How to avoid first-time pitfalls

So you want to buy a home? That’s great news. But it’s easy to get carried away after watching repeat episodes of Grand Designs and letting your imagination run riot.

Renovating a twelfth-century cottage with reclaimed wood and straw bales . . . easy peasy, right? Alas, this isn’t always the case.

So let s1homes guide you through some of the ‘do not try this at home!’ pointers for first-time buyers.

This way your property will be a dream rather than a nightmare.

Take a step back

Impulse buying is perfectly okay for new shoes but property is a life-changing investment.

So when you fall in love with that quaint little cottage by the sea, viewed on a beautiful sunny day, do you know it’s all it’s cracked up to be?

Snapping up a new home without adequate research is a definite no-no.

Study the home report, go back on a rainy day, talk to the neighbours and get a real feel for both the house and the local area.

Avoid the hammer

There are great bargains to be had at property auctions but most often these are best left for the professionals with lots of buying experience.

First-timers should remember not every miraculously cheap property will turn out to be a genuine bargain.

So when it comes to first-time buys always seek sound advice from estate agents, surveyors, builders and trades people to ensure a property is not a black hole for your money.

Plan your budget

Skip a few fancy takeaways and postpone the summer holiday and you’ll have just enough to afford this house? Yes, it’s tempting to think we can juggle finances to take on a bigger mortgage.

But first-time buyers can be badly hit by taking on a mortgage they can’t afford in the long term. Do you really want to tie yourself to a home that could bankrupt you?

Buying your first home should be an exciting and fun new chapter in your life. So don’t make it a stressful experience by overstretching yourself. Plan your budget and stick to it.

Be realistic

You’ve found a property you adore but it needs serious TLC – bits of the roof are missing, the damp walls smell like Granny Ina’s cock-a-leekie soup and your personal DIY skills extend to building a flatpack dinner tray.

Do you really have the determination, money and time to invest in fixing a wreck?

If you’re buying a ‘project’ rather than a move-in property, do your sums first and get quotes from the professionals.

Now comes the exciting bit! Armed with our top tips, it’s time to start searching for you dream property on s1homes.