Be Offer Ready – Residential Conveyancing for a Fixed Fee
Instruct Attwells before putting in your offer
Offer Ready is an exclusive service from Attwells Solicitors. This new approach to conveyancing allows home buyers to upfront some of the conveyancing work free of charge, however, you must instruct Attwells before you make an offer.
Whilst you browse for a home Attwells will:
Verify your Identity for Attwells and an Estate Agent
Understand and evidence your Deposit for Attwells and an Estate Agent
Prove Funding for the purchase for Attwells and an Estate Agent
Be ready to start the legal work immediately on sale agreed
This will save you on average over 4 weeks.
By having this legal work completed you will have a greater chance of making a successful offer and moving quickly. We will provide your Offer Ready Certificate to your Estate Agent all free of charge. The Offer Ready Certificate will demonstrate to that Estate Agent that you have met all the steps to be Offer Ready.
Many of the traditional solicitors will not entertain this method due to the up-front costs they occur. But Attwells believe it’s important to support first-time buyers. Therefore, we are willing to begin working on your conveyancing straight away at no extra cost.
What costs are involved in buying a home?
Attwells offer conveyancer and property lawyer services
Buying your first home is an extremely exciting time but it can also be a time of uncertainty.
At Attwells Solicitors we guide our first-time buyers through the process. We understand that as a first-time buyer a lot of the legal jargon and the conveyancing process itself will be completely foreign to you. Therefore, we have created a bespoke service designed to meet your needs.
The first thing we would recommend is arranging your conveyancer. Even if you are just browsing it is still a good idea to arrange your conveyancer as they can offer you expert property advice which is not determined by commission or sales targets. We are here to help you as legal professionals.
We will ask you to complete a brief form and pay a small deposit. This will be deducted from your final conveyancing bill which is not due until you exchange contracts.
Buying your first home
How to get your first mortgage
Over the last few years, lenders have had to tighten up their affordability criteria. This was due to the financial crisis in 2008 which was partly due to banks offering unaffordable lending. This has made obtaining a mortgage more challenging than in the past, but there are things you can do.
Credit score
Firstly, we would recommend you check your credit score. According to Credit Karma, a good credit score is between 604 to 627, with an excellent score considered to be between 628 and above. Normally credit scores are out of 700.
Ironically to have a good credit score you need to have had credit. Having a credit card and paying off the balance in full each month can help you achieve this. Likewise keeping household bills up to date, even if it’s just your Now TV pass or mobile phone bill. All of these things will inform a lender that the risk of lending to you is low.
Deposit
Next, you need to start saving, you will require at least a 10% deposit. The best way to do this is to have a range of saving accounts that you put money into monthly via standing order. A standing order can be set up using your online or mobile banking.
By saving in a range of account types such as a basic saver, ISA, and/or stocks and shares account you will not be reliant on the basic interest rate but equally you will not be risking all your money in higher interest stocks and shares account either.
Employment status
Your employment status is equally as important. Lenders would prefer that you have been employed for at least six months. This is because your employer can no longer easily dismiss you. When applying for your mortgage the lender will require at least three months of payslips. If you are self-employed you will need to produce your accounts for the last two to three years.
How much can you borrow?
Based on this information the lender will work out how much you can borrow. They normally do this by timesing your gross income (what you earn before tax) by 4. Some lenders will times your gross income by 4.5 or even 5, but often these mortgages will incur higher interest rates making your monthly repayment higher. If you are buying as a couple you will be able to borrow more as your joint income will be timsed. However, we would strongly recommend you arrange a Declaration of Trust.
In addition, some lenders will also take into consideration benefits you receive or child maintenance. You will need to prove however that this is a guaranteed income, like for example the Personal Independence Payments (PIP) which are considered a lifetime benefit for those who are disabled. You may also be able to consider Child or Family Tax Credits if your children are young. This is helpful for single parents.
Every lender will have their own lending criteria so if you are unsuccessful with one lender don’t give up.
