Whether you are progressing up the property ladder to a larger home, relocating or downsizing, moving home can be a huge challenge. The process can be extremely stressful and all but the most well-organised people can usually do with some help.

Choosing a property is a hugely important task, so make sure you put in the groundwork, but before you even think about house-hunting, you will need to sort out your finances, establish how much you can afford to borrow and how much you may need to save.

How much can I borrow?
As a mortgage lender, we must act responsibly when considering how much to lend to you. We need to be sure you will be able to keep up your mortgage repayments, not just now, but throughout the term of your mortgage.

Each lender will have its own method of calculating borrowing limits. Here at the Tipton, your borrowing limit is determined by a combination of both income multipliers and affordability.

How much do I need?
Having a capital deposit can make a large difference in terms of both interest repayments and overall repayment time on a mortgage. The larger your deposit, the less you’ll need to borrow and the less interest you’ll pay. When moving home, your deposit will often come from the equity of the sale of your existing property. At the Tipton, the minimum deposit amount is currently 10% of the purchase price or valuation, whichever is lower.

Find out about your mortgage options
There are a number of mortgage products and repayment options available to you. Once you’ve made your choice, we can give you a Mortgage Certificate showing what we’re prepared to lend you subject to some checks such as affordability. This is useful when dealing with estate agents and sellers because it shows you are a serious purchaser. To arrange an appointment with one of our mortgage advisers, please enter your details here.

Selling your existing property
Most house sales are done through an estate agent, who will help set a selling price, circulate your property details to potential buyers, put up a 'For Sale' sign, arrange appointments with potential buyers and negotiate the sale of your home on your behalf.

You will have to pay the estate agent a commission once the property is sold. This fee will vary, depending upon your chosen agent and can be either a percentage of the sale amount or a flat fee.

Hint and tips

• Don't underestimate the value of kerb appeal. Make sure the entrance to your home and garden look well maintained.
• Clean and de-clutter your rooms and if necessary freshen up with a lick of paint.
• Make your home smell inviting. Pay attention to any cigarette or pet odours.
• In the summer, open windows and in the winter, turn on heating and lights so it is warm and welcoming.
• Allow viewers to look around on their own. Explain what is included in the sale and sell your home.

Other costs to remember
When working out how much you can afford to borrow you will need to remember that as well as estage agent fees there are other costs involved in buying a home. These can include, but may not be restricted to:

• Solicitors fees
• Valuation fees
• Searches
• Stamp duty
• Removals
• Insurance

Finding your new home
Start by narrowing down the search by chosing an area you like, and make sure it offers everything you need. Is it easy to get to work? Are you close to any shops? Are there good public transport links?

After viewing a property make a few notes - What is the decor like? Is the property in a good state of repair? Is there work needed on the property?

If you are seriously interested in a property then make a second viewing, and if possible try to arrange for this to be at a different time of day. You may find out valuable information you could have missed during your first viewing, such as the change in ambient noise from traffic, parking and the natural lighting of the property.

Making your offer
Once you've found the home that’s right for you, and it’s within your price range, you can then make an offer to purchase the property. When considering your offer you may wish to ask yourself a few questions:

• How much do you want the property?
• How much can you spend to get it and are other people interested?
• Does it need a lot of work doing to it and has it been on the market a while?

If your offer is accepted, the home you want to buy is then said to be 'sold subject to contract'.

Making your mortgage application
Having had your offer accepted you're now ready to complete your mortgage application. You will need to complete an application form and supply proof of your identity, income and outgoings and current address, together with any other items we may require.

We will also run credit checks, ask for references if necessary and arrange a valuation on the property.

Appoint a solicitor
Buying and selling homes means you will need to use a solicitor or licensed conveyancer. Word of mouth is a common way to hear about a good, local solicitor. Our mortgage advisers can also give you details of the solicitors available to use in your local area, although we are unable to recommend a particular firm to you.

Getting a property survey and valuation
We will require a basic property valuation to ensure your chosen property is worth the asking price. The valuation is a basic check of the property so you may want to have a more detailed Home Buyer Report or a full structural survey carried out. This may be more costly but is much more detailed and can give you peace of mind – especially if the property is old or needs some work.

Your Mortgage Offer
Once we are completely satisfied with everything, a formal Mortgage Offer will be made to you. When you and your solicitor are happy with everything and your mortgage offer is in place then you are ready to exchange contracts.

Exchange of contracts
When your solicitor has completed all the necessary checks, you'll be asked to sign a contract legally committing you to the purchase.

At this stage you'll agree a completion date. On average, you will have between two and four weeks before you can move in, so this is a good time to tell friends and colleagues, arrange insurance, contact the local authority, and make arrangements with utility companies.

And don’t forget, you’ll need buildings insurance in place from the date of exchange of contracts. We can offer you a range of insurance products to suit your needs.

Completion
This is the day when your solicitor arranges for the money to be transferred and the estate agent hands over the keys to your new home.