At BHW Conveyancing, we have a specialist team of experienced and driven property solicitors who work hard to make sure that as a first-time buyer, you are guided through the process of buying your first home from start to finish.
We prioritise excellent communication with our conveyancing clients. We understand that buying a home for the first time can be very stressful. We are here to give you the peace of mind that your property transaction is in the right hands.
We’re committed to delivering high-quality work, leaving no detail overlooked. That’s why we carefully limit our ongoing transactions, allowing our teams to provide you with the finest conveyancing service and maintain consistently exceptional work. For us, it’s quality over quantity every time.
Verity Drinkall Partner
What is the process of buying a property as a first time home buyer?
As a first time buyer, the excitement of purchasing your first home is something you’ll only do once in your life. Your conveyancing solicitor plays a vital role in this journey, ensuring that you navigate the complexities of the process with confidence and become a proud new homeowner at the end.
Instruct your conveyancing solicitors
The first thing to do as a first time buyer is to choose a conveyancing solicitor as soon as you can. This will facilitate a more streamlined process upon the acceptance of your offer.
Arrange a survey
A survey provides a detailed assessment of the property’s condition. It helps you understand any existing issues, both visible and hidden, such as structural problems, drainage issues, or defects. This knowledge is crucial when making an informed decision about the purchase. We recommend considering a RICS survey on the property to check for any issues or repairs that may be needed, which can help you negotiate the price if there are costly fixes, like a roof replacement.
Receiving the draft contract pack
Your conveyancing solicitors will ask the seller’s solicitors for the draft contract pack, which contains important property related documents like the following:
The TA6 form which outlines any boundaries, disputes with neighbours or alterations.
The TA10 form which gives details of the fittings and fixtures within the property.
The TA7 form which is only for leasehold properties and provides information about maintenance responsibilities, costs and rights to buy the freehold.
Title documents including the register and plan, conveyances, transfers and lease if the property is leasehold.
Property searches
If you’re getting a mortgage, your lender will need property searches to be obtained. On the other hand, if you’re paying with cash, these are not required and your solicitor can suggest whether searches will be useful for you. Your solicitor will order the searches from the local authority which will offer important details about the property, like radon, contamination, floods, or mines. They’ll provide you with a report summarising the findings and answer any questions.
Title report & enquiries
Your solicitors will examine all the property information contained in the contract pack. They’ll ask the seller’s solicitor follow up questions called ‘enquiries’ to clear up any details, like safety certificates or planning permissions. Once satisfied with the answers, they’ll put together a title report that will outline all their findings and highlight any important points.
First time buyer mortgage report
If you’re securing a first time buyer mortgage to finance your home purchase, your lender will send a special ‘solicitors copy’ of the mortgage offer to your solicitor. Once your solicitor receives this, they will carefully review the terms and conditions specified in the mortgage offer.
Following their review, your solicitor will provide you with a detailed report that explains the specific conditions of the mortgage. This report will help you understand the obligations and requirements associated with your mortgage, ensuring that you are fully informed about the financial aspects of your property purchase as a first time buyer.
Contracts are signed & returned
After you’ve confirmed that you’ve reviewed and understood all the reports provided by your solicitor and are content with the information, your conveyancing solicitors will send you the contracts. These contracts require signatures from both the buyer and the seller, and you’ll need to return them to your respective solicitors. This means you’re ready to proceed with finalising the purchase.
Exchange & Completion
These are the last steps in the property buying process. The exchange of contracts is the moment when everything becomes legally binding, confirming that all the necessary legal documents have been signed. Completion, on the other hand, is when the keys are handed over to the buyer, and the seller’s solicitors have received the funds. Typically, exchange happens before completion, allowing everyone to prepare for the agreed upon completion day. However, in some cases, exchange and completion can occur on the same day.
Your conveyancing transaction in the safest hands – and the reviews to back it up
A* service from Jennie and the team. I will certainly be using BHW again for any future matters. Thanks again.
Sam
Overall, I had such a positive experience using BHW as a first time buyer. My property purchase was quite complex and had many delays/ complications. However, Rebecca who dealt with me from the very beginning was fantastic. A very good conveyancer and a credit to the company. She explained everything thoroughly. Always responded to my phone calls and emails. I would say all the team at BHW are highly professional and helpful also including Kim who helped with exchange and completion right at the end. I will use BHW in future sales or purchases. Highly recommend.
