Register with Ashtons
Viewings
Making an Offer
Negotiation
Agreeing the Sale
Initiating the Purchase Process
Costs to Prepare For
Finance
Conveyancing
REGISTER WITH ASHTONS
To find your ideal property, we need to know as much as possible about your requirements. You can register with us either
online, by phone or by visiting our offices, where a member of staff can assist you with your search.
Once we have a clear understanding of your requirements we will access all properties that match your criteria. When you
have registered, details of property can be sent to you by Text/SMS, Email or in the post.
VIEWINGS
Viewings can be conducted from 9am - 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am - 5pm on Saturdays. You can book a viewing by
phone Monday to Friday 9.00 am – 8.00 pm, Saturday 9.00 am – 5.00 pm, Sunday by appointment. You can also book a
viewing on-line at www.ashtons-online.co.uk.
We usually conduct property viewings; the Vendor will not always be present. Sometimes a vendor gives us specific times
for viewings, although we do ask them to be as flexible as possible. We normally keep keys and can access the property
to suit your availability.
After the viewing we will answer any immediate questions and usually contact you the next day for your thoughts.
Please be on time for viewings. We will arrange to meet you at the property, or if it is more convenient, at offices from where
we will drive
you. Sometimes we can collect you from your home or your place of work, depending on where these may be.
MAKING AN OFFER
When you have found a property that suits your needs & requirements and subsequently wish to make an offer, simply
telephone the
Ashtons sales office that arranged your viewing and speak to one of the team. The offer must be put forward
to ourselves, never directly to
the owner. Be prepared to provide us with as much information as possible. In addition to the
actual amount you wish to offer; we will need to know
your purchasing position (for example if you are a first-time buyer, if
you are trying to sell an existing property or if you have accepted an offer on your current home). We will also need to know
the full details of your financial situation in regard to the purchase, including who will provide and arrange your mortgage
(if applicable) and what percentage will be lent, how much deposit will be provided and whether these funds are encumbered
in any way. It is also essential that any timescale requirements are conveyed at the first point of offer. If there is another
party making an offer on the same property you will be informed. We cannot, however, divulge the specifics
of other interest.
NEGOTIATION
Any offer received will be put forward to the property owner verbally at the first available opportunity, and in writing within
twenty-four hours.
You will be informed verbally of the owners’ response as soon as they have made one. If your initial offer
is rejected and you decide to increase, the process is simply repeated.
It is at this stage that you will be made aware of any chain implications and the likely timescale of any agreed transaction.
Due to nature of the buying process, any information provided by us concerning the transaction chain is not guaranteed
and can change at any time.
AGREEING A SALE
If your offer is acceptable to the property owner, Ashtons will need to check your purchasing status. In order for us to do this,
we will require, if applicable, the contact details of your broker or mortgage lender, and any estate agent dealing with your
current property sale.
You will also need to be prepared to instruct a solicitor/conveyancer to act for you in the purchase.
It is only when this information has been
provided and we have contacted the necessary parties for verification of your
situation that we can discuss with the owner whether they are prepared to stop showing their property to other
prospective purchasers.
INITIATING THE PURCHASE PROCESS
You will be assigned a Ashtons sales progressor who will be your point of contact during the purchase process. They
will confirm the agreed sale in writing to all the relevant parties.
Several things need to be in place before your solicitor is able to exchange the contract of sale which ultimately secures
your purchase. The time needed to get to this stage is at the mercy of many variables, but the speed with which you start
the ball rolling will hugely influence the overall timescale involved. There are two basic areas: Conveyancing & Finance.
COSTS TO PREPARE FOR
You will need to allow for costs that are incurred throughout the process, such as:
- Mortgage Arrangement Fee
- Valuation/Survey Fee
- Solicitors Fee (Including Disbursements)
- Search Fees
- Deposit (Usually 10%)
- Buildings Insurance Premium
- Stamp Duty
- Removal Costs
- Utilities Connection Charges
FINANCE
If you are using a mortgage provider for any part of the purchase, you will need to submit a full mortgage application to begin
the process.
This will require information about yourself and about the property you are purchasing. Before your lender can
guarantee to provide the funding you require, they will insist on inspecting the property. You will need to pay for this inspection
and protocol requires that you include payment with the initial application. Usually your lender will offer you two types of
inspection: A basic Valuation will check only briefly the condition of the property and may comment only on its value.
Alternatively, a Homebuyers Report will provide much more detail on the overall condition of the property, and may make
recommendations to check certain areas more thoroughly
In either instance, we normally expect this appointment to be made within two weeks of the property sale being agreed. Any
delay can often
unsettle the seller and can lead to them instructing us to remarket their property, so early submission of your
application is essential.
Upon receipt of your valuation report or survey, we will require that you provide us with a copy. Should this report
recommend/require further
investigation of any specific issues, access to the property can be arranged with advance notification.
When considering the expected costs
of any recommended works you will also need to consider the price at which the property
has been secured, relative to the seller’s original asking price.
Once your mortgage provider is completely satisfied with the value and condition of the property and your own personal situation,
they will produce the Mortgage Offer. This document guarantees the finance and must be in place before your solicitor can
exchange the contract of sale. We will require a copy of this document and you will be expected to forward a copy once you
have received it.
The Ashtons sales progressor will need to contact your lender or broker throughout the sale process to monitor progress and to
assist with any issues so it is important that you instruct them to communicate with the sales progressor directly.
CONVEYANCING
Both buyer and seller will require a solicitor/conveyancer that can act for themselves and their lender, but both parties cannot
use the same person. The choice of who will act for you is entirely at your discretion. It is important, however, that you instruct a
solicitor/conveyancer who
will deal with the purchase of your property promptly. It is essential the solicitor is experienced in
handling residential property sales, can be readily contacted and can deal with your case speedily
You will need to furnish your solicitor with payment to start the process and they will also require funds for executing local
authority, drainage
and sometimes other searches on the property you are proposing to purchase. Any delay with instruction
of this process and payment to the
company chosen can directly affect the overall timescale of the transaction.
The Ashtons sales progressor assigned to your purchase will stay in contact with your solicitor throughout the sale process to
monitor your progress and to assist with any issues. They will liaise with all parties involved across the entire chain so it is important
that you instruct a solicitor that is prepared to communicate with the sales progressor directly
During the transaction your solicitor will, amongst other things, inspect the draft contract of sale (sent out by the seller’s solicitor)
and check the property title deeds and land registry records, raise searches and enquiries (where they feel additional information
is required) and liaise with your mortgage provider. Once they have approved the contract and all the relevant documentation
is in place, you will meet with your solicitor to sign the contract & pay your deposit. The deposit required is usually ten percent
of the agreed purchase price. Contracts can then be exchanged and the completion date (the day you actually take possession
of the property) can be set. This is usually twenty-eight days after exchanging contracts or sooner. On completion your
Solicitor hands over the remainder of the purchase money to the Vendor's Solicitor and you can move into your new home.
Keys will be handed over to you by the Vendor or by us.
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