Buying for the first time: from search to key handover

Buying a home for the first time is exciting. A large sum of money, an unfamiliar process and many decisions to make. A guide through the entire journey.

The preparation

Start with your budget. A mortgage adviser will tell you how much you can borrow and what your monthly payments will be. With that certainty you can search in a focused and confident way.

Then draw up a list: what is a requirement and what is a wish? That will save you a great deal of doubt once you start viewing.

The perfect home does not exist. The right home does — and you will recognise it faster with a clear list in hand.

From offer to keys

Once you have found a property, the process moves through the offer, the purchase agreement, the structural survey and the transfer at the notary. A good agent guides you through every step, so you are never caught off guard.