It’s been four years since Matt and I became home owners. It was a surreal experience, one that neither of us had been through before. Naturally we learnt a lot about the buying process and used the internet to research other people’s experiences. At times we felt frustrated and confused, often faced with delays and issues. It was quite comforting to read that other people had experienced something similar. I decided one day that I wanted to share our experience too and so, Info With Abbie was born. I realise that although I share a lot of tips and information on the buying process, I am yet to share the reality of our journey. So here is our experience of buying a home, including the good, the bad and the ugly.
Good Points
Stressful aspects
Deciding to buy a home
There is no doubt that deciding to buy a home is an exciting and often big milestone. It certainly felt like that the day Matt and I decided it was the right time. I remember the conversation as if it was yesterday. We were on holiday in Tenerife dreaming about having our own lounge to watch TV without annoying my baby sister. That’s when it occurred to us- we should buy our own place!
It might sound a bit cliche but we both had a feeling that it was the right thing to do. If you’re deciding whether or not it’s the right time to buy check out my blog post on 8 things to consider.
Researching properties
I honestly think researching property has become a hobby of mine. The amount of time I spend on Rightmove or Zoopla is crazy! But it’s only because this is one of the most exciting parts of buying a home.
My biggest piece of advice would be to speak to a mortgage broker before you start researching. You’ll save yourself the heart ache of falling in love with a property way out of your budget.
House viewings
House viewings are absolutely essential. You can gain lots of information from an online listing, but can’t truly judge if it’s your next home from pictures. We viewed plenty of properties and each one we visited made us realise what was really important to us.
The first property we viewed was a new build with a small overlooked garden; so we decided a second hand home felt more us. The second property we viewed was on a busy road with limited parking; so we decided we wanted something with a driveway. You get the picture. It was a process. It’s easy to feel disheartened when you can’t seem to find the right place. Remember you might have to compromise a little depending on your budget but a new home should feel exciting and that’s worth waiting for.
Making an offer
I remember the day we made an offer on our first home. That was the point where it switched from being a hypothetical move to being serious. It’s important to remember that this experience is very different dependent on whether you’re a first time buyer or not.
Estate agents will ask if you’re having to sell a house as well as buy. For those having to sell a house many estate agents won’t accept offers from people who haven’t got a buyer for their own house. This is definitely an advantage of being a first time buyer.
Making an offer is a relatively straightforward process. We under offered because it was slightly overpriced compared with similar properties on the same road. Remember, the price the house is listed at isn’t the price you have to buy at. Do your research and if you under offer make sure you have reasons to back it up.
Buying process
I won’t go into the details of the buying process in this post (if you are interested in finding out more click here).
One thing I never realised was how many phone calls you would have to make. In particular the estate agents and solicitors! In hindsight if you are buying with someone I would highly recommend splitting this responsibility, which is something Matt and I didn’t do. So I was bombarded with loads of phone calls, which when working full time in a hospital with no signal was a stress.
This may sound a bit naive, but we also didn’t expect there to be many issues. I know lots of people who have straight forward house purchases which only take 8 weeks. So it was frustrating when our house sale took the best part of 6 months. There were lots of issues with the house, the mortgage application, the vendors, and the list goes on.
It’s impossible to predict what will happen during your individual buying process, but my biggest piece of advice would be start the process without a time period in mind. If it takes months then you won’t be disappointed but if it takes 8 weeks then it’s a pleasant surprise.
Re-negotiating the price
I would highly recommend getting an individual survey done on your property, in addition to the valuation mortgage lenders do. Although the survey cost us £400, in reality it saved us thousands. It picked up many issues that lead to us re-negotiate the price with the vendors.
Naturally having to re-negotiate is difficult because the vendors won’t want to reduce the agreed price. The sale isn’t a guarantee at this stage and it’s important to have a plan if the vendors refuse your revised offer. You might decide to walk away or overlook the issues. It’s your choice.
Moving day
It feels monumental making it through the sales process and finally getting the keys! I will forever remember our completion day. It was the 18th March 2020- 5 days before lockdown 1.0!
Something that I struggled with was seeing the house completely unfurnished. Until this moment we had only ever seen the house furnished, with all those lovely touches that makes a house a home. The previous owners had hidden many ugly parts of the house behind furniture. Scuffed walls, chipped paint, strange house modifications.. it was all on show now!
Don’t get me wrong, I love our home now, but go back to day 1 of homeownership I was a bit disappointed. I am so grateful for our home and very proud of it now. But I wanted to share this in case anyone else feels the same. Don’t worry you’re not alone and have faith you will turn it into your dream home in no time.
Fixing problems
Something we hadn’t accounted for were there being any additional issues after the surveyors report. But we were wrong! On our move in day we discovered the boiler was broken and was immediately condemned. The oven had broken too, and it had the vendors left over dinner it in! Lovely!
Fortunately, we had kept a bit of money to one side, which we were hoping to use for other house projects. But heating the house and being able to cook dinner took priority. I would recommend keeping some money back and don’t spend everything you have on just purchasing the property.
Final thoughts..
Buying a home is a journey filled with a mix of excitement, stress, and learning moments. On the good side, there’s the thrill of finally finding a place to call your own, the joy of personalising your space, and the sense of achievement that comes with such a significant milestone. However, the process also reveals its bad and ugly sides—like the anxiety of securing financing, the heartbreak of losing out on a dream home in a bidding war, and the frustration of unexpected costs that pop up at the worst possible moments. Despite the challenges, the experience is ultimately rewarding. You walk away not just with a new home, but with valuable lessons about patience, perseverance, and what truly matters to you in a living space.