Our Conveyancers
All our conveyancers are fully trained and supported by property solicitors. Our focus is on client care and jargon-free law. This is measured by our Feefo reviews. We use tags to allow us to review the performance of individual conveyancers, ensuring you and your clients the best possible service.
Share Your Experience
The best form of marketing is word of mouth therefore, we encourage our clients to share their experience with Attwells.
We would be delighted if you could share posts on social media relating to other services plus recommending friends and family. Every person you recommend will receive a 10% discount.
After you’ve moved you will have the opportunity to complete a Feefo review. We use this feedback back to improve our service and to reward our conveyancers.
First time buyer FAQ’s
What costs are involved in buying a home?
A Shared Ownership is when you buy a percentage of a property and rent the remaining percentage from a housing association. A Shared Ownership can apply to new builds or pre-owned properties. The minimum percentage you can purchase is 25% although this is set by the housing association so can vary. Alternatively, it will depend on the percentage being sold if you are buying a pre-owned property.
If you are interested in a Shared Ownership property you need to first check you meet the criteria.
Shared Ownership properties are offered in accordance to priority, with the highest priority given to those serving in the Army or veterans. They also give priority to those with disabilities, single-parent families, and local residents, especially in rural locations.
When you apply for Shared Ownership property the agent will calculate the monthly costs associated with the property. This will include your mortgage, rent, and any service charges. Upon approval of the affordability check, you will be invited to view the property.
The other notable difference is you don’t bid or make an offer on the property. The asking price is not up for negotiation. You simply express your interest normally via an email or phone call to the agent who will keep you informed. This normally takes up to 2-3 weeks.
Unfortunately Help to Buy ISA’s are no longer available. However, if you already have a Help to Buy ISA you can continue to benefit from it until 30th November 2029.
The maximum amount you can pay into your ISA each month is £200 which you will earn interest on. In addition to this, the government will also contribute 25% up to a maximum of £3000. This means if you have saved £10,000 you will receive an extra £2,500 from the government. This is a grant and will not need to be paid back.
The maximum you can save in a Help to Buy ISA is £12,000. A Help to Buy ISA can be used to purchase any type of property as long as it is the first property you have purchased.
If you have a Help to Buy ISA please inform your conveyancer. They will help you complete the necessary paperwork and access the government contribution.
A Help to Buy Loan can only be used when buying a new build. The government will offer you a 20% loan of the property value which is payable upon selling the property. The idea is to reduce the deposit required when buying your first home.
You will need to apply for this loan via your local Help to Buy agent. This is done online. Please click the reverent link based on your location:
- Essex, Suffolk, and the south excluding London
- London and the midlands
- Scotland and the north of England
From there you will be able to apply for a Help to Buy Loan. If approved, you will receive an email within 4-7 days. Upon making an offer on a new build property you will need to revisit your account or portal and resume your current application.
The application consists of 7 stages. This including information about yourself, which was completed when making the application. You will however need to add any additional applicants if you are no longer buying on your own.
Work your way through the stages and seek advice from your conveyancer. It’s important to remember our conveyancers are property law experts. Our conveyancing service is part of an overall commitment to property law therefore you will receive the best possible advice.
A freehold is when you purchase the entire house and land your house is built on. You are responsible for the repair and maintenance of the entire house and the land. You are typically a freeholder if you purchase a house or bungalow.
A Leasehold is when you purchase space. You have the right to occupy the space for what is normally between 99 to 120 years. This duration is outlined in your lease pack, if you require a lease extension your conveyancer will be able to help. You are responsible for the repair and maintenance of the space, including internal walls, ceilings, and floors. You are typically a leaseholder if you are purchasing an apartment or a Shared Ownership.
Conveyancing Articles
We have taken the time to explain different parts of the conveyancing process and to offer practical advice. A lot of our articles have been written based on the personal experience of our team of property solicitors and clients. We hope you find the information useful. If you have any idea for an article, please speak to your conveyancing who will pass on your request.
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