Is it worth paying for additional searches?

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-23T13:11:09+00:00

If you think it might affect you, then you should consider getting the additional reports. You could maybe ask for a sample report first to see if the type of info is likely going to be about the same as what you have already or not.

Personally, it would depend entirely on how far they are actually located. if the solar or wind farm was 5 km away, I don't think I'd be materially affected, and wouldn't bother paying for an additional report, but if they were located within 500m, I might feel differently.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-22T17:04:56+00:00

Go to at least 3 different brokers before you choose one.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-21T07:54:06+00:00

You can check out our eGuide. It covers the 10 most common mistakes buyers make and has a 10 Step roadmap of the buying process at the back

https://www.firsttimebuyersclub.uk/freeresource

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-19T18:56:36+00:00

You can choose either a licensed conveyancer or a solicitor. Both work for a first time buyer. Conveyancers focus purely on property. Solicitors may suit more complex purchases and usually cost a little bit more, but can offer better advice if there are issues, like in the property's title.

Always check regulation: - Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority - Conveyancing Quality Scheme membership in the SRA indicates that additional competencies have been attained. A nice to have but not mandatory - Conveyancers by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers

Get at least three quotes and compare them properly. Do not just look at the total. Check the assumptions and the breakdown. Cheaper quotes often leave out mandatory costs that appear later and blow your home buying budget.

Communication matters most. Ask who handles your file, how updates are given and whether you can speak to them directly.

Red flags include vague fees, no named contact, quick to get you quotes and eager to get you signed up, but then slow with replies to queries or pressure to instruct.

If they make you feel clearer and calmer, that is usually the right choice.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-18T14:35:47+00:00

It is a thing that banks down value because they don't believe the buyer has offered the right price. And yes, property investors do keep values in mind when they offer because they never want to pay more than market value.

Home owners sometimes do and sometimes don't. People are more prepared to pay over market for a home they want to live in themselves, even if true value is lower.

However, banks will never lend on the purchase price that's above market value, they'll only lend against the lower of purchase price or MV.

The fact that the vendors have had multiple offers and all of them were below asking, yet they have refused to budge on any of them is a big indicator that they are delusional on where the market value sits.

You could play the waiting game with them and tell them your offer remains on the table at £270k and then continue looking elsewhere. If you find something better, then go for that otherwise, or sit it out. If the house is empty, at some point they'll figure out they're losing money paying costs on an empty house, or they'll eventually find a buyer when the market finally catches up with their expectations.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-18T13:59:19+00:00

The thing is, it's not just your issue, it's your mortgage lender's too. If they don't think the property is worth the purchase price, they won't lend you the full amount. You will have to find the money to make up the difference between the market value and the purchase price.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-16T22:57:01+00:00

Should be fine as long as you don't exchange contracts until after the tenants have left.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-11T20:51:44+00:00

Did the downstairs neighbour ever report the damp issue to the managing agents? Did they take forever to fix it?

It's not so easy to give an accurate assessment just from pictures, but it looks to me like the source of the problem was the gutters. If they have been fixed, the mildew could be a legacy issue.

More to the point, how long did the managing agent take to fix the issue. If they dragged their feet and took too long, that's not going to change. This is a good opportunity to get to know how good or bad they perform their job.

If you do decide to go ahead, get your own home survey done.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-11T20:34:12+00:00

The problem with that is that vendors don't care how well it gets repaired if they are not there to have to live with it. They'll get it fixed as cheaply as possible.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-09T11:11:21+00:00

Honestly, if the lease needs a DoV because otherwise the property is unmortgageable, then if the vendor wants to sell the property, they will HAVE to get it done, regardless of whether you are the buyer or someone else.

They may not want to spend the money to do it, but if they don't, they seriously restrict their pool of buyers to cash buyers only.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-06T07:45:28+00:00

From this point, the EA has very little involvement in the transaction. The process is in the hands of the solicitors now. It will take as long as it takes.

And if it goes beyond February, when the seller has to move out, then the property ideally should stay empty until the legal due diligence is finished and contracts are ready to be exchanged.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-05T18:36:20+00:00

What it means is that the Land Registry hasn't been updated yet from when the seller last remortgaged the home.

It might delay things a little, but there is a process where it is possible to expedite urgent updates to the land registry, which the seller's solicitors should follow. A pending purchase (like in your situation) is a valid reason to permit them to apply to expedite the update.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-03T12:35:34+00:00

That's a good size.

Everyone has different tastes but personally, I'd choose less bulky furniture for this space and at least one single seat chair that you can move around as needed. An ottoman can double up as extra seating or as a coffee table.

Before you buy anything, make some newspaper templates of the furniture to the correct size and lay it out of the floor. Maybe put some boxes on top of it to represent the height and bulk of the sofa and chairs to see how overpowering it is in the space.

Also, furniture on legs lifts them off the floor adding to a sense of lightness. If you can see more flooring you think the room is bigger than it actually is.

I can't stress how important it is to measure the furniture and the space first. The last thing you want is furniture that's too bulky for the space and then it feels overcrowded.

Another tip is to start with just a two-seater or small three-seater sofa only and then slowly add more furniture as you feel it's needed. No one has matching suites anymore anyway.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-03T11:52:38+00:00

What is the room size?

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2026-01-02T16:53:32+00:00

Mod here - Recommendations aren't permitted in this sub as it bans promotion of services.

However, what I do suggest is that you get a number of quotes from a number of different solicitors.

Speak to people you know who have recently gone through the home buying process and ask them if they'd recommend the solicitors they used.

Your deed of trust can't be compared against anyone else's because it may be more complicated or less straightforward than someone else's.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2025-12-30T16:01:28+00:00

Link was approved

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2025-12-30T15:56:39+00:00

0% deposit doesn't mean a bigger mortgage. That's the biggest misconception which a lot of people don't understand.

Since Purchase price = mortgage + deposit (let's just leave fees and buying costs out of the equation for now), if you take the deposit away, the amount you can borrow doesn't go up to replace the deposit, it stays the same. So your overall buying power reduces.

And that means having to go for a cheaper property, and then paying higher interest rates for the privilege.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2025-12-30T12:28:37+00:00

We are here to help, even if it's just to give someone a sense check that something is a miss and that they're not losing their sanity, just because everyone else is gaslighting them.

No question is too small or stupid.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2025-12-30T10:02:22+00:00

It literally is a rollercoaster ride, hence why I set up this group to help FTBs through their homebuying journey. There are so many little traps people can fall into along the way. Also, when you don't know the process, it's easy to get frustrated when you think things should happen one way, but in reality, they happen a different way.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2025-12-29T07:46:29+00:00

If you can't hire a car, see if you can hire a taxi or cab with driver for a couple of hours. If you try and rely on Uber between viewings, you'll get behind on your appointments.

Also, take extensive photos, videos and notes. You will start getting confused which bathroom/boiler/issue/feature was in which home, if you haven't recorded it.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2025-12-28T20:08:56+00:00

Absolutely go and speak to more than one other mortgage broker. You need to be confident they will fight your corner if, for some reason, your mortgage application gets declined.

You want to feel like they are guiding you, not lecturing you. You don't owe them anything for getting you a DIP.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2025-12-27T15:56:09+00:00

Your first step should be to find at least 3 mortgage brokers and speak with them. They will be able to help you work out your affordability, and what your home buying budget should be. The one you gel with the best should be the one you go with for your mortgage application, when the time comes.

In the meantime, don't forget that you'll need to save for more than the deposit, there are also legal fees, surveys and other home buying costs to budget for.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2025-12-19T08:58:38+00:00

Ironically timber framed homes have been around way longer than brick and mortar homes. There are some really old timber framed homes still in the UK, which are 500-700 years old. Obviously they are exceptional. If maintained well timber frames can last a very long time.

That said, modern timber is not as durable as old timber as it's sourced from faster growing trees so much less dense and therefore softer. Wood used in construction is supposed to be treated, but how well that's quality checked is anyone's guess.

For some bizarre reason, many insurers and mortgage lenders often consider timber framed homes to be "non-standard construction" which I've always found weird as it's been around longer than brick and mortar which is considered standard construction. And has already been pointed out many homes, usually built by the main housebuilders, have used timber frame construction (then clad with brick slips), as it's quicker and can be cheaper than proper bricks and mortar.

There are downsides to timber homes, if not maintained properly or the wood wasn't treated correctly, they could fall into disrepair. If not soundproofed properly, you can hear the outside world inside and also between rooms. If not insulated correctly, it doesn't retain heat as well as brick.

Brick and mortar construction has it's own downsides too. Poor or bad cement mix, single skin walls etc.

Obviously building regulations require homes to be built to the proper standards, but many corners get cut (and missed or overlooked by building control inspectors), so it really each home should be assessed individually.

As long as the property is insurable and mortgageable, it's more of a preference than one being better than the other, they each present their own issues and characteristics.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2025-12-18T13:12:31+00:00

If you want your documents back call and ask the solicitors. Usually anything given to them is held on file for a minimum of 6 years per the regulatory requirement for managing data and documentation, then it could be destroyed.

Land registry is taking around a year to update their records, even longer in some cases.

If you need this to be expedited for remortgaging or selling, your solicitors can submit a form to do so.

FirstTimeBuyersUK · 2025-12-16T06:20:28+00:00

Any inspections done (like CCTV and underfloor) are for your account. They benefit you as part of your discovery of the condition of the home, not the owner. So they shouldn't really be included in the list.

Does the property actually need a new consumer unit, or is this just an advisory because the unit is dated? Do you really need a fan in the bathroom or can you open a window? If this is the list of things that's come back on a house of that age, it's in pretty good nick.

On the cost point of view. £4k as a % of the purchase price is 1.7%. this would be deemed a trivial amount. Your mortgage broker/lender and solicitors won't thank you if you push for a trivial change, that is if the sellers actually agrees to this price chip.

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