...

Tips for a Quick House Move

Moving home is one of the most stressful times of a person’s life; this article offers some tips on how to make it stress free....

Viewing Properties: What to Look For

Before you start looking for houses, it is important to think of what kind of house you really want. Then, when you start to do the viewings, you’ll know exactly what to look for...