Moving
Moving house should be a very easy process when you think about it – all you have to do is choose a new house and let everyone else complete the process for you. Your estate agent sells your current house, your solicitor deals with the legal side of things and your mortgage broker arranges the finance you need. And when moving day arrives a team of men with a lorry move everything for you. What could be easier?!!
In reality many people find moving house a very stressful process. This is often because they try to do too much themselves and get tangled up in knots trying to keep everything moving along smoothly. And who can blame them? It’s difficult to let go of the reins and trust in others with such an important, life changing event
There is an easier way though – by making one phone call to FX Mortgages and we’ll get the details we need. We’ll then source the best deal for you and take care of the paperwork and make all the phone calls to the bank on your behalf. We’ll check the mortgage offer and ensure the solicitor has all the paperwork they need to get you moved in as quickly as possible.
Here’s some useful information to help. Have a read through and when you’re ready give us a call on 01225 719043 or use the ‘contact us’ page to get in touch and we’ll talk you through the finer detail.
SO, HOW MUCH CAN I BORROW?
Even though you may already have a mortgage your income will be re-assessed when you apply for a new mortgage on the new property. It may sound odd but even if you don’t need to borrow any more than you already have your application will still be subject to current affordability checks. This is just incase your circumstances have changed.
Generally speaking, maximum income multiples are 4.5 times but it does vary from lender to lender and is possible to get as much as 5 x income if you know where to look and if you fit the criteria. Some lenders will use an affordability model rather than simple income multiples, looking at your net income against other outgoings.
The size of your deposit could also affect the amount you can borrow. A bigger deposit makes the overall risk to a lender lower and therefore they may be willing to lend a little more.
HOW BIG A DEPOSIT DO I NEED?
5% is the minimum required deposit, but putting in more will get you a lower interest rate and potentially give you more options with regards to available lenders and more flexible lending criteria.
Some schemes such Help to Buy can be useful if you don’t have a very big deposit – please contact us for details on current schemes.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO ARRANGE A MORTGAGE?
It can vary from lender to lender but typically it will take around 2 weeks to get a formal Mortgage Offer issued. Various things will influence the time it takes, like whether or not you have the information the lender requires readily available (such as payslips, bank statements etc….) or how long it takes for the valuer to gain access to the property for the inspection.
WHAT IS A MORTGAGE OFFER?
A mortgage offer is a formal document from the lender confirming that they are offering you the mortgage. This is issued after the underwriting process has been completed and the lender is happy that you can afford the mortgage and the property is suitable for mortgage purposes. A copy of the offer is sent to your solicitor and this is what they use to draw down the funds for completion.
SHOULD I HAVE A SURVEY DONE?
This is entirely your decision. As part of the mortgage application process the lender will always conduct a valuation of the property you want to buy. This is really only for their own lending purposes and is to satisfy the underwriter that the property is sound and worth roughly what you are buying it for. Some lenders will give you a copy of this valuation but some will not.
If you want a more in depth survey done then there are 2 options available:
Homebuyer’s Report: The easiest way to explain this is to say that it is a ‘visual survey’. That is to say that the surveyor will report on all area’s of the property that are visible to the naked eye and point out any area’s of concern or remedial works required. This type of survey is designed to keep costs to a minimum and is likely to be the best choice if the property you are buying is conventional in type and construction, Generally the lender will do this type of survey at the same time as the mortgage valuation for an additional fee.
Full Buildings Survey / Structural Report: This type of survey is suitable for all residential properties and provides a full picture of the property’s construction and condition. Because the level of detail is higher than the Homebuyer’s Report, a Building Survey is more expensive. This type of survey is required when a property is of an unusual construction or has had extensive alterations, if it’s old, in need of serious structural repair or if you’re planning a major conversion or renovation.
The final report will include detailed technical information on the construction of the property, materials used and a listing of all major and minor defects. The report does not provide a valuation, however this can be arranged as an agreed extra.
DO I NEED A SOLICITOR?
Yes, all property purchases and sales in the UK must be dealt with by a solicitor. If you need some guidance to find the right solicitor please contact us and we will point you in the right direction.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO MOVE IN?
This is very much dependent on how long the chain of sales is – if you are the only person in the chain (maybe buying a new build or another vacant property) then 4 -6 weeks is not out of the question. However if you are part of a longer chain then all people must be ready to move before a date can be set by the solicitors. Generally, the shorter the chain the quicker the move.
WHAT COSTS ARE THERE IN MOVING HOUSE?
We may charge a fee for our services which we will ensure is clearly explained to you before you agree to proceed.
There are a number of fee’s involved during the process of moving:
Solicitors Fee’s: Can vary quite a lot so make sure you shop around or talk to us for guidance on getting the best deal.
Estate Agent’s fee’s: As a rule of thumb you can use a figure of 1.5% (plus VAT) of the sale price of your house but it’s a very competitive market out there and definitely worth negotiating!
Stamp Duty: A tax paid to HMRC on property purchases in the UK. Stamp duty is paid via your solicitor and the amount varies depending on the purchase price. There are lots of Stamp Duty calculators available online to help you work out the cost.
Valuation/Survey Fee’s: The lender you are arranging the mortgage with will require you to pay a valuation fee so they can send a valuer to the property to make sure they are happy to lend against it. You may wish to have a more detailed survey done either at the same time or independently to make sure there are no problems with the property – however, only a basic mortgage valuation is mandatory.
Arrangement fee’s: You may also have to pay an arrangement fee for the mortgage and in some cases a Higher Lending Charge – which is insurance for the lender for you defaulting on your payments when your property is worth less than the loan.
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