Accepted an offer on our house, what happens next?

[Littlebigcat]

So we've just accepted an offer on our house. I have a solicitor and morgage in principle. What order should we expect things to happen now?

We have seen a house we are seriously considering putting in an offer on, though there is another we would quite like to view first. Once we are ready is there anything else I need to do before we put an offer in? And how do things progress from there? I bought our current house at auction so I've nevr really been through the full buying/selling process before.

[LIZS]

Once you have an offer accepted you'd need to organise a survey and get the mortgage in place. You may have to demonstrate your mortgage in principle and other funding to get he offer accepted and your vendor may have to look for somewhere themselves. Meanwhile your solicitor would start the paperwork , especially "searches" (ie. flood, planning, land registry etc)which can take a while to process at the council et al and enquiries of the vendor about fixtures and fittings , any guarantees and certificated work . Once all the legalities are satisfactory a contract would be drawn up, final price and timescales agreed, then simultaneously "exchanged" with the buyer's and vendor's solicitors throughout the chain. You arrange to move on completion day.

[Littlebigcat]

Thank you!! I'm feeling very clueless and stressed already. Who do you arrange the survey with. I remember the bank doing one last time but is that completely separate?

[LIZS]

Your bank/building society will require a valuation survey as a minimum using one of their approved panel of surveyors, so through them in first instance. You can pay for more detail - Homebuyers report, Structural survey etc