Getting a mortgage for your first home is one of the most satisfying things you can experience as an adult. Being able to receive the acceptance and offer for a mortgage with a lender is a stressful situation at first and it is something which will truly make your day, week, month, or even your year.
Selling and buying property can be incredibly stressful and there are a lot of steps in the process which you will need to tackle. How would you know that now is the time to sell your home? How do you calculate the payment? What is your land tax for? These are all parts of the process which can confuse and stress you out.
However, nothing is more nail biting than putting an application in for a mortgage and waiting for the acceptance. This is what your whole journey will depend on and it is imperative that you get it right in order to move onto the next stage of the process.
So what happens when you do get the acceptance and you have that mortgage document in your hands? What’s next?
Go for a second viewing
After you have got the acceptance letter for your mortgage and everything is correct, it is time to head back to the house for a second viewing. There are some cases where a second viewing is like taking off your rose tinted glasses. If you have been in love with the idea of a home for so long, you likely missed things such as cracks and leaks in the walls the first time you saw the home up close. Now that you are able to put the money into the property, it is a good idea to head back and take another look. Make sure that this is the home you want to move into, warts and all.
Measure the rooms
When you are walking around the home for the second time, a good idea would be to bring a tape measure and begin measuring alcoves, windows, and walls to get an idea of what you can bring into the space from your current house. If you already have a home, this can indicate whether your sofa, chairs, and bedroom suites will fit or not, and if not, you can go out and buy a new furniture in preparation.
Source furniture
Buying new furniture for your home is always going to be one of the more fun aspects of the buying process, because here, you are finally getting to put your personal mark on the home. When looking for furniture remember to check on sites like eBay for second hand deals, second hand stores, antique shops, and look at local furniture stores as well as looking online at the big retailers. You could surprise yourself with the money you can save for a beautiful set of items.
Rent a storage unit
Once you have bought some new furniture for your house, you will need somewhere to store it for the time being while you wait for the exchange of contracts. A storage unit in your local area is the ideal place to keep items safe and it will ensure that you can start packing up your belongings and storing them in here for easy transport on moving day.
Plan moving day
Speaking of moving day, it is important for you to keep open communication with all parties in the move and you might want to plan your moving day early. The best day to move is Wednesday and there are a few reasons for this. Firstly, it’s cheaper because most people will choose the weekend. Secondly, there will be less traffic, so it is easier to get around. And thirdly, your new neighbors will likely be out at work so you can have the moving van coming in and out without inconveniencing your them.
Pick up the keys
Picking up the keys is the most exciting part of buying a home because this is the literal moment when ownership transfers to you for good. When the keys are placed in your hand, you now have a house, and it is time to call the troops for moving day.
Clean up
Before you move everything into your new home, it is important to carry out a thorough cleaning. Most sellers will clean their house before they move out as a nice gesture to the new owners. However, some people won’t clean at all. Once you step into the empty carcass of your home, it is the ideal chance for you to clean up a bit before you start packing all of your stuff into the rooms. Take the time the day before you move in to clean all of the carpets and let them dry. Make sure to vacuum anywhere and everywhere. Bleach and wipe the bathroom and kitchen. Make sure that your new home is spic and span when move in and this will make it much easier to keep on top of during that crucial settling in stage.
Moving day
Once the big clean is done and dusted it is time to move into your new home once and for all. Depending on what you have in terms of belongings, you’ll either want to use one massive truck, or you could rent a van such as Hertz in your local area and bring the items to the new house yourself. It is a great idea for you to invite family to the home and get them to help you with the process because it will often take a lot of hands and a lot of work to get everything into the home and in place. Before you use any water or electricity in your new home, make sure to read the meter and use this later on when you sign up with an energy provider. If the value isn’t the same as when the previous owner left, you’ll be charged for it.