Howick & Brooker, Harlow

As a buyer you will either find our property in our sales property section or through our email updates for registered applicants. We provide floor plans, photos and full descriptions.

Before you do anything, speak to our mortgage broker who will find you the cheapest and most appropriate arrangement for your circumstances. There are many options such as:

• Repayment Mortgages
• Different Types of Interest Only Mortgages
• Fixed Rate Mortgages
• Capped Mortgages
• Different available Interest Rates
• Types of Insurance

It is important to have a solicitor in place who is based within easy reach, who knows your target area and who has experience in property conveyancing.

Before we are able to arrange a viewing, you must be registered with us with your full details. Our negotiators do the majority of viewings, however in some cases our vendors will undertake their own viewings, and we hope you understand that they expect us to pre-qualify any potential buyers. When you find a property that you wish to view, simply contact us.

Please make sure to give us as much notice as possible if you have any problem in getting to your viewing. We will generally ask for feedback so we can give this information to our vendor.

If you like the property and wish to make an offer please ring or email us at the office as soon as possible.

On acceptance of your offer we ask you to supply us with the details of your solicitor and your mortgage broker. Terms of the agreed sale (sales memorandum) are then drafted by us and sent through to yourself, the vendor and your respective solicitors.

Your lender will usually arrange for a survey through your mortgage broker, so contact them to set it up. Once the survey has been done, your lender should approve or reject the mortgage offer within 3-10 days. If you are a full cash buyer, you should arrange for your own survey to be done by a chartered surveyor. See the RICS website (www.rics.org), there may be a link to recommended surveyors.

The solicitor will respond to enquiries raised within the 'Seller's Pack' which includes: the contract, vendor's questionnaire form, fixtures and fittings form, planning consent, building regulations and guarantees; and in the case of leasehold properties: accounts, projected future works to the property etc. When the solicitor is satisfied with the purchase, a report is sent to you.

Instruct your solicitor to carry out the local authority search. This is submitted to the local council and establishes any current planning or other local issues such as drainage, roads and highways etc.

Once the contract is ready to sign you will be required to put down a deposit, usually 10% of the purchase price (subject to your mortgage requirements). This will be handled by your solicitor, as will be the setting of a completion date. Upon completion you will need to pay the stamp duty.

Price band: Duty:
Up to £125,0000 0% £125,001 - £250,000 2% £250,001 - £925,000 5% £950,000 - £1,500,000 10% £1,500,000+12%

This takes place a short time after the exchange of contracts (usually within 28 days). Any outstanding money will be paid by your solicitor to the vendor's solicitor.