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★A Complete Guide to The Cost of Moving House
Posted on: 26th July 2022 | Filled under: How to Sell a House
Written by: Mark King
Moving house is an exciting prospect, but it is rarely anyone’s favourite thing to do. It entails a lot of work, breaking social ties, looking for new schools for the kids, and such. Among those concerns is the cost of moving house.
This article looks into the estimated cost of moving house and how best to prepare for the process.
If you are selling a house in South Wales, contact Mark King Properties today on 02920 501 001 or click the button below; we buy any house in any condition in South Wales, so we would be happy to make you a cash offer today that could help significantly with the cost of moving house.
What is the average cost of moving?
The estimated cost of moving in the UK is about £12,000. However, this cost varies depending on where you currently live and the new residence. In addition, first-time buyers usually incur higher costs than experienced buyers.
What factors make up the cost of moving house?
Moving house costs include some upfront fees and taxes and other ongoing charges after the process. To avoid any surprises down the road, here are the fees, taxes, and costs you’ll need to factor in.
Stamp duty
Stamp duty makes much of the total cost of moving houses. This figure depends on factors like the cost of your new home, its location, and other personal circumstances. If you are moving to Wales, you can calculate your land tax duty, also known as Land Transaction Tax (LTT), on the Welsh Government website. In Wales, Land Tax Duty has been increased substantially.
Deposit
The deposit amount depends on the cost of the new property and how much you can contribute. Generally, you need to pay at least 5% of the new property price. The more you pay as a deposit, the less you’ll have to borrow in a mortgage. It’s a good idea to use the equity from your previous house to offer a significant chunk as a deposit. The larger the deposit, the easier it is for a mortgage lender to accept your request. Furthermore, you’ll have more manageable monthly deposits to settle.
Mortgage fees
After subtracting the deposit from the cost of the house, the mortgage lender covers the difference. You then enter an agreement where you’ll be making monthly payments to them. Once you clear those payments, you’ll get the property’s title.
Home survey costs
Before committing to the purchase, you need to know the house’s condition and whether it needs any repair and maintenance work. The survey affects the cost of the house and saves you from incurring unfair future costs. You can get either a homebuyer report or a structural survey.
Legal fees
You need solicitor services to handle the legal paperwork in the process and associated transactions. Solicitor fees vary depending on the value of the property and the complexities of the process. Besides solicitor fees, also expect to cover the cost of:
- Land registry fee
- Bankruptcy search fee
- ID verification fee
- Water and drainage searches
- Local authority searches
- Environmental searches
- Mortgage handling fee
- HMLR final search fee
Estate agent fees
Since you need the equity of your old house to settle the mortgage deposit, you’ll need help selling it. Real estate agents can get it done for you at a fee. While some take a percentage of the sale price as their commission, others expect upfront payment. Therefore, you need to have the sum ready.
Alternatively, if this seems a difficulty, you can turn to our services to get the house sold fast and save some money.
Energy performance certificate
Before selling the old house, you need to present a valid Energy Performance Certificate. This certificate is valid for ten years, so you don’t need another if your previous one is still valid. If not, you have to schedule an assessment. There is a cost involved for this.
Storage costs
It can be difficult moving and arranging all your stuff into the new home. As such, you may have to put some of your items in storage as you sort through them. Storage costs vary depending on how much stuff you have, how long you’ll keep them there, and the quality of the storage facilities.
Removal fees
You will need to move certain items straight to your new house. Removal fees depend on the number of those items and the distance between your old and new home. If you hire a moving van only, you’ll pay less than someone who hires the moving van and crew. Therefore, if you can, do the heavy lifting.
Property maintenance
The new house may need a few repairs to make it habitable. Therefore, you need to prepare for that and ongoing maintenance work on the property.
Insurance policies
If you’re paying a mortgage, the mortgage lender expects you to have building home insurance. This insurance covers the cost of damage to the house’s structure in case of fire, floods, or storms.
If you had contents home insurance in the old house, you only need to notify your insurer that you have moved houses. The policy will still be effective since the contents are the same. You may also need to get life insurance as a contingency to cover mortgage payments if you pass on.
Conclusion
There are even more moving house costs, such as council tax and utility bills in the new house. You need to budget appropriately to manage these costs. Focus on the compulsory ones, and work towards the rest. It helps to sell the old house in time to cover most of these upfront costs and other future costs at your new home.
If you are selling a house in South Wales, contact Mark King Properties today on 02920 501 001 or click the button below; we buy any house in any condition in South Wales, so we would be happy to make you a cash offer today that could help significantly with the cost of moving house.
