The home buying guide

The following information is about the home-buying process in England. Looking to buy a home in Scotland? How buying works in Scotland.

Get your finances in order

The very first step for buying a new home is to check how much you can borrow, see how much your deposit will need to be and get a mortgage agreed in principle. This doesn’t tie you into anything – you can always choose a different provider later.

View our range of schemes

Find your ideal home

Now for the exciting bit – choosing a home. You can search our homes by location, development or nearby school.

Find a solicitor

A solicitor takes care of all the legal aspects of the home-buying process. Remember to shop around for the best rate and make sure you find one that specialises in conveyancing (preparing the property transfer documents).

To find out information on finding a solicitor, please get in touch with one of our developments and speak to a sales adviser who will be able to help.

Reserve your home

Now you've got your finances in order and found a solicitor, it's time to reserve your David Wilson home. Once your home is reserved, no one else will be able to reserve it.

As part of the reservation process we are obliged to complete an AML (Anti Money Laundering) check on all our customers. An AML check is an assessment to make sure you are who you say you are and that you’re not purchasing one of our homes on behalf of somebody else.  We may need you to show that you have sufficient funds and demonstrate (with supporting documents) where the money is coming from, such as the sale of your last home.

The check is completed electronically with a trusted partner called SmartSearch on either a laptop or smartphone. Our Sales Advisors will take you through the process before you complete a reservation with us and pay your reservation deposit.

Why do we check? As a leading house builder, we have a role to play in preventing financial crime and money laundering as set out in the UK’s Anti Money Laundering Regulations.

Arrange your mortgage

There are plenty of options to consider when it comes to a mortgage. Once you’ve done your research (or spoken to a mortgage adviser – we can put you in touch if you like) you can select the option that’s best for you.

read our mortgage guide

Get a valuation and survey

Your mortgage lender will want confirmation the home is worth what you’re paying for it. They’ll organise the valuation for you – this will involve a fee.

The survey checks the condition of your new home.

Complete legal work

Your solicitor will look after this for you. It’s all about formally transferring ownership from us to you (known as conveyancing), and checking there are no legal obstacles in the way, like local plans that may affect the value of the property.

Exchange contracts

Once the legal work is complete, your solicitor will exchange contracts with us. This is when you pay your deposit and commit to the deal taking place.

We’ll then invite you to your New Home Tour, where we’ll take you round your new home and show you where things are and how everything works. You can now organise your move.

Complete and move in

On the date of completion, you become the legal owner of your new home. The full cost of the property is transferred from your solicitor to the seller. Then the keys are yours and you can move in!

Find your investment

You’ll want to choose the right property to give you the best return on your investment. The locations of our properties are chosen to be close to major transport links, a major plus point for potential tenants. You can search our investment properties by location, development or nearby schools.

read our INVESTORS GUIDE

Get in touch with the development

You’ll be able to speak to a Sales Adviser at the development to see the plans and different styles available. Once you’ve chosen your property, you can reserve it. It’s important to do this early on, so you get the best choice.

Find a solicitor

A solicitor will take care of all the legal aspects of your property investment. You’ll need to find a solicitor that specialises in conveyance and understands the buy-to-let process. We have a list of recommended solicitors if you need help, all of which have experience of working with us.

To speak to our sales team now call: 0330 057 2222

Phone lines open 8am to 9pm, 7 days a week.

Arrange your mortgage

If you need to arrange a mortgage, you’ll need to look at buy-to-let mortgages. We can put you in touch with an independent financial adviser if you’re unsure what’s involved or need advice – they’ll help you get the best deal.

read our MORTGAGE GUIDE

Offer accepted

Once your offer on a David Wilson home is accepted, we’ll ask you to confirm the details of your solicitor and mortgage lender, and we’ll prepare a memorandum of sale, which will be sent to all parties.

Conveyancing

Your solicitor will agree all the details of the sale with us, such as the date of exchange of contracts. You’ll be kept informed through every step.

Survey and mortgage offer

Your mortgage provider will arrange a survey to check the structural aspects of your home. David Wilson homes are built with the highest standards of quality, so there shouldn’t be any problems. If you’ve arranged a mortgage, a formal mortgage offer will be sent to you and your solicitor for you to sign.

Furnish your property

If you need help furnishing your new property, we have a choice of furniture packs for all sizes of home. Each is designed to maximise rental value and make your buy to let property ready to move into. We could even install your furniture for you.

Choose a letting agent

To ensure you get the most out of your property investment, we can help you find a reliable agent, who will secure tenants quickly and obtain the maximum rent for you. Our sales team can also help you negotiate management fees and packages with the letting agent.

Let your home

Once tenants have paid their deposit and signed a rental agreement, they will be given the keys to your property - and you can start enjoying the returns.