Understand your financial situation and determine how much you can afford to spend on a property.

Consult with mortgage lenders to get pre-approved for a mortgage. This helps you understand your borrowing capacity. A mortgage broker will approach the banks most suited to your needs. If you need the names of local mortgage brokers please contact our offices.

Identify areas that align with your preferences and needs, considering factors like amenities, schools, transportation, and future development plans.

Begin your property search through online listings such as MyHome, Daft, real estate agents, and baxter.ie.

Attend property viewings to get a firsthand look at potential homes. Take note of the property’s condition and ask relevant questions. Common questions that we receive relate to the age of the property, the position of the vendor, orientation of the garden, when works were last carried out and the Energy Rating. It is common for estate agents to request confirmation that finance is in place prior to a viewing.

Once you find a suitable property, make an offer through the estate agent. The offer is usually subject to contract and a satisfactory survey. At Baxter we use both online bidding and bidding through e-mails.

Consider hiring a surveyor to assess the property’s condition and identify any potential issues once the property has gone sale agreed. At Baxter we can provide you with the name of local surveyors if you require same.

Appoint a solicitor or conveyancer to handle the legal aspects of the purchase, including title checks and contract review. A list of local solicitors is available from our office.

The lender may conduct a valuation of the property to ensure it aligns with the mortgage amount. At Baxter we provide mortgage valuations for all the main banks.

Once an offer is accepted and all conditions are met, the property is marked as “Sale Agreed” and a refundable booking deposit is paid to he selling agent.

After the property has gone “Sale Agreed” we will instruct the vendors solicitor to issue the sale contract to your solicitor. Once your solicitor confirms all is in order they will get you to sign the contracts and pay the balance of the deposit. The deposit on signing is usually 10% of the purchase price.

Your solicitor will finalise the mortgage approval, complete legal processes, and prepare for the closing.

Your solicitor will transfer the remaining funds, and the property is officially closed. At this stage we will be instructed by the vendor’s solicitor to hand over the keys to your new home.

On completion it is important that all utility bills are put into your name and finally you can start the exciting stage of moving into your new home.