Top tips for finding your dream home

A couple in Wiltshire recently took moving house to the extreme by dismantling their Georgian manor house brick by brick and relocating it 30 miles away. Whilst this radical approach to securing your dream home isn't likely to be an option for many of us we know how difficult it can be to find your ideal home.

With over 40 years’ experience of helping people move house we've picked up a few nuggets of knowledge along the way. Here are our top tips on searching for your new house:

• Have a list of criteria, but be flexible - you're unlikely to get everything that you want from a home.
• Drive around your preferred location and look for estate agents signs in properties that you like.  Ask them for advice and to keep you updated when properties you may like come on the market.
• Don't forget to consider getting a full survey so your dream home doesn't turn out to have any nasty surprises.
• Don't rule out exploring areas you don't know so well - you may find a hidden gem
• Think long-term. If you're planning on staying there for a while will it accommodate all your needs?  Have you got the option to extend if you need to?
• Take your time. This is the biggest purchase you'll ever make and you need to be happy living there.  Get a good feel for the place before making a decision.
• Try and envisage how you would make the space your own and use your imagination.
• Explore the local neighbourhood. Does it have everything that is important to you, such as shops nearby, public transport links?
• Do your homework.  The website www.police.uk shows crime maps which you can search by postcode.
• If you find a property you really like view it more than once and at different times of the day.

Remember, if you don't find your ideal house straight away and decide to rent for a while putting your belongings into storage doesn't have to be costly. At Andrew Porter Limited our containerised storage option is very popular with people who are moving into rented accommodation between purchased homes.  It's ideal for storing bulky or heavy items such as furniture and much cheaper than other professional storage options. As a full inventory is taken and the container sealed securely you can have total peace of mind that your possessions are in safe hands until you find your perfect home. This helping hand means that you needn’t rush into buying your dream home.

For more information call our home removals or containerised storage teams on 0800 389 1222.