Amy Notchell
BHW Residential were fantastic for the sale of my property. Waheeda Alli and her team – Adnan, Elle, Foram and Mariya- were brilliant. They were friendly, approachable, efficient, kept me informed throughout and worked hard to bring my sale to completion in the quick timescale I required. I have no hesitation in recommending them most highly.
Kafi Walker
The team at BHW especially Lauren & Kimberly were fantastic. The communication was excellent throughout and I felt they did absolutely everything possible to get us across the line as quickly as possible whilst also protecting our interests. I would highly recommend BHW to anyone buying or selling a property.
Chris Penney
My wife and I had the good fortune to have Binita handle our first time home purchase of a new build. BHW came highly recommended and we would gladly recommend them to any prospective home buyer. Binita was always helpful, meticulous and efficient; we absolutely sailed through to exchange and have Binita to thank for it! Thank you Binita for your lightning fast work and answering all of our questions.
Jason Wickham
What to expect from BHW Conveyancing as a first-time buyer
If you choose to move with us, you can expect the highest quality standards and a specialised conveyancing team who are dedicated to your first time property purchase journey.
At BHW Conveyancing, we understand that first time buyers may need more guidance and are likely to have more questions about the process. This is why we’re always on hand to answer any niggling questions and ease your mind by alleviating any concerns. Your dedicated team of expert conveyancers will work tirelessly to complete your purchase. Each team is headed by an experienced property lawyer so your transaction is in capable hands, assuring a thorough and stress-free process.
This means you won’t be bounced between different team members. We actively control the number of ongoing transactions for each of our conveyancing teams, ensuring their workload remains manageable. This safeguards the quality of our service, guaranteeing that you receive the utmost attention to make your experience smooth and tailored to your needs. We’re not content until you have the keys in your hand, ensuring your satisfaction is our top priority.
BHW Conveyancing is part of BHW Solicitors Limited, which is one of the leading property law firms in Leicestershire and the wider East Midlands. BHW is a top ranked real estate firm in the East Midlands by the Legal 500, as well as being ranked in the Chambers & Partners legal industry guide.
We hold the Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) accreditation and have been awarded the Lexcel quality standard by the Law Society. This recognises our impeccable standards of competence, risk management and client care practices.
Usually, someone who has never bought a main residence before is considered a first time buyer. If you don’t currently own a property but have bought and sold one in the past, you would not be considered a first time buyer.
How much mortgage can a first time buyer get?
The type of mortgage you can get as a first time home buyer is dependent on the mortgage company and your personal circumstances. A very rough way to work out how much you could lend is by working out your salary times by four. The amount you can borrow will also depend on your deposit. For instance, some lenders will allow you to have a 5% or 10% deposit whereas others may require larger sums. Your mortgage will also be dependent on your outgoings and the repayments you are able to afford. Usually, the lower the deposit you put down, the higher the mortgage rate, which means the higher the monthly payments will be. All these factors will usually be considered by a mortgage lender or advisor when you are applying for a mortgage as a first time buyer.
Is stamp duty free for first time buyers?
Many first time buyers can benefit from no stamp duty providing they are buying a house of up to £425,000. After this, they will need to pay a percentage of stamp duty which is a tax that is owned to the government. Your solicitor will help to calculate the amount of stamp duty payable.
Can I use a Lifetime ISA as a first time buyer?
Yes, a lifetime ISA is used as a tax-efficient way to save up for your first home. Each year, you can save an amount of up to £4000 and the government will pay in 25% bonus of up to £1000. You can use your LISA to buy your first home whenever you like, but you must buy a property valued at below £450,000 in the UK, plus you must purchase with a mortgage.
Do I need a conveyancing solicitor if I have a lifetime ISA?
To complete your first- time house purchase, you must use a conveyancing solicitor like BHW Conveyancing as the ISA provider will pay them directly. This will also give you peace of mind with your first big move that everything is being handled correctly.
Is it worth having a lifetime ISA as a first time buyer?
With a lifetime ISA, you can benefit from building your deposit and the money you save is tax-free, plus you can use the LISA with other affordable home ownership schemes, helping you get onto the property ladder. You can’t use the LISA when purchasing a buy-to-let, though.
Waheeda Alli
Partner
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