Millions around the UK experience stress and it is widely accepted that it’s damaging to our health and wellbeing. For example, at some point in the last year, 74% of us have felt so stressed that we have felt unable to cope, according to Rethink Mental Illness.
We also know that moving home can be a stressful time – in fact, we surveyed 1,000 home movers and 68% of them said they had lost sleep due to the anxiety of moving house. 82% of respondents told us that a better understanding of the house buying process would ease this anxiety.
Our survey dug a little deeper to find out exactly what the top stressful elements are when buying a house. The top answers include the costs involved, agreeing dates within a chain, and waiting for the surveys to be completed. You can see the full results below:
We also found that more than three quarters (78 percent) of Britons said that physically moving things to their new property was one of the most stressful things about moving house.
According to those surveyed we also noticed that people found the below stressful:
- Changing bill providers (32 percent)
- Decorating the new property and making it homely (30 percent)
- Trying to fit existing furniture/items in the new space (29 percent)
- Change and unfamiliarity of the new property (28 percent)
Our ambition is to simplify the moving process and create a nation of happy home movers.
“Moving home is an emotional experience, and unfortunately, all too often, a stressful one… we believe it shouldn’t have to be.”
David Grossman, CEO
What can we do to help with stress when moving?
Conveyancing Costs
We promise to give you an all inclusive, fixed price quote. In fact, our quote will only change if your instructions to us change. When purchasing or selling a property, a conveyancer will need to be enlisted to guide you through the process. Take a look at our article about conveyancing fees to help assist you with the processes and costs involved or use our online conveyancing quote calculator to get a personalised quote in minutes.
Dates within a chain
Although we’d all like a simple house purchase or sale, unfortunately it isn’t always possible. Sometimes there are situations you can’t avoid that add on an extra layer of complication, and as a rule the more parties involved in a chain, the trickier it can become. Arranging a completion date when in a chain can be difficult, as you all have to agree on the same day to complete. However, the conveyancers and solicitors working on your case will work together to ensure that the completion date is agreed with all parties in the chain. Once there is a date in the diary the exchange of contracts can occur, where all funds need to be transferred to your conveyancer or solicitor. This is a very vital part in the transaction as once the contracts are signed, you are legally obliged to complete your transaction and can face financial penalties if the completion doesn’t happen. Final step is completion, the big day!
Searches and Surveys
Waiting for searches was cited as one of the big stressors when moving. There is a big difference between searches and surveys, and having a good understanding of what they both are and why you need them can alleviate stress further down the road.
Searches will show details about the local area, for example, if there are any planned developments or planning permissions already refused or accepted on the property, if there is any flooding or contamination of the land and confirm if the property has a water supply. It’s also important to note that searches are mandatory when using a mortgage for the purchase, they are also arranged by your conveyancer and are usually paid for up front.
Surveys are a more detailed inspection on the property itself, which you can get once your offer has been accepted. There are different levels of surveys, some more suitable in certain circumstances, for example, if you are buying an older property it may be better to get for the level 3 survey.
Although surveys aren’t mandatory, it’s often advised as knowing any issues up front gives you an extra layer of protection for the future.
(Please note, your mortgage provider will also carry out a survey, this is a valuation survey only and will simply ensure that they are happy lending the money requested.)
