Essential Checklist for First-Time Buyers

Buying your first home is an exciting milestone in life, but it can also be a daunting and complex process. From saving up for a deposit to beginning the search for your dream property, it can often feel like it's a never-ending process.

As a first-time buyer, you want to ensure that you make informed decisions to avoid costly mistakes. Amidst the excitement of finding your dream home, it’s essential not to overlook the important details. With so many steps in the process of purchasing your first home, it's not surprising that often, things get forgotten. 

This is where our essential checklist for first-time buyers comes in. We've compiled an essential checklist for first-time buyers, to make your first buying experience all that bit smoother!

Define your new home requirements

Creating a list of your must-haves and wants is a really important step for any house hunt.  Remember to consider factors such as location, size of the property, number of bedrooms, budgets and any specific features that are necessary like a private driveway or garden. 

This will help you narrow down your search by eliminating properties that don’t have the specifications you’re looking for, but it can also help you understand if your budget is suitable for the area you’re looking at and if any compromises need to be made to make your property purchase viable. 

Look out for any hidden expenses

The cost of a home goes beyond the purchase price and mortgage payments, something that first-time buyers often forget. It's important when budgeting to keep an open mind about any hidden expenses you may come across during the buying process, but also once the property is yours. 

Often first-time buyers forget about solicitors fees, council taxes, and of course, the all-important move. Having a small portion of your overall budget set aside for an extra cost can help absorb any of those hidden expenses as move along through your purchasing journey.

Consider any documents you may need

With any house purchase, there are often many documents you need in order to complete the purchase. Often overlooked as another bit of paperwork, these documents such as building certificates can be the difference between a smooth house transition and months of hold-ups.

So which certificates do you need? There are many different certificates that you could need depending on the house you’re intending to purchase. A reputable Estate Agent should be able to help with advising on this and provide personalised advice depending on your circumstances and the property.

Architects Certificate

One of the most common certificates needed, particularly for newly built or converted properties is a Professional Consultants Certificate, formally known as an Architects Certificate.  A PCC document serves as evidence that a property complies with certain building and safety standards, giving buyers confidence that their investment is a sound and compliant property.

Many mortgage lenders in the UK require a Professional Consultants Certificate before they approve a mortgage application for a newly built or converted property. They use the certificate to ensure building standards have been met but also that the property is suitable collateral for the loan.

At Professional Consultants Certificates we’ve helped thousands of people achieve certification. 

Home resale value

Whilst you’re going to be focused on purchasing the property for your current needs, it's always worth thinking about later down the line when perhaps you may be in the position to put the property on the market. 

Renewing resale value is always something to consider, and it's important to look at market trends and home improvements. Often making improvements to the property will boost the resale value, and therefore it's good to consider how easy or difficult those changes might be prior to purchasing. 

Similarly, researching the property's historical and current market value trends can give you an indication of how much potential there is for resale value to increase during the time you are in ownership of the property.

Do you need a Professional Consultants Certificate for your first home? 

Take the worry out of finding your first home, make sure you have your Professional Consultant Certificate. Get a no-obligation quote to find out how we can help. With regional surveyors throughout the UK, we can ensure a rapid response to get the ball rolling with your first house purchase. Feel free to also take a look at our FAQ page to see if we can answer any of your questions, otherwise get in touch today!