Although moving house may seem exciting, it’s often considered one of the most stressful experiences that we encounter during our lives. After all – there’s so much riding on it – so you have to make sure that you make the right decision.

With that in mind, here are some simple tips you can use to make finding the perfect property that much easier.

• Work out your available budget. Take into account your income, loan & credit card debts and any savings that you may have built up to put towards a deposit. This useful online mortgage calculator can help you decide what’s affordable.
• Consider all of your options to ensure that you’re looking for the right kind of property. For example, if you plan on raising a family, you may want to look for properties with multiple bedrooms. If you’re living alone, then you may be more suited to a sleek and stylish penthouse. To put it simply – don’t waste time looking at properties that won’t fit your needs.
• Gain an understanding of the local area ahead of time. Your surroundings are just as, if not more, important than the property itself. Research what the neighbourhood is like and what amenities are on offer. You should also calculate exactly how long your commute would be – as sometimes it would be worth travelling for a little longer for the right property.
• Write down a list of everything you need from your new home – including amenities. For example, if you’ll be working from home for the considerable future, you’ll also need space to set up the perfect home office.
• If you’re moving to a new neighbourhood, gain an insight into what it’s truly like by browsing online groups and chatting with the local community. After all, they’ll be able to provide you with an honest, unbiased insight into the area that a real estate agent or landlord may not.
• Ensure that you won’t be overpaying for a particular property by exploring and understanding the current local housing market. Investigate how much similar properties are going for, even if you aren’t necessarily interested in them. The more attuned you are to the financial side of things, the better.
• Don’t be afraid to take on a property that needs a little TLC. Sometimes you can get them at a much lower price as a result. However, you should also be aware of any extra costs they’ll incur over time – such as the price of renovations. The benefit of reworking a property, however, is that you get to decide exactly how it looks moving forward.
• Approach different housing agencies to find one that is the right fit for you. They’ll often specialise in different areas or types of properties, so it’s important that you find an agent who understands exactly what you’re looking for and can proceed with your best interest in mind.
• Whenever you go to view a property, be sure to take photographs or even record a video; that way, you’ll always have a clear picture in your mind of what the property looks like. This is useful if you view multiple properties at once – as it can be hard to separate them all in your mind after the fact. Furthermore, photos taken by agencies or landlords will always be taken to showcase the property in the best possible light. This means they could be framed in a certain way that is disingenuous – making a room look much bigger or better than it actually is.
• Remember that when you’re putting in an offer for a house or property, the figure is usually up for negotiation. Therefore, don’t be afraid to haggle over the price when making an offer, as you may be able to obtain a significant reduction on the overall costs – saving you hundreds if not thousands of pounds.
• Although it may be a ‘love at first sight’ event, don’t sign up for the first house that you see. Try to view a few properties so that you’re aware of exactly what’s on offer and can find a property that’s exactly right for you. While this could mean that you end up deciding on that first property – you know that you’re making the right decision.
• Pay attention to how well maintained the properties are that you’re viewing. There are certain warning signs – such as damp or mould – that you should always look out for, as they can be difficult to deal with and even cost you a lot of money to get under control. Don’t take on a property that you feel would be too expensive to remedy, and always request that the seller does the work ahead of exchange where possible.

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