Call us: 0161 928 3201
Email us: Click Here


News, Blog & Updates

How much does moving house really cost?

Buying a house for the first time has a number of different costs but if you are moving house, i.e. selling one property and buying another one, there are even more factors to consider. Research shared by Barclays1 shows that the average cost of moving.

If you are looking to move to a bigger property or a different area then the only solution is to move home, so here is a breakdown of the costs involved to help you plan for a house move.

Selling costs

  • Estate agent fees - When you sell your home, you will usually do so through an estate agent and will be charged a fee for their services. Different estate agents work with different fee structures, which can be a percentage of the sale (around 1%) or they charge a flat fee. VAT will be applied as well, so it is worth checking with the agent before agreeing to work with them.
  • Legal fees - You will need a solicitor or conveyancer to handle the legal aspects of selling your property. The fees will vary depending on the value of the property but tend to be around £750 to £1,500 if there are no additional complications. Conveyancing firms such as Hill and Company Solicitors will be able to give you a competitive quote.
  • Other costs - You might need to make repairs, decorate or have the property professionally cleaned to make it a more attractive option for potential buyers.
  • Mortgage costs - You might be required to pay an early repayment fee on your existing mortgage, depending on your current deal.

Buying costs

  • Valuation - With many mortgage lenders, they will require a valuation of the property to ensure the price is not too high. They do this to protect their loan, as when you pay more than the value for a property, you can fall into negative equity. A valuation may be part of the mortgage lender’s deal and may cost an additional fee.
  • Survey - A survey is always recommended for anyone buying a property, to check whether there are any issues that might not be obvious on the viewing. Problems like damp, subsidence and other concerns could be costly in the future and a survey should pick these up. There are different levels of surveys, including a basic one that costs around £200 to a more thorough one that can cost up to £3,000. Older properties tend to have more issues than newer ones.
  • Legal Fees - You will need a solicitor or conveyancer to handle the buying of the new property, as well as the selling of the existing one. With a purchase, the solicitor will also usually do local searches, which can cost another £300. It usually makes sense to use the same solicitor for the purchase and the sale and they should give you a quote upfront for this. Other legal costs can include Land Registry fees and any extra-legal services required within your mortgage if there are any special circumstances. A money transfer fee of around £50 may also be charged for them to move the money from mortgage lender to the seller.
  • Stamp Duty - When you are moving home, there will be a Stamp Duty applied on all properties over £125,000 in value. The amount of Stamp Duty depends on the value of the property and currently, a property priced at between £125,001 to £250,000 has a 2% rate applicable in England.
  • Mortgage Costs - When you arrange a new mortgage, there will be a few different costs involved. You may need to raise money for a deposit if there is not enough equity in the property you are selling. Many mortgage deals also apply an arrangement fee of around £800 to £2,000. If you use a broker, this could also incur charges, although some provide their service for free and charge the mortgage lender a fee instead.
  • Additional moving costs - There will also be other possible costs to remember, such as removals, insurance policies and redirecting mail.

There are so many different types of costs involved in moving house, that it is a good idea to speak to experts, who can advise how you can save money.
Call us on 0161 928 3201 or email us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to get a quote for our conveyancing services.

1 - https://www.barclays.co.uk/mortgages/guides/real-cost-of-moving/

Altrincham Conveyancing

Resolution
Conveyancing Quality
WIQS

E Mail

Click here


Hill and Company Solicitors

4-8 Market Street, Altrincham

Cheshire WA14 1QD


Telephone

0161 928 3201*


demo

Hill and Company Solicitors in Altrincham Cheshire, offer a wide range of legal services. Our departments are headed by experienced senior solicitors who are specialists in their areas of Law.
Don’t hesitate to contact us for further details of our services or if you have a legal matter we can help you with.
We have a limited number of appointments each week, so please get in touch to arrange an appointment.