Our Guide to Buying Property

Making your purchase stress-free and enjoyable

By registering with Astons London estate agent, you are one step closer to finding your ideal property. We have a superb selection of properties and, whether you are looking for the perfect family home, an choice London pad, a second home near work or an investment to add to your portfolio, Astons London will help you find it.

Here at Astons London, we have compiled this useful guide from years of experience, to make your search and purchase stress-free and enjoyable.

Determine your budget

Before embarking on the search for your perfect home, you must determine how much you can borrow and which mortgage product, if needed, will suit you best. Please consider talking to an Independent Financial Advisor (IFA), as they will be able to offer various lending products to suit you as well as provide you with the reassurance that all borrowing avenues have been explored. Choose an IFA who is regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and/or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The internet is usually a very good way to establish what sort of deals are being offered in the market at any time.

Any Astons London team member will be more than happy to recommend an IFA to you.

Register your details with Astons London and let the search begin

Please call our dedicated team on 020 7262 2900 or click here to register your details with us and a member of staff will be in touch shortly after. If you are in the area, you are more than welcome to pop in to our offices in Spring Street, register and have a chat with a member of our team, who will be delighted to assist you. They will ask you the right questions to understand what you are looking for so that we match only the right properties that suit your personal requirements and budget.

A member of our team will be by your side to personally show you what could be your new home.

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Make an offer

Once you have instructed a solicitor and had your mortgage approved (in principle) with a lender, you will be in a strong position to make an offer on your chosen property. These preparations show the vendor that you are organized and can be taken seriously as a purchaser. Astons London request that all offers are put in writing and that proof of funds for the purchase price/or the required deposit are presented so that we can put your offer to the vendor with full confidence of getting the best response.

Agree terms

Once negotiations are successfully concluded, Astons London will send to all parties a memorandum of sale outlining the agreed terms and informing both parties' solicitors. The solicitors will write to each other confirming they will be acting for their clients and begin the legal process. Ask your mortgage provider to commission a survey of the property as this will be required to obtain the mortgage offer and complete the purchase.

The survey carried out on the property is for the benefit of the lender and for valuation purposes only. It is wise to obtain a more in-depth property survey for your own peace of mind.

The legal process

Once your solicitor has received the contract and supporting documentation, they will apply for local authority searches and then raise any enquiries they may have with the seller's lawyer. This is where Astons London will be fully involved to enable the sale to progress quickly and efficiently.

You may have questions relating to your purchase; Astons London will be there to help at every step of the process and will keep you informed of progress.

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Exchange of contracts

When the solicitors acting for both parties have completed the conveyancing process, you will be asked to sign a contract and transfer the required deposit (usually 10 per cent of the purchase price). The solicitors will then exchange contracts and agree a date for completion.

Completion

The day you have been waiting for arrives; you now have the home of your dreams. The solicitors complete the transaction by transferring the required finances to the seller's solicitor and the process successfully concludes. Astons London will invite you to come to our office in Paddington to collect the keys to your new property or if you prefer, we can arrange to meet you at the property. If you have purchased an investment property, Astons London will have already given you appropriate advice and may have secured a tenant ready to move in.

Congratulations and thank you for using Astons London.

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