“The service was excellent. The survey was done and the report received promptly. I would recommend Sutherland Surveyors.” Mrs Julie Sykes.
 

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Surveys for Buying a Home

Home sweet home or house of horrors – get a survey

Buying a home can seem daunting, but if you break it down into simple stages it will all go smoothly.

  • Choose a financial adviser / mortgage broker and decide on a budget;
  • Choose a legal adviser;
  • View potential properties;
  • Make an offer;
  • Get the property surveyed;
  • Exchange contracts (when the purchase becomes legally binding);
  • Complete and move in.

When choosing a property try to concentrate on the things that you can’t easily change like the location, size of rooms, overall size, size of garden, etc.  Try to see through things like décor, kitchen, and even light, as these can be changed (although you will of course have to budget for these).

When having a property surveyed, your mortgage company (if you have one) may offer to organise this for you.  You should think carefully before accepting this as you will not be able to choose who carries out the survey.  Remember, the valuation is for the mortgage company, and the survey is for you.  Mortgage companies take a large percentage of any fee you pay for the survey, and as a result, surveys instructed in this way may be of a lower standard than if you instruct the surveyor directly.  It is perfectly acceptable to instruct a survey separate from the valuation, and you should have a better quality survey.

It’s important to remember that your mortgage lender’s valuation report is not a survey.  It merely tells your lender whether or not the property is reasonable security for your loan.  A survey will tell you the actual condition of the property.  That’s vital information that can be invaluable during price negotiations, and will also help you avoid expensive surprises after you’ve moved in.  It will also allow you to carry out small and inexpensive repairs and improvements that will save you money in the medium and long term and improve your safety when you move in.

We have a range of survey types to suit all needs, costing from as little as £200.

If you’re not sure if you should have a survey, please click here: Should I have a survey?

Click on the link below and go to page 13 for a description of the different types of survey that we offer.

For your free report: ‘A Clear Impartial Guide to Buying a Home’, click here.

 

For more information contact us on 01202 237377 or email info@sutherlandsurveyors.co.uk.