Manage your household and finances more efficiently with Smarter Homes. Get the best deal on your monthly bills, including gas & electricity, home phone, broadband and digital TV, with our impartial calculators. Compare loans and mortgage lenders, and get quotes for home, car and life insurance. Plus, read our guides for tips and advice.
Did you know? Truro, Cornwall is the UK's most popular moving destination, with 40% more people wanting to move in than move out - read more about property hotspots
Mortgages explained
Once you've found your dream house, you'll need to find the perfect mortgage to match. Mortgages come in a range of shapes & sizes, & at first glance can be a minefield of financial jargon. Our mortgages guide helps explain all.
Ten property buying tips
- Research the area you want to buy in e.g. crime rates
- Research the local property market
- List what you really want in a property and what you can compromise on
- Search online for properties
- Factor all the additional buying costs into your budget
- Don't view too many properties in one day
- When viewing, know the warning signs to look for e.g. damp
- Don't be afraid to bid less than the asking price
- Shop around for your mortgage
- Have the property surveyed
In your own words…
Create a personal style that makes you happy and means something to you. Make fashion, don’t follow it. Re-create a mood or style you have seen at, for example, a historic house.
Angie, North Somerset
UpMyStreet guides
Home services
- Credit check
See what lenders see before you apply for a mortgage or credit - Energy
Save up to £325 on your bills by switching suppliers - Broadband
Compare packages and prices for the best value deal - Home phone
Switch and save up to £140 a year on your phone bill
