Tips for Moving Home

Moving house is a big step. Deciding where to set up home is one of the most important decisions you will make, so it is one that you will want to get right. Before starting to look for properties there are two things you need to do. 

Identify what you want from a home

The first step is to be clear about why you are moving, and what you want from your new home. Sit down as a family and discuss this in detail.

To do this properly you are going to need to make two lists. The first is features your home has to have, for example the number of bedrooms. Think about what is necessary for your family right now, and about what it is likely to need in the next few years.

Once you have your basic requirements covered, you can look at features you would like, but that are not necessarily essential. An example of this might be a spare room, which can be used as a playroom.

Try to be through and clear about what you need and want. This will help you to narrow down your options and ensure that you end up with a suitable property.

Work out what you can afford

Now you need to work out what you can afford. If you are buying a new home, go to see a mortgage advisor to see how much you can borrow. Once you know this, you need a good idea of how much your maximum mortgage would cost. Once you know this, you can work out if you can actually afford to pay back that size loan.

If you are planning to rent, you need to do a similar calculation. List your monthly outgoings like food, clothes, travel, debt and car costs. 

Add to your list the cost of power and water. If you are buying a larger home, remember that your power bill will go up. You can find out the average cost of heating and water for any size house using this household bill calculator. 

Deduct all of this from your monthly income. The amount that is left is what you can afford to pay in rent, service bills and council tax.

Now you have your budget you know what you can afford, so can quickly narrow down your options.

Let the professionals do the legwork for you

Using estate agents in Leeds, or the town you are interested in moving to, makes a lot of sense. They know the city far better than you do, so can quickly determine which areas suit both your needs and budget.

Estate agents have an in-depth knowledge of each street in their area. Therefore, if you have your heart set on a Georgian home, they will quickly tell you which streets have these kinds of houses available, within your budget.

They know all about the schools in each area and their catchment areas, which parts of the city are good for commuters, and which are best for retirees. A good estate agent will save you hours of searching online and reading property descriptions. If you are clear about what you need, within ten minutes, they will come up with a list of properties that meet your criteria.

Do these three simple things and you will soon be living in a home that is perfect for you and your family.