Buying a home
Overview
Buying a home takes about 5 months on average. The process can take longer if you’re part of a chain of buyers and sellers.
If you’re also selling a home, read the guide to selling your home.
This guide is for England and Wales. There are different rules for buying a home in Scotland and buying a home in Northern Ireland.
To buy a home, you’ll need to:
- decide how much you need to borrow - you may be able to get financial help from the government through an affordable home ownership scheme
- choose a mortgage lender
- choose a property
- make an offer on a property
- exchange contracts - if the seller accepts your offer, they’re responsible for drawing up a legal contract to transfer ownership
- pay tax
- arrange and pay for searches and surveys
- arrange for a removals company to help you move home
An offer is not legally binding until contracts are exchanged.
You may be able to get financial help from the government through an affordable home ownership scheme.
If you’re buying property with someone else
You can own a home with up to 3 other people. Find out more about the different types of joint property ownership.
Protecting yourself from fraud
There’s a risk of fraud when buying a home as this involves transferring large sums of money. It’s important to check that you:
- are speaking to or emailing the person or business you think it is
- transfer money to the correct bank account/s
- do not reveal too much personal information on social media
You can also speak to a legal professional for help and advice about property fraud.