Description
Book SynopsisNo-one obsesses over property quite like the British, even though buying and selling a home can be a personal headache and a financial lucky-dip.
Trade ReviewShe is adept at communicating money matters to the less fiscally clued-up, as demonstrated by the titles of her books.' (The Daily Telegraph, 7th April 2012)
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1
Part I: So You Want to Buy Your First Home? 7
Chapter 1: Why Getting Your Foot on the Property Ladder Is a Smart Move 9
Chapter 2: Deciding Whether You Can Afford to Buy and Getting the Timing Right 17
Chapter 3: Determining What You Want 25
Chapter 4: Dealing with Estate Agents 33
Part II: Finding the Right Property 41
Chapter 5: Handling Viewings 43
Chapter 6: Looks Are Everything: Period Homes 55
Chapter 7: New and Self-Build: No Previous Owners 73
Chapter 8: Renovating Wrecks: Property In Need of Work 93
Part III: Making an Offer and Finding the Readies 109
Chapter 9: Making an Offer: What Happens Next? 111
Chapter 10: Going, Going, Gone: Buying Property at Auction 127
Chapter 11: Getting a Mortgage 139
Chapter 12: Insurance: Ignore at Your Peril 169
Chapter 13: When Money’s Too Tight to Mention: Low Cost Routes to Homeownership 181
Part IV: Selling Your Home 189
Chapter 14: Deciding When It’s the Right Time to Sell Your Home 191
Chapter 15: Creating the Right First Impression 201
Chapter 16: Using a Pro to Sell Your Home: Getting the Most from Estate Agents 211
Chapter 17: Going It Alone: Selling Your Property Privately 223
Chapter 18: Negotiating a Successful Sale 243
Part V: The Legal Process of Buying and Selling 255
Chapter 19: Conveyancing for Buyers and Sellers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland 257
Chapter 20: The Scottish House-Buying Process 277
Chapter 21: Selling Your Home in Scotland 289
Part VI: The Part of Tens 299
Chapter 22: Ten Things for a First-Time Homeowner to Do 301
Chapter 23: Ten Ways to Sell Your Home 307
Chapter 24: Ten Tips on Dealing with Estate Agents 313
Appendix: Resources 319
Index 325
