Buying
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Buying a property
The purchase of real estate is for most people one of the most important and significant financial transactions they will undertake. Whether the purchase of a new home, land on which to build your dream home, an investment property or a property from which to run your business, the transaction will represent a large shift in your financial situation and will coincide with other significant changes to your lifestyle. It can be a stressful time. Our aim is to take away from you as much of that stress as we can. You have enough to worry about- leave the transfer of your property to us.
Where do I start?
What can I afford?The first step in the process of buying a property is to work out what you can afford. You can approach your own bank and ask what is possible, or we can recommend a mortgage broker to whom you can talk, free of charge, about what amount you can afford to borrow and which lender will give you the best deal.
Finding the right propertyOnce you know what price range you can afford to look in, you should think carefully about what area you would like to live in. What is important to you? Proximity to work, school or shops? A peaceful country lifestyle? Write down all your priorities and think carefully about what areas will suit those priorities.When you have narrowed down the areas you would be prepared to live in, search the newspapers and real estate websites for open houses in those areas and visit as many as you can to get a feel for what standard of property is available within the price range you have set. Then ... set to work and find the property that is right for you!
Finding the right propertyOnce you know what price range you can afford to look in, you should think carefully about what area you would like to live in. What is important to you? Proximity to work, school or shops? A peaceful country lifestyle? Write down all your priorities and think carefully about what areas will suit those priorities.When you have narrowed down the areas you would be prepared to live in, search the newspapers and real estate websites for open houses in those areas and visit as many as you can to get a feel for what standard of property is available within the price range you have set. Then ... set to work and find the property that is right for you!
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Negotiating to purchase
What do I need to specify? When you have found the property you want to buy and are entering into negotiations, it is more than just the price you need to consider. When you make an offer, make it clear to the agent whether your offer is conditional on any of these things:
These things are just examples of things you may want to specify. Whatever your conditions are, make them clear up front – it will save a lot of time trying to renegotiate later.
When do I sign a contract?When your offer has been accepted, the agents will either arrange for the vendor’s solicitor to prepare a contract or will prepare a contract note themselves. Either way, it is best if you have the contract checked by us before you sign it to ensure that it properly reflects the deal you have negotiated.
Is there anything else to do before I sign?Before signing the contract, we always recommend that you:measure the boundaries of the property so that the measurements can be checked against the titlecheck the locations of any buildings so you can check that nothing is built over easementscheck with the local council that all buildings on the property have the correct permitsopriate method for selling your property, particularly whether to hold an auction or just proceed as a private sale.
Either way, it is important that as soon as a buyer is found, all the paperwork is in place to have a contract signed as quickly as possible.
- formal approval of your finance
- a building inspection
- a pest inspection
- approval of a planning permit
- the vendor undertaking any repairs to the property
These things are just examples of things you may want to specify. Whatever your conditions are, make them clear up front – it will save a lot of time trying to renegotiate later.
When do I sign a contract?When your offer has been accepted, the agents will either arrange for the vendor’s solicitor to prepare a contract or will prepare a contract note themselves. Either way, it is best if you have the contract checked by us before you sign it to ensure that it properly reflects the deal you have negotiated.
Is there anything else to do before I sign?Before signing the contract, we always recommend that you:measure the boundaries of the property so that the measurements can be checked against the titlecheck the locations of any buildings so you can check that nothing is built over easementscheck with the local council that all buildings on the property have the correct permitsopriate method for selling your property, particularly whether to hold an auction or just proceed as a private sale.
Either way, it is important that as soon as a buyer is found, all the paperwork is in place to have a contract signed as quickly as possible.
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Our Services
We will handle all the legal aspects of your property transfer for you, including:advice on steps to take before signing a contract- full explanation of the contract of sale- preparation of all the documents necessary to have the title transferred into your name- liaising with your bank to ensure your finance is available when needed- conducting all the vital checks and searches with government authorities and agencies- dealing with any legal problems which may arise with the transaction- calculation of any adjustments to the purchase price- arrangement of and attendance to settlement on your behalf