Most people automatically associate the services of Estate Agents and Conveyancers with the purchase of a new home. We all know how the process usually works; we look at properties on the market, find our dream home, put in an offer and then progress towards exchange of contracts, completion and the much-anticipated move! The whole experience is both exhilarating and nerve-racking and is one which most of us have experienced at least once in our lives.

This is undoubtedly the most common purchase route with which we assist, but there are other options for buying property.

For example, there are various ways to make the purchase, including: -

• Assisted purchase schemes - Right -to-Buy, relating to Council and Housing Association properties, and Help-to-Buy for new-builds are ways of allowing you to minimise the size of your mortgage and keep monthly financial commitments low

• Shared ownership – Offered by Housing Associations for first-time buyers moving into new properties, this involves you buying a portion of your property and renting the remaining part, possibly purchasing this too at a later date

• Building your own – Why ‘make do’ with what you see on the market? Get exactly what you want but take professional advice to make sure you consider every element of cost involved

• Buying at auction – there may be a bargain to be had but ‘Buyer Beware!’- make sure you do your homework before raising your hand and committing to buy

The many purchase options don’t end there. As it becomes more difficult to get on the property ladder, many people are changing their idea of WHO they are going to buy with.

For some it may no longer be an option to save a deposit and buy on their own so the possibility of being able to share the mortgage load with someone else they know, and trust, is a tempting prospect.

Be it with a friend or with parents, the number of people purchasing with others is on the rise.

Buying with friends - Joint purchase is a great way to have two people contributing to the mortgage and may mean being able to afford a bigger property or something in a more popular area. The opportunity to achieve more of your wish list with a smaller financial commitment is a great one but care must be taken to consider the future of your co-habiting relationship and a cohabiting agreement or declaration of trust is strongly recommended to protect the interests of both parties.

Using ‘The Bank of Mum and Dad’ – It is common for parents to want to help their children get onto the property ladder – and perhaps, at last, leave the family home!! There are a number of set ways in which they – or other close family relatives – can help, generally involving them being your guarantors or perhaps using their savings to offset your mortgage and bring the monthly payments down.

Whatever your route to purchase, at EHL Conveyancing we can help guide through your options – even during these less conventional times. With our On-line Conveyancing Tool and staff who have been on hand to assist throughout the pandemic, we are simply a call or a click away. Find out more at www.arrowconveyancing.co.uk

Disclaimer

The materials on this website do not constitute legal advice and are provided for general information only. Whether express or implied, no warranty is given concerning such materials. We shall not be liable for any technical, editorial, typographical, or other errors or omissions within the information provided on this website, nor shall we be responsible for the content of any web images or information linked to this website.

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The information contained in this article does not constitute financial advice or recommendation and should not be considered as such. Arrow conveyancing does not offer financial advice and is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the authors of this article are not financial advisors and are therefore not authorised to offer financial advice.

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