A. Before you start searching for a property, you need to work out how much the property is likely to cost and see what kind of mortgage deposit you can afford. Our professional Financial Consultants can help you calculate the costs involved in the house buying process

A. The amount you can borrow will be based on your income and the amount of your deposit. Before applying for a mortgage there is more to consider than just being able to afford the monthly repayments. Mortgage providers will look into your income and outgoings to see if you can keep up with the repayments if the interest rates happen to rise or your circumstances change. We have a team of Financial Advisers who will give you the best advice and have access all financial lenders- book an appointment here.

A. For you to register with Blue bricks Estates and take advantage of our excellent services you can visit us at your local branch, request a call back from one of our property experts or fill in our online registration form

A. If you find a property you want to view, simply call, email or pop into the Blue Bricks Estates office and ask to speak to the lettings or sales department. Our branch team will do the rest.

A. In some cases, you’ll meet a Blue Bricks Estates property consultant at the property, in other cases the homeowner will show you around. It simply depends if the seller has requested accompanied viewings or prefers to do it themselves. Either way, feel free to ask as many questions as you need.

A. Offers can be made in person, over the phone or by email and our property consultant will complete a ‘confirmation of offer’ form.

A. Yes, you can book as many viewings as you like, providing the seller agrees.

A. It’s entirely your choice, there’s no right or wrong answer. Some people prefer to look for properties first, but you will be in stronger position as a buyer if you have already secured a sale (subject to contract) on your current property.

A. The deposit is usually 10% of the asking price and is paid to the seller’s solicitor within 5 days of both the seller and buyer having signed the contracts.

A. Unfortunately, no. There are many factors that can go wrong after an offer has been accepted. Either party can pull out of the sale without a penalty up until the exchange of contracts. Around 28% of sales across the UK collapse after an offer has been accepted – our rate is consistently lower because our staff are committed to work with all parties to prevent the chain from breaking down.

A. Gazumping is when somebody makes a higher offer than one which has already been accepted verbally. Unfortunately, it is legal in England and Wales because an agreement isn’t legally binding until the contracts are written and exchanged.

A. Download here (after sales leaflet also attached to this email), which details all the possible steps up until completion. It’s important to respond to solicitors quickly in order to prevent any delays.

A. If you have your own solicitor in the property sector you can continue to use them otherwise, we can introduce you to one of our recommended local solicitors. Over the years we have worked closely with a number of solicitors and have built great working relationships with them.

We would strongly advise you to instruct a solicitor once your property is on the market, as this gives the solicitor time to prepare all the legal documentation for a swift and efficient sale when the buyer is found.

A. Your solicitor will perform searches of the Land Registry and Local Authority information. They will be checking for planning history, and any potential developments around roads, drainage and mining near the property.

A. Every purchase is different, certain factors can speed up or delay the completion of a property purchase. If there is no chain, it can take around eight weeks to complete local searches and exchange contracts. Often it can take months, especially if there is a complex chain.

A. The contracts are an identical document signed by the seller and buyer which are then exchanged between their solicitors. At this point the sale becomes legally binding.

A. Once all parties are in agreement, your solicitor will send the completion monies (e.g. mortgage sum and deposit) to your seller’s solicitor, who will then ‘release’ the keys.

Your solicitor will be able to update you on the day and confirm a time that you will be able to pick up the keys from the Blue Bricks Estates office responsible for the sale.

A. After receiving the keys to your new property there are still significant amount of work left for the solicitor. The Title Deeds will remain with your solicitor for a few months before being sent to your lender for storage and will be kept with them until you repay the mortgage in full.