Industry insights

First-Time Home Buyers, Listen Up: Expert Tips on Finding Your Dream Home.

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The journey of a first-time home buyer to find their ideal residence can be exhilarating, but it can also be intimidating. With so many options and elements to think about, it can be hard to figure out where to start. Fortunately, with the correct advice and direction from us at Parkgate Estate Agents, you can go through the process with certainty and assurance.

In this blog, we will advise you on locating your dream home and making the most well-thought-out choices.

Figure Out Your Finances

Before you embark on your house hunt, it is vital to determine your budget. This will give you an understanding of what you can realistically pay and help you avoid the frustration of being enamored with a home that is too expensive for you.

Tip: Consider all the expenses of owning a home, including mortgage payments, taxes, insurance, and upkeep.

Secure A Pre-Approval for a Mortgage

To make sure you have a good idea of what you can borrow, we suggest that you get pre-approved for a mortgage.

This can be done at a bank or other lending institution, and being pre-approved will demonstrate to sellers that you are a committed buyer.

Investigating Local Areas

Exploring the local areas you are considering buying in is essential before deciding where to live. Researching the neighborhood can help you find the perfect place for you.

Tip: Investigate various areas that match up with your lifestyle and financial needs. Aspects to consider include safety, educational institutions, distance to amenities, and the time it takes to get to work.

Compile a Collection of Necessities

Create a list of requirements for your ideal home.

This could incorporate details like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, a particular kitchen style, or outdoor space. Compiling a thorough list of must-haves can assist you with narrowing down your search and locating the home that meets your desires.

Tip: We love a wish list at Parkgate Estate Agents, as it helps us, help you, in finding the perfect home.

Engaging the Services of an Estate Agent

An obvious one, but working with an experienced estate agent such as Parkgate Estate Agents (hint, hint) can be advantageous as we have knowledge of the local housing market, area amenities and therefore we will be able to assist in finding the right property for you. Our team can also help with the paperwork and any negotiations that need to be made.

In addition, for first-time home buyers, engaging the services of an estate agent can be an advantageous asset. As a specialist in this field, we can help guide you through the home-buying process. Additionally, we can find properties that suit your needs and handle negotiations on your behalf.

Don’t be in a Hurry

Purchasing a house is a serious undertaking, and taking your time with the process is advisable.

Investigate your options thoroughly and think about all aspects before making an offer. It is essential to recognise that other homes are always available, so there is no need to feel compelled to come to a conclusion in a hurry.

Find a Solicitor

Any sales offer made will be taken more seriously by a vendor if the Mortgage/finances are in place plus you have instructed a solicitor to work on your conveyancing.

Adaptability is Key

Being able to adjust to different situations is a valuable quality to possess. Being flexible allows for growth and the ability to handle anything that comes your way.

Ultimately, it is necessary to be open to change when hunting for the house of your dreams. You will likely need more time to locate the ideal abode. However, this doesn’t signify that you cannot find a dwelling that meets your criteria. Be ready to be flexible and be willing to adjust on some aspects if needed.

To get the support you need when in the process of obtaining your ideal home, our knowledgeable team stands ready to lend a hand on your property purchasing adventure.

For more details, please see our contact page.

Twickenham Services
09:03 06 Feb 25
Great communication and customer service from Daisy makes our job much easier. Parkgate estate agents are always a pleasure to deal with.
Stuart Smallwood
11:01 03 Feb 25
Valeriya M
07:45 28 Aug 24
Thank you to the Park gate team for a smooth process, always on the spot and available to help.
Sarah Druce
13:51 06 Aug 24
It is a pleasure to work with Parkgate. They have supported us all the way through from booking our initial viewing all the way through to managing the rental we are in now. Mark Langham was so quick to help us with our application, provide feedback from landlord on our approval, and get us through the process to secure the tenancy.Jonathan is our managing agent, and he regularly check in to see how things are going and are quick to respond with any issues. They have also scheduled maintenance and painting for us and have made recommendations and advocated on our behalf to the landlord for additional maintenance and improvements.
Gergana Filipova
11:43 01 Aug 24
Mo Stenhouse
10:12 01 Aug 24
I've used Parkgate in Richmond for over 15 years now. They have always found excellent tenants for my properties. They never fail to be friendly, supportive and very professional. Any queries or concerns I may have are instantly responded to. Can highly recommend them.
I cooperate with the agency as a tenant and completely pleased with the service of its agents. They are always ready to help with any property issue as soon as possible, promptly reply and react to any kind of enquiry. Special thanks to Jola for her pleasant communication style!
Erol Morgül
04:43 27 Jul 24
We purchased a house recently with Parkgate by a perfect service. I was in contact with Jonathan and Klaudia who are really professionals. They were easy to reach, fast acting and especially fair and honest. They were so straight forward that we managed the completion within a very short period. I reached them so easy whenever I need to talk over the phone or in person. I will never forget Klaudia’s good luck to us at the first viewing of property. We decided to buy at that first day and all was done so fast. They carried out all paper works so smooth and clear. I would highly recommend Parkgate. Thanks again to Jonathan and Klaudia.
KGuys Guys
18:14 26 Jul 24
I live in St Margarets road Parkgate is the one of the absolute greatest estate agents. I'd like to thank you to Susie and Jola for all your help these past few months. Your hard work helped me to get my dream home, and I couldn't be more grateful or excited about milestone. Thank you again for all your care and attention. You guys are the best!
Ben Shore
17:00 26 Jul 24
Really pleased with Parkgate. They manage my flat in Richmond. Because they're local they actually visit the flat regularly and use trusted local suppliers to deal with issues / maintenance etc. I find they are a reliable and easy agency to deal with, which reduces stress. Strongly recommend!
Emre Ovacık
08:38 01 Sep 23
Very responsive, informative and always kind people. We didn't have much time, but they helped us with creating some time in their agenda and squeezing us in. We rented our place just in time, thanks to them.
Branka Obradovic
12:21 22 Feb 23
Parkgate has been my agent of choice for a number of years now and has secured good tenants for my properties. They are hard working, respond in a timely manner and best of all are always friendly rather than aggressive or overbearing, which is the case with many of their competitors.
Jorge Rodriguez
15:01 02 Feb 23
Excellent service throughout.We rented a property that they manage for 4 years.Parkgate team is very professional and approachable. Way better than dealing with a big agency, they offer a more personal approach, always available and willing to solve any issues.From the tenancy agreement to handing the property back, it has been a real pleasure working with them.
Catherine Brown
12:16 30 Aug 22
I have had an eight year relationship with Parkgate, in fact they originally sold my flat to me 12 years ago in Putney. Their service and professionalism is unrivalled. They managed the leasing of my flat from 2014 and assisted me to negotiate the successful sale just now in 2022. Chris has been there throughout with an open door and no request too trivial to assist. Klaudia negotiated my sale and worked with amazing tenacity throughout. I would not hesitate to recommend Parkgate to anyone in the Putney/Richmond area, they know their stuff.
Ali Champkins
10:16 31 Jan 22
We have had a wonderful experience with Parkgate and would highly recommend them. Chris was brilliant on the valuation - what we liked is he was totally honest about our chances of selling and gave us the positives and negatives about our property (such as facing a council estate!). Other agents tend to just gush over the good bits which is great, but actually not that helpful.The selling process was great - we were given good feedback from the viewings and got the price we wanted within about 8 weeks.We really have nothing but praise for Klaudia and Chris, it's been really enjoyable, easy and stress free and we will be recommending Parkgate to all our friends in the area and our building.***** Thank you! *****
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