Call Blog
Tips for buying the right home insurance
Everybody needs house insurance, whether you’re a homeowner or a tenant or whether you’re mortgaged to the hilt or an outright owner. Protecting your building and the stuff inside it should be everyone’s priority, so let’s take a closer look at the different types of house insurance and help you decide what type is right for you.
What are the costs of buying a house?
Buying a house is expensive. In fact, if you’re taking out a mortgage that will take you thirty years to pay back, the actual purchase price might seem like a softer blow than the long list of fees, taxes and duties which are usually required upfront.
Can you sue someone after buying a house from them?
In an ideal world, we would purchase our dream home and live in it happily ever after. Or at least for a few years until we’re ready for something else. For an unlucky few, it doesn’t work out this way. For some people, the dream of home ownership can turn into a nightmare – with serious problems only discovered after you’ve exchanged contracts.
Sale agreed: but what does it mean?
If you're currently hunting for a property, you might have seen the term ‘sale agreed’ cropping up on listings. But what does sale agreed mean? Is it just another term for ‘sold’? And can you still get your hands on a property listed as sale agreed? Don't worry; we're here to explain all.
What does no chain (or chain free) mean in property?
If you’re searching for that perfect home to buy, you might have seen terms like ‘no chain’, ‘no onward chain’ or ‘chain free’ appearing alongside property listings. You might have an inkling that chain free is a good thing – but what does it actually mean?
Disadvantages of buying a leasehold property
Are you considering buying a leasehold property? Not to be dramatic, but there are a few things you should know about leasehold properties before you decide to buy one. But are they even worth buying at all, or should you steer clear altogether?
What type of property do I own?
Estate agents may have a categorical knowledge of the different property types, but as a layperson, you'd be forgiven for not knowing your semi from your studio. It’s important to know, as your insurance company will need to assess the likelihood that you’ll need to make a claim – and some property types are more prone to issues than others.
What are house surveys?
The results of the house survey can make or break a sale – so to say it’s important is an understatement. But what exactly is a house survey, and why do you need to have one to sell your home?
What to do if you inherit a house
Inheriting a property is a significant event in anyone's life. It usually brings mixed emotions, and these, together with the legal, financial and moral responsibilities, can feel overwhelming. Don't let it stress you too much, though. We're here to help with our essential guide on what to do if you inherit a house.
What documents do you need when moving house?
There’s no way around it – moving house comes with a whole lot of paperwork. Even in this digital age, expect to find yourself rifling through drawers and digging through document boxes to track down all manner of forms, certificates and documents before the moving process can begin. Missing paperwork can seriously delay your move, so it pays to know what you need in advance. So, let’s take a look at the documents you need when moving house.
What is gazundering and how to stop it
If you're considering selling your home, you must get clued up on gazundering. The UK property market is currently experiencing an epidemic of gazundering, leaving thousands of home sellers frustrated and out of pocket.
What's the difference between gazumping and gazundering?
You won’t hear the terms ‘gazumping’ or ‘gazundering’ outside of the property world. That’s because they have been coined to describe two specific occurrences that can happen when buying and selling houses.
What is a mortgage valuation?
There are some aspects of the home buying process which are a little confusing. For example, why isn’t an offer acceptance legally binding? When do I need to pay the deposit, and to whom? And what are ‘searches’?
Is Gazumping On The Rise?
Instead of being a time for celebration, having an offer accepted on a property is proving to be a nail-biting period fraught with anxiety for UK home buyers.
How to avoid gazumping
Gazumping – it’s happening all around us. The chances are, someone you know has fallen victim to gazumping – and it could be about to happen to you.
What are mortgage lender fees?
Moving house isn’t cheap. We’re not even talking about the deposit, stamp duty or the property itself, but rather the seemingly endless list of fees and expenses which come as part of the deal when you buy a new home.
Should I buy a second home as an investment?
More than 1 in 10 adults in the UK now own a second property. But should you join them?
The process of selling a house
Selling your house? Take a deep breath. It’s quite a process, but nothing you can’t handle. The main stress-causing factor is getting your offer accepted in the first place, followed by the agonising wait until the contracts are exchanged and everything is official.
Buying a home? Government schemes can help
Buying a home in the UK is harder than ever. House prices have risen dramatically while salaries have remained pretty stagnant – and the cost of living means that saving for a hefty deposit is a real struggle for many.
Moving into a new build home checklist
There’s nothing like the feeling of moving into a new-build house. Everything is clean and new, and you don’t have to scrub away decades of other people’s dirt before it feels like home. Just because it’s a newly built property doesn’t guarantee it’ll be smooth sailing once you’ve got the keys, though.