STEP 1

What house can I afford?

I find my home in a simple process that I understand every step of, with a mortgage designed for me, and a financial expert that is with me to hold my hand throughout the entire journey.

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Steps to buy a house
what house can i afford

Be realistic in terms of price

In the majority of cases, you will need to finance the purchase with a mortgage loan, so the most important thing when choosing your home will be to calculate what house you can afford.

Be flexible

Whether you are looking for a house by yourself, with a partner or as a family, there are many factors that will affect your decision. Have you ever considered a resale property? Or a new build? Or buying to renovate? There are many options and it’s best not to rule any out, at least not at the beginning.

You should bear in mind that the majority of entities today are only going to finance up to 80% of the property’s value, so you will need to have some savings. Estimate that you are going to have to provide around 20% of the property’s value to start with, as well as, for example, any other sale costs. Remember that you can generally take out a mortgage to be paid off by your 75th birthday, provided that the term is no longer than 30 years.

Tips for buying a house

1

Prioritise

Make a list of your priorities and rank them, with the things that your heart is most set on at the top (a large living room, the neighbourhood that you like, separate kitchen, two bathrooms...).

When you are looking at houses within your budget, this list will come in very handy so that you don’t stray too far from what you are actually searching for or need.
It may also be vital if it is going to be a joint decision with your partner, to establish the essential points and priorities for each of you.
2

In the house-hunting

There are a thousand different ways to search.

You can look at the offers available on property sites online, take a walk around the neighbourhood or save yourself time and energy and contact an estate agency.
3

In financing

Even if you still haven’t decided on the house, consider your financing options. Find out which is best for you.

Compare and save all of this information. If you need us to, we can help you.

If you have already found the perfect house, before starting the purchase process, remember:

To check who the owners are, the possible charges that may be registered against the property, whether it is social housing... To find this out you can ask for an extract of the relevant information from the title deed from the Property Registry for the area corresponding to the property. It can also be requested online. It is a public document and can be requested by anyone.

To formalise your interest in buying the property you usually sign an earnest money contract with the owner or their representative. This is a document in which an amount is handed over as a deposit that commits the buyer and the seller.