How much does moving home cost?
Moving home is no small task and the one thing you don’t want is hidden costs you didn’t budget for!
Key costs when moving home:
- Estate agent fee (if selling)
- Removals
- Insurance
- Conveyancing
- Mortgage
- House Deposit
- Surveys
- Stamp Duty
How much do they cost:
- Estate Agent fees are charged as a percentage and usually between 0.75 – 2% of your property’s total value.
- Removals prices are usually charged for time and range between £500 – £1,500 for a full day.
- Insurance you can find for £200 – £300.
- Conveyancing costs are solicitor dependant but the national average is £1,040 for one transaction (visit www.exchangetrain.co.uk for a free quote!)
- Mortgage costs will be dependent on the price of the property you wish to purchase and your deposit size.
- House deposits are also dependent on the price of the property you wish to buy.
- Surveys cost between £300 – £800 depending on the survey you wish to purchase.
- Stamp Duty is government Tax and will be charged depending on the price of the property. To give you an idea of what you could pay, an average property price of £270,000 would tax you £3,500.
What do these costs mean?
Estate agent fees
When you decide you want to move house you need to market your property. Yes, you can do this privately but it can become costly and the best way to reduce this cost is to find yourself an estate agent. The biggest benefit to an estate agent is that they have a huge database of potential buyers and they do all the marketing, viewings and buyer interaction on your behalf as it can become incredibly time-consuming.
Most estate agents offer FREE valuations so you can have multiple estate agents pitch their service to you and discuss pricing before you make any decisions.
Removals
Having a removal company pack up all your belongings and move them to your new home is incredibly helpful. You may feel like this is something you can do yourself but, when it comes to navigating small hallways with big sofas.. leave it to the experts!
Insurance
When we use the word ‘insurance’ we are mainly referring to ‘home buyers insurance’. Homebuyers Insurance is incredibly helpful in assisting with unforeseen upfront costs. There are a huge amount of issues that could make themselves known during the purchase process and knowing you have the cash to cover them will help you sleep better at night. The repercussion of not having this can impact you dearly so it’s an additional cost well worth considering.
Conveyancing
Conveyancing is the process in which a property is transferred from one owner to another. This process is usually carried out by either a solicitor or a licensed conveyancer and protects you from any legal complications you may be exposed to during your purchase. Your solicitor or licensed conveyancer also ensure that there are no issues surrounding the building you wish to purchase or with local planning and border permissions. There are over 5,000 firms across the country that offer this service and all range in price and experience. Online comparison websites such as www.exchangetrain.co.uk are a fantastic way to find the right solicitor at the best price!
Mortgage
If you have decided to purchase your property through a mortgage, it is wise to get this arranged before you place any offers on properties. There are many different factors that contribute to the amount a bank or lender is willing to offer you and in order to know your limitations, it’s worth getting this sorted at the start of your purchase process. Mortgage consultations are free and are provided by most local banks and estate agents however, different lenders offer different rates so we would advise speaking with multiple mortgage brokers and consultants to determine who’s best for you.
House Deposit
Dependent on how much of a deposit you have and the price of the property you wish to purchase will determine how much your mortgage will cost you. The more money you pay upfront (deposit) the less your monthly payments (mortgage) will be. IF after you move in your house rises in value you do have the option of remortgaging which essentially allows you to pull equity from the property into your bank account.
Surveys
Surveys are always recommended when purchasing a property as they help identify any underlying problems prior to any ownership or money being transferred.
There are three main property surveys:
- Mortgage survey – this is organised by your bank or mortgage lender so they can be happy that the property is habitable and worth the amount of money you’re borrowing.
- Structural survey – this checks the structural integrity of the building and surrounding foundations.
- Homebuyers report – this checks the interior and exterior of the property for any hidden issues.
Surveyors can be found through your solicitor, estate agent or online.
Stamp Duty
Stamp Duty is a tax you pay the government in order to own a property or a piece of land in the United Kingdom. The price you pay is dependent on the value of the property you wish to purchase and whether you are currently on the property ladder. Luckily, for first-time buyers, the government has introduced a scheme that significantly reduces stamp duty costs to First Time Buyers purchasing a certain value.
We have taken the liberty of attaching the current stamp duty price bands direct from the government website below:
| Property or lease premium or transfer value | SDLT rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | Zero |
| The next £125,000 (the portion from £125,001 to £250,000) | 2% |
| The next £675,000 (the portion from £250,001 to £925,000) | 5% |
| The next £575,000 (the portion from £925,001 to £1.5 million) | 10% |
| The remaining amount (the portion above £1.5 million) | 12% |
If you’re buying your first home
You can claim a discount (relief) if the property you buy is your first home. This means you’ll pay:
- no SDLT up to £300,000
- 5% SDLT on the portion from £300,001 to £500,000
For more information on moving home, we have created the Ultimate First Time Buyers Guide and it’s completely FREE!
Download your Ultimate First Time Buyers Guide
