The Essential Checklist For Anyone Buying Their First Home

There has been so much written in the last few years about how hard it is for people to get on the property ladder. It is getting more and more difficult for individuals to find the funds, not to mention find the right property, to buy their first home. In generations past, it would be surprising to find people thinking about finally stopping renting in their thirties, forties or even fifties. These days, we all know that we need to be smart when it comes to picking the right time and the right place no matter our income. It does not matter where you live and work or what your job is, it is always going to be a big moment when you are finally ready to put pen to paper and make that commitment to buying a property.

However, there is a huge difference between looking for a home that you will rent for a year or two before moving on and looking for somewhere that is going to be your responsibility, your property for the foreseeable future. There are going to be a lot of things that you will need to think about and a lot of things that you will need to check. With that in mind, we have put together a checklist for anyone who is buying their first home.

Know Your Budget

We know that this point sounds a little obvious, but it is so important. The last couple of years have been really tough when it comes to finding financial security. We have all had to reach into our savings, and many of us have had to go beyond that. The current cost of living crisis may affect some more than others, but we will all feel the sting. When you are buying a new property, you are committing to a seriously large investment, and you need to be crystal clear on what the upper limit of your budget is. Giving yourself a bit of wiggle room is always a good idea, but you need to know where you draw the line. It is also important to remember that the costs of buying a home do not end when you move in.

Get Good Advice

No one ever found their perfect home by themselves. We all need help along the way, and a mortgage or property finance advisor is a crucial part of the process. It does not matter whether you are buying your first property for a commercial space, or you are finally ready to commit to a large property, there are always going to be complicated steps and loan needs that you will need to fulfil. There are a lot of loan companies and mortgage advisors out there who will try to make your individual needs fit to a generic template. This is why you need to find someone who understands your needs. Advias develops innovative property financing solutions, and they will work with you to ensure that you are completely satisfied with the service they provide.

Know What You Need From Your Space

Over the last couple of years, we all realised the limitations of where we have been living. Those of us who live in the countryside enjoyed the open space but felt incredibly disconnected from our loved ones. Those of us who are in the city centre realised that being close to a tube station was perhaps not as important has having two home offices. If you are looking to buy your first property, it is important to think beyond your immediate needs. For example, you may be going back to work at the office now, but can you be sure that you won’t be spending more time working at home in the near future? And there is the classic question for any couple looking to buy a property together: are you going to have enough space to start a family? It is so important that you sit down with your partner before you start looking at prospective homes to ensure that you are both on the same page.

Is Your Home Ready To Be Green?

One of the biggest issues that we are all facing right now is figuring out how we can reduce our carbon footprint. We have seen the news stories about extreme weather events around the world and we have certainly noticed the skyrocketing temperatures here in the UK. If you are looking at properties to buy, then you need to be confident that you are buying a home that is energy efficient and which will hold up to the extremes that we will see in the months and years ahead. Investing in older properties may well mean that you need to set aside a lot more money to make these kinds of upgrades, while a new build home should be better prepared. You should also think about making room in your budget to invest in new appliances with a better energy efficiency rating. With energy costs on the rise, this is important for your bank balance as well as the environment.

EAN Content

Content shared by this account is either news shared free by third parties or sponsored (paid for) content from third parties. Please be advised that links to third party websites are not endorsed by Estate Agent Networking - Please do your own research before committing to any third party business promoted on our website. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

UK house prices growing by 2.5% according to Halifax

Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark: “This slight dip in house prices will likely have been influenced as a direct consequence to the current state of the global economy. There will always be a need for people to move house regardless of international trading relations; however, many aspiring or current homeowners will no doubt be discouraged…
Read More
Breaking News

UK house prices dip slightly in May, but market remains steady

Average property price now £296,648 compared to £297,798 last month Annual rate of growth slows to +2.5% from +3.2% in April Overall house prices have remained stable so far this year Northern Ireland continues to lead annual price growth in the UK Amanda Bryden, Head of Mortgages, Halifax, said: “Average UK house prices fell by…
Read More
Breaking News

Estate Agent Content

Do you think that your estate agency / property business requires content? Is content marketing still a thing in 2025? Are you concerned if anyone will read your words? Is it worth investing in estate agent content? Businesses with blogs generate 67% more leads than those without. As competition for attention online increases it remains…
Read More
Breaking News

The cost of voids rises by £200 for England’s landlords

The latest analysis by Dwelly, one of the UK’s leading lettings acquisition and success planning experts, has found that landlords have been hit with a 26% increase in the cost of void periods in the past year, equivalent to lost income of almost £200. Dwelly analysed average void period data from March 2024 and March…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 5/06/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. Demand Rises for Housing and Infrastructure Projects Rising demand for housing, infrastructure and energy projects across Wales has driven continued growth at Lichfields’ Cardiff office, which this year marks 25 years in the capital. The team of 17 planning professionals is one of the largest…
Read More
Breaking News

Construction continues to enjoy a season in the sun

Underlying performance is on the rise during Q.2 2025 Today, Glenigan, one of the construction industry’s leading insight experts, releases the June 2025 edition of its Construction Index. The Index focuses on the three months to the end of May 2025, covering all underlying projects, with a total value of £100m or less (unless otherwise…
Read More