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When everyone has a home

Housing advice for Northern Ireland

Buying or selling a home

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

Lots of people are struggling to manage with housing issues because of the coronavirus crisis. Check out our Coronavirus section for information and advice on common problems, including help to pay your rent and mortgage, eviction and repairs.

Buying a property is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life so it’s important you do your research before taking this step.  You need to

  • work out how much you can afford
  • decide where you want to live
  • make a list of the things that are important to you and the things you can compromise on. 

Finding a home to buy

You can start your research by checking out property websites online. This will give you an idea of the properties within your budget that are available in your area. Visit estate agents in the area that you want to live in, but remember that agents are working on the seller’s behalf and are trying to get the highest possible price for the property.

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The buying process

Once you’ve found a property you like you’ll need to make an offer, arrange a mortgage and appoint a solicitor to help you complete the process. There are a lot of hidden costs when you’re buying a house and it can be a long and sometimes frustrating process. You’ll be asked to pay various fees and charges and you need to budget for these.

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Mortgages

Most people need to apply for a mortgage when they’re buying a home. This is a long term loan from a bank or building society. The loan is secured on your home so if you stop paying the bank can repossess the property. You should speak to an independent financial adviser to find out which type of mortgage is best for you.

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Work out your stamp duty

You will have to pay stamp duty if your new home costs more than £125,000. This calculator from the Money Advice Service will help you figure out how much stamp duty you'll have to pay.

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Help to buy a home

There are a few different schemes that may be of assistance if you are planning to buy a home in the near future. These include shared ownership schemes, where you part buy and part rent, a rent to buy scheme that will pay you a rebate on some of the rent you’ve paid and government backed savings schemes which will give you a bonus to add to your deposit.

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Problems when buying a home

You may encounter problems when trying to purchase your home. This can be a long and frustrating process.

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Selling process

The process for selling a home is generally the same for all people, whatever the reason for the sale. Most people will use an agent to market the property and you will have to pay a fee for this. You can sell your home privately but it can be harder to find buyers this way.

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Problems selling your home

Problems can crop up at any stage of selling your home, particularly if you are in a chain.

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