The Buying Process      <back to previous page

Register with Lourdes
You can register via telephone , email or by visiting our office. Our experienced and friendly staff will
spend time asking questions to ascertain your exact requirements, by doing this we ensure that you only
view properties which match your criteria.

Mortgage enquiries
It is imperative that you speak with a mortgage advisor as soon as possible to calculate your budget by obtaining a ‘mortgage agreed in principle’. Our recommended independent broker can provide you with a free, no obligation mortgage quote within minutes. Please speak with your designated property consultant
to discuss this in more detail.

Viewing appropriate properties
Once Lourdes has identified suitable properties which meet your criteria, accompanied viewings can be arranged 7 days a week to suit your availability. If required, your negotiator will collect you from the local area and drive you to the viewings.

Making an offer
Once you have identified a suitable property and arranged your mortgage (if required), Lourdes will put forward your offer to the vendor both verbally and in writing. Please be aware that any offer is subject to contract and is not legally binding to either side until the contract is signed. There are several additional costs involved when purchasing a property which you need to consider such as; solicitor’s fee, mortgage arrangement fee, survey fee, local authority search fee, stamp duty and removal costs. Your negotiator
will be happy to help and advise you on all of the above.

Sale agreed
Once an offer has been agreed by both yourself and the vendor, we will arrange for the agreed terms to be provided to all parties, please also remember to discuss suitable exchange and completion dates with the vendor via Lourdes. At this stage, you will also need to instruct a solicitor (please speak with your consultant for recommendations), arrange a survey on the property if needed and if a mortgage is required to instruct your broker to proceed with the application.

Exchange of contracts
Once you and your solicitor are happy to proceed with the purchase, the contract is signed by both the vendor and purchaser. At this stage, the deposit (normally 10% of the purchase price) is transferred to the vendor’s solicitor, contracts can be formally exchanged and the transaction is legally binding. The completion date will then be agreed between both the vendor and purchaser.

Completion
The remaining balance (usually 90% of the purchase price) will be transferred from your solicitors to the vendor’s solicitor’s bank account. Once the property is vacated, you can collect the keys for your new property!

Post completion
At this stage, if required, Lourdes can recommend reputable decorators and tradesmen to quote for any potential work which you may require to be carried out on your new property. Please speak with your consultant for more details.