Although house-hunting can be great fun, it can also be hard work. It pays to be prepared, so we've put together this buyers' guide to help you.

Before you start house-hunting you will need to know what price range you can comfortably afford. You will need to look at four things:

If you are applying for a mortgage on your own you can usually borrow up to three times your basic income including any overtime, commission and bonus payments you are guaranteed to get every month.

If you are applying for a mortgage with someone else, you can usually borrow three times the main income plus the second income. If both incomes are about the same, you can usually borrow 2.5 times your joint income.

The amount you can borrow also depends on the value or price of the property. You can normally borrow up to 95% of the price or value of the property (whichever is lower) which means you will need to have saved a deposit of at least 5%.

You should be careful not to overstretch your budget, so you should look at your income and check what mortgage payments you could afford on top of your other commitments. You might like to use our budget planner to work out a monthly budget plan.

Whatever price you are paying for your new home, you will need to budget for other costs linked to buying a home, such as solicitors fees, stamp duty, land registry fee, local search fee, mortgage related fees and removal costs. If you are selling your current home you will also need to include the estate agency fees for selling. You might like to look at our example of the sort of fees you could expect to pay.

Once you know what price range you can afford, it’s time to start house-hunting. Before you start, make sure you’ve got a firm idea of where you want to live and what sort of property you are looking for. Consider the following and write your property wish list:

Once you know what sort of home you are looking for, register with Nottingham Property Services to see what properties we have for sale. Our estate agency services are free to buyers - it’s the sellers who pay the fee. We have built up a wealth of local knowledge and experience so we can give you a good idea about the types of properties in your price range. Don’t forget to use our on-line property search to look through all the properties we currently have for sale. Then join our mailing list to automatically receive details of new properties matching your criteria as they come up for sale in the future.

When you’ve found a property you would like to view, we will arrange a time to meet you at the property or arrange a viewing with the owners.

If you’re really interested in a particular property, don’t be afraid to go back for a second or even third look. You’ll spot things on your second or third visit that you didn’t on your first. Take notes as you go round (you might like to use our viewing checklist to do this) - it’s very easy to forget things or muddle things up particularly if you are viewing a large number of homes.

Visit the property and walk or drive around the immediate area at different times of the day and on different days of the week. That way you can get a better impression of what the neighbourhood is like.

What are local traffic conditions like during the rush hour compared to off-peak? How easy will your commute to work be? Travel the journey you would normally do, preferably at the time you would normally have to take it. Is the property in a cut through used by commuters or blocked by parents doing the school run? Check how easy parking is - especially if the property is close to a station or shopping centre.

Ignore the owner's decorating and furnishings. Try to picture the property