How to Buy Property in Edinburgh

Are you looking to buy a house in Edinburgh? Buying a property in Edinburgh has never been a cinch. It requires long-term planning. If you want to buy a home now, you should have started arranging funds a few years ago. You must have a significant amount of deposit size to get a foot onto the property ladder.

The headache is not just limited to the deposit size. To find the right house, you need to sign up the ESPC, a solicitor, a mortgage lender offering mortgages at competitive interest rates and submit a bid. This blog discusses the steps you need to follow at the time of buying a property in Edinburgh.

Get an agreement in principle (AIP)

Before you can put in a bid on a house you want to buy, you need to get an AIP, also called a mortgage promise or a mortgage in principle. The seller will not consider you interested in purchasing the property without an AIP. It suggests that the mortgage lender is ready to lend you money. Make sure that the deposit size and the mortgage will cover the value of a house you want to buy.

You may have to pay a small amount of fees to secure the agreement. However, it does not guarantee that the lender will sign off on the formal application. Your financial circumstances are likely to change, and your credit score may plummet due to outstanding debts. It is generally suggested that you should consult a mortgage broker in Edinburgh. They may help you find a more reliable lender.

Find a solicitor

A solicitor will take care of the legal buying process on your behalf. They will put in the offer, negotiate with the seller, check the contract and organise the transfer the title and money.

You will need a solicitor as they carry out searches to detect the condition of the property. They will explain the home report to you provided by your seller.

This report will include the following particulars:

Energy performance certificate to ensure the property is energy efficient and its environmental impact by the emission of carbon dioxide.

A survey assessment to exhibit the condition of the property, for instance, roofing, plumbing and walls. It will let you know where the repair needs to be done.

A property questionnaire that consists of details like whether the property has the history of flooding, any repair and maintenance work and alterations etc.

They will also check the local authority to see if any planning issues like road construction could affect the value of the property. The solicitor will perform all these functions before you put in the quote as it gives them a potential reason to beat the seller down on the price.

Get a mortgage valuation report

Even if you have got a decision in principle, a mortgage lender will not lend you money without valuing the property you are looking to buy. A lender would always like to know whether the property is worth the price you are borrowing.
A mortgage valuation report works in favour of lenders. Though you pay for the report, you cannot get to know what the surveyor has mentioned in it, nor can you get a copy of it. It is up to you whether you want to rely on the home report given by the seller or you want to hire you own. If you are looking to buy an old property, you should obtain your own survey.

If you decide to get your survey, you can choose any of the following:

Home condition survey
Home buyer’s report
Building survey

Making an offer and conveyance process

Having said that a solicitor helps you with the buying process, they will put in an offer to the solicitor of the seller. Once you have the survey results, you will have to decide the amount to offer based on the factors like market value of similar properties and any alterations to be added in like fixtures and fittings.

As the offer is accepted, our seller will issue the qualified acceptance. Once all the terms of the contract agreed, solicitors of both parties will enter into a contract, known as concluding the missives. At this stage, your solicitor will undertake the conveyance process to transfer the title of the property.

Final settlement

You will get keys to your property as you pay the whole of the price. It will include the down payment and the amount your mortgage lender lends you.

If you are looking for buying a property in Edinburgh, you must go through all of the steps mentioned above. Buying a property can be an expensive option if you are taking out a mortgage. Make sure that you have take stock of your repaying capacity before taking the plunge.