Melanie Bien is a property writer and a Director of Savills Private Finance. She is the author of the bestselling Renting Out Your Property For Dummies.

Introduction 1

Part I: So You Want to Buy Your First Home? 7

Chapter 1: Why Getting Your Foot on the Property Ladder Is a Smart Move 9

Chapter 2: Deciding Whether You Can Afford to Buy and Getting the Timing Right 17

Chapter 3: Determining What You Want 25

Chapter 4: Dealing with Estate Agents 33

Part II: Finding the Right Property 41

Chapter 5: Handling Viewings 43

Chapter 6: Looks Are Everything: Period Homes 55

Chapter 7: New and Self-Build: No Previous Owners 73

Chapter 8: Renovating Wrecks: Property In Need of Work 93

Part III: Making an Offer and Finding the Readies 109

Chapter 9: Making an Offer: What Happens Next? 111

Chapter 10: Going, Going, Gone: Buying Property at Auction 127

Chapter 11: Getting a Mortgage 139

Chapter 12: Insurance: Ignore at Your Peril 169

Chapter 13: When Money's Too Tight to Mention: Low Cost Routes to Homeownership 181

Part IV: Selling Your Home 189

Chapter 14: Deciding When It's the Right Time to Sell Your Home 191

Chapter 15: Creating the Right First Impression 201

Chapter 16: Using a Pro to Sell Your Home: Getting the Most from Estate Agents 211

Chapter 17: Going It Alone: Selling Your Property Privately 223

Chapter 18: Negotiating a Successful Sale 243

Part V: The Legal Process of Buying and Selling 255

Chapter 19: Conveyancing for Buyers and Sellers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland 257

Chapter 20: The Scottish House-Buying Process 277

Chapter 21: Selling Your Home in Scotland 289

Part VI: The Part of Tens 299

Chapter 22: Ten Things for a First-Time Homeowner to Do 301

Chapter 23: Ten Ways to Sell Your Home 307

Chapter 24: Ten Tips on Dealing with Estate Agents 313

Appendix: Resources 319

Index 325