Get ready to buy a home in Wales

Before you begin your property search, speak to a mortgage adviser or lender so you understand how much you may be able to borrow, what deposit you need and what monthly payments could look like. Remember to budget for the full cost of buying, including legal fees, searches, survey costs, Land Transaction Tax, moving costs, insurance and any anti-money laundering checks that may apply.

Tell Herbert R Thomas what you are looking for, where you want to live and which features matter most. Be clear about essentials such as location, price range, bedrooms, parking, garden, schools, transport links, work-from-home space, accessibility needs, rural setting or coastal location. The more accurate your requirements are, the easier it is for our teams to match you with suitable homes.

Online photos and floorplans are useful, but a viewing helps you understand the property properly. Consider the layout, natural light, storage, condition, parking, outside space, neighbouring properties, access, road noise, flood risk, services and how the location works for daily life. For rural, coastal or older properties, it may be worth asking extra questions about boundaries, drainage, access, maintenance and exposure to weather.

Before making an offer, review the information available about tenure, council tax band, services, heating, parking, access, rights of way, boundaries, construction, planning history, school catchment and any known issues. Material information should help buyers understand important facts before they decide whether to proceed.

When you are ready to offer, be prepared to explain your position clearly and honestly. Sellers will usually want to know your offer amount, whether you need a mortgage, whether you have a property to sell, whether you are in a chain, your proposed timescales and whether you already have a solicitor or conveyancer ready to act.

Once your offer is accepted, instruct your solicitor or conveyancer, submit your full mortgage application and consider which survey is appropriate for the property. A mortgage valuation is for the lender’s benefit and is not the same as an independent survey. Older homes, rural properties, properties with land or homes needing work may justify a more detailed survey.

If you buy residential property in Wales, the property tax is Land Transaction Tax rather than Stamp Duty Land Tax. The amount payable depends on the purchase price, whether you already own another property and whether higher rates or reliefs apply. Rates and thresholds can change, so ask your solicitor or conveyancer for an up-to-date calculation before you commit to a purchase.

Estate agents, solicitors, conveyancers and mortgage providers may need to complete identity and anti-money laundering checks. Responding quickly and providing the documents requested can help avoid delays, especially where funds are coming from savings, gifts, business income, inheritance or the sale of another property.

After an offer is accepted, delays often happen when documents, mortgage information, survey queries or legal enquiries are not dealt with promptly. Stay in regular contact with your solicitor, mortgage adviser and estate agent, and respond quickly when information is requested.

Before completion, confirm removals, insurance, utilities, broadband, school or work arrangements, access times and key collection. Your solicitor or conveyancer will confirm when completion has taken place and when keys can be released.