Tick each item off as you go.
Stage 1 — Get your finances in order
- Check your credit report (Experian, Equifax or TransUnion) and fix any errors.
- Work out your maximum budget including deposit, solicitor fees, survey and stamp duty.
- Get an Agreement in Principle (AIP) from a mortgage broker or lender.
- Check if you’re eligible for any first-time buyer schemes (e.g. Lifetime ISA, Shared Ownership).
- Confirm your deposit is accessible and in a UK bank account ready to transfer.
Stage 2 — Search for your property
- List your must-haves vs nice-to-haves (bedrooms, garden, parking, transport links, schools).
- Register with estate agents in your target area and set up alerts on Rightmove/Zoopla.
- Research sold prices on recent comparable properties before making offers.
- Check whether the property is freehold or leasehold (and if leasehold, lease length and service charges).
- View the property at least twice, including once at a different time of day.
Stage 3 — Making an offer
- Make your offer in writing (email) and confirm you are a first-time buyer with AIP in place.
- Ask the seller how quickly they want to move — align timescales where possible.
- Clarify what fixtures and fittings are included in the sale.
Stage 4 — Offer accepted: instruct your team
- Instruct a conveyancing solicitor as soon as your offer is accepted.
- Submit your full mortgage application with all required documents (payslips, bank statements, ID).
- Book your property survey (Level 2 HomeBuyer Report recommended for most properties; Level 3 for older or unusual buildings).
- Complete your ID and anti-money laundering (AML) checks with your solicitor promptly.
- Pay for your searches when requested (local authority, water, drainage, environmental).
Stage 5 — During the legal process
- Read and respond to all documents your solicitor sends — don’t let them pile up.
- Review the draft contract and raise any questions with your solicitor.
- Review your mortgage offer carefully when it arrives — check the term, rate and monthly payments.
- Ask your solicitor about any issues flagged in the searches or survey and how they’re being resolved.
- Reply quickly to any requests for information — delays from buyers are the most common cause of slow transactions.
Stage 6 — Approaching exchange
- Confirm your deposit funds are in your solicitor’s account or ready to transfer on exchange day.
- Agree your completion date with the seller before exchange.
- Arrange buildings insurance to start from the date of exchange (you’re legally responsible for the property from that point).
- Book your removals company well in advance of your agreed completion date.
- Sign and return the contract to your solicitor ready for exchange.
Stage 7 — Completion day
- Transfer any remaining funds to your solicitor the day before completion.
- Wait for your solicitor to confirm that completion has taken place before collecting keys.
- Collect keys from the estate agent once your solicitor has confirmed funds have been received.
- Take meter readings for gas, electricity and water as soon as you get in.
- Change the locks — you don’t know how many copies of the old keys exist.
Stage 8 — After you move in
- Redirect your post (Royal Mail redirection service).
- Update your address with HMRC, DVLA, your bank, employer, GP and dentist.
- Register on the electoral roll at your new address.
- Set up your council tax, broadband, and utility accounts.
- Store your title deeds, mortgage offer and completion statement safely.