Getting On The Property Ladder? Here Are 4 Things To Consider

**In Collaboration** 

So you’ve decided to buy your own place? Congratulations! Getting on the property ladder is a big step in life and one which people tend to spend a lot of time working towards. If you feel ready to take that first step and work your way up the ladder then here are 4 things that you may wish to consider.

1. Where do you want to live?
   Yes, it is an obvious question but have you really put any thought into where you want to live? Many of us end up living where we do because it’s close to our job, our families live there or we grew up there and never thought about moving anywhere else. Well, now is the perfect time to really think about where in this beautiful country you want to live. Buying a property is a big life change so make it count and don’t feel restricted to buying someplace you’ve lived before.
2. Do you want to buy an apartment or a house?
   City apartments make great first homes, but if your plan is to have children in the next few years or you want to end up with a house full of dogs, then you may want to pinch the pennies a little longer and save up for a house to accommodate your soon to be growing family. Getting on the property ladder is a big step and although you may not stay in this place forever you do want to ensure that it’s somewhere that you are able to grow into and won’t too quickly grow out of.
3. Do you have enough money put aside?
   You probably wouldn’t be thinking about getting on the property ladder if you didn’t have at least a portion of your deposit saved up but have you really sat down and thought about how much the overall cost of buying your first place could be? People tend to focus on saving for their deposit and forget about putting money aside for agency fees, necessary renovations, removals, new furniture and their first month or so of new bills. When putting your money aside try to save more than you need to give yourself a buffer in the stressful first few months.
4. Are you ready for renovations?
   For many first time buyers, it can be tempting to go for a cheaper place that needs a little TLC rather than a modern new build which is ready for you to move in, but are you really ready for renovations? Renovations can be hard work and if you plan on living in the property while they are ongoing then they can also be stressful and messy. Another thing to seriously consider with a renovation property is the cost and depending on what you plan to do you may find yourself eating into your budget at an alarming rate. With first time buying being stressful as it is, are you better of moving into somewhere that’s already finished and putting your personal touch on it though decoration rather than a renovation?