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Guide to Buying

The process of buying property begins with arranging your finances, and agreeing a mortgage in principle. At Geoffrey Matthew, we have a team of experienced estate agents and in-house mortgage brokers. We have access to the entire UK mortgage lending market, ensuring you find the best loan deals across Harlow and Stevenage.

With exclusive deals and rates, when you see a house for sale you love in Essex or Hertfordshire, we’ll ensure you get the financial backing you need to buy your dream house.

Our in-house mortgage brokers have access to the entire market, as well as exclusive deals and rates to help find you the best mortgage available. We have helped property buyers in Stevenage and Harlow, and Geoffrey Matthew is here to help you.

Mortgage Enquiry

Do you have a property to sell?

If you already have a home in Hertfordshire & Essex, and you are looking to sell as you buy, who better to call on than a local estate agent who has sold homes across Harlow and Stevenage.

Our experience indicates it is best for homeowners to advertise their current house before they look to buy a new home. When you are ready to sell your property, you are primed to act quickly, boosting your chances of landing your next home. For property valuation services when you sell your house, please contact Geoffrey Matthew today to arrange a valuation.

Book a Valuation

Find the Right Property

The Hertfordshire & Essex property market moves quickly. There are new home listings appearing every week, and many would-be buyers need assistance in staying fully informed. We will make sure you know the latest news and property listings across Harlow and Stevenage.

Our position in the local housing market ensures we know which homes are coming up for sale soon. By signing up for our email list, you will hear about houses for sale before they are listed on Rightmove or Zoopla!

Viewings

If you have seen a house you like across Essex and Hertfordshire, contact us to arrange a viewing of the property. We are more than happy to meet you at the house, and we will answer any questions about the house, or the buying process, you might have.

As local estate agents, with offices in Harlow and Stevenage, we will be with you when you need us. We are also happy to advise on any housing issue or resolve any query you have over buying a home.

Click here to view our properties

Making An Offer

If you have fallen in love with a home in Hertfordshire & Essex, and your finances are in place, we will ensure you make an offer. Contact us by email or phone, and let us know if you have any special conditions attached to the offer.

We take great pride in connecting buyers and sellers, and we will represent you, and your intentions, fully.

Once you have reached this stage, you will need to provide evidence of holding a mortgage in principle, and the details of your solicitor. At this point, there is no legal obligation to buy, but once contracts are signed, the process is fully in motion.

The role of a skilled and knowledgeable solicitor is vital, and we are pleased to recommend reliable solicitors from across Hertfordshire and Essex. These are dependable professionals who we have worked with on countless occasions.

At Geoffrey Matthew, we have developed a strong working relationship with many solicitors in Stevenage and Harlow, and we only recommend the very best with a strong track record in successfully concluding housing deals. All the solicitors we work with are known for:

  • Their expertise in house transactions
  • The speed with which they work, without compromising the quality of the property purchase
  • Their efficiency with house deals
Contact

Offer Accepted

Once the offer you make on a house is accepted, we will do the following:

  • Prepare a memorandum of sale.
  • Confirm the agreed price with all parties.
  • Confirm your solicitor and mortgage details.

You will now need to instruct your solicitor to proceed with the conveyancing process and your mortgage broker to proceed with your application.

Conveyancing

As part of the conveyancing process your solicitor will carry out the following steps:

  • Raise any enquiries on receipt of the draft contract from the seller’s solicitor
  • Request their own local searches
  • Agree on a date for exchange of contracts

We are more than happy to assist your solicitor and navigate you throughout the process, keeping you informed every step of the way. We know buying a home is stressful, but with our help, we will guide you through it from start to end. You will see why so many property buyers across Essex and Herefordshire recommend us to friends or associates buying a house.

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Process of Conveyancing

If you are unsure of what the process of conveyancing is when buying a house, the following points will ensure you know everything you need to know:

Survey & Mortgage Offer

A survey of the property will be booked by a surveyor on behalf of the mortgage lender to identify any structural problems and advise on the property’s value. After the mortgage valuation report is received, a formal mortgage offer will be sent to you and your solicitor which you will need to sign before it is returned. There are no legal obligations until contracts are signed.

Exchange of contracts

Exchange of contracts occurs when all enquiries have been confirmed and agreed.  Once the contract has been signed by both parties the deposit (usually 10% of the purchase price) will be transferred online from your solicitor to the seller’s solicitor.  The completion date is then set by mutual agreement.

Completion

Completion is when the residual monies (usually 90%) are transferred from your solicitor to the seller’s solicitor’s account. We will release the keys once the money has cleared in the seller’s account.

Congratulations, you are now the legal owner of your new home!

 

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