Guide to Buying a Property

The Hertfordshire sales market can be highly competitive and fast-moving, but we can give buyers that register with us an unfair advantage.

By registering your details with us, we can help you be the first through the door of newly listed homes.

Before you begin searching, arranging your finances and, if required, having a mortgage agreed in principle is advisable.

Our recommended mortgage broker, Delightful Mortgage, has access to the entire market and exclusive deals and rates to help find you the best mortgage available.

If your move will involve selling your current home, it is advisable to advertise your existing property before looking for a new home.

Being ready to sell means you are less likely to miss out on your dream home.

With plenty of new listings to choose from each week, we'll help you find the right property.

We can also keep you constantly up-to-date via email and text alerts, even before properties get listed on Rightmove and Zoopla.

Book your viewing online, on the phone or in the office.

We will chauffeur you to your viewings, ensuring you arrive in a relaxed frame of mind and accompany you throughout so that we can answer any questions immediately and advise where necessary.

A successful purchase relies on an efficient and experienced solicitor.

Our short list of local Solicitors have been hand-picked for their expertise, speed and efficiency.

Once you find your perfect property, you can make an offer online, in writing or with your agent.

Let us know if there are any special conditions of the offer, and we'll communicate this to the seller.

You may need to demonstrate that you can proceed by providing evidence of your mortgage in principle and solicitor details.

There are no legal obligations on either side until contracts are signed.

Once your offer has been accepted, we will do the following:

• Prepare a memorandum of sale
• Confirm the agreed price with all parties
• Confirm your solicitor & mortgage details

You will now need to instruct your solicitor to proceed with the conveyancing process and your mortgage broker to proceed with your application.

As part of the conveyancing process, your solicitor will do the following:

• Raise any enquiries on receipt of the draft contract from the seller's solicitor
• Request their local searches
• Agree on a date for the exchange of contracts

We will assist your solicitor and negotiate throughout the process, keeping you informed every step of the way.

A surveyor will book a survey of the property on behalf of the mortgage lender to identify any structural problems and advise on the property's value.

After the mortgage valuation report is received, a formal mortgage offer will be sent to you and your solicitor, which you will need to sign before it is returned.

There are no legal obligations until contracts are signed.

The exchange of contracts occurs when all enquiries have been confirmed and agreed upon.

Once both parties have signed the contract, the deposit (usually 10% of the purchase price) will be transferred online or paid in the form of a banker's draft from your solicitor to the seller's solicitor.

The completion date is then set by mutual agreement.

Completion is when the residual monies (usually 90%) are transferred from your solicitor to the seller's solicitor's account.

We will release the keys once the money has cleared in the seller's account.

Congratulations, you are now the legal owner of your new home!