Ask about the water pressure – put the taps on yourself if you can!

Check if there have been any modifications to the original house spec, perhaps they’ve done a loft conversion or added a conservatory, make sure they’ve had planning permission.

Ask about access rights via your property to public pathways or spaces, which areas you are responsible for and which belong to neighbours, to avoid disputes after you’ve bought the property.

It’s a big purchase, so be thorough (while respectful of someone else’s home – don’t go in and slate the current décor for example!), take someone experienced with you who can capture the things you miss, and don’t be afraid to make two or three visits before you make an offer.

9. What is Stamp Duty? Do I need to pay it?

According to Davinia, “Stamp Duty or its more complete title, Stamp Duty Land Tax is levied on properties, over a certain threshold. For residential properties, you only pay land tax if your property is over £250,000. The exact rate you pay varies, subject to the final purchase price.”

It’s also worth bearing in mind that there’s Stamp Duty relief available for first-time buyers. If you’re a first-time buyer in England or Northern Ireland, you won’t pay Stamp Duty on properties worth up to £425,000.

10. What are all the extra bits that I’d need to pay for on top of the deposit?

Davinia notes that in addition to your deposit, you’ll also need to budget for:

Conveyancing: Legal costs or conveyancing as well as searches to check who owns the property and whether the name on the title deed matches before it is transferred over to you.

Valuation: Lenders will request a valuation of the property to check that it is a suitable property to lend against, i.e. it is worth the purchase price.

Survey: You’ll need a survey to check the condition of the property and see if there are any costly repairs required that might compromise its value and force you to revise your offer price.

Financing costs: The cost of arranging finance including a mortgage adviser if you used one as well as an estate agent fees should be considered too.

Stamp duty: On completion, you may also be required to pay stamp duty.

Be clear on all the costs associated with your purchase in advance so there are no surprises during the process.

11. What should your solicitors do on your behalf?

“Your solicitor, also referred to as a conveyancer in the case of property matters, is instructed to act on your behalf in all legal matters related to the purchase,” explains Davinia.

“This includes performing all the due diligence associated with the home you are purchasing to check all the correct documents are in place, reviewing survey and search information, requesting any additional information as required and coordinating with your seller’s solicitor to agree exchange of contracts. This is the longest part of the process with good reason – your solicitor will make sure that nothing is missed in purchasing your property that could leave you exposed to liability or further expense when the property is yours.”

“For some, it’s a viable first step to home ownership, provided the numbers work. With shared ownership properties, you effectively own a stake in a property, say 25%, with the rest owned by a private developer or housing association who acts as a landlord. You secure a mortgage for the part you own and you pay rent on the rest. Usually you are able to incrementally increase the size of the stake you own up to 100% or a predetermined cap of say 80%. This is known as ‘laddering’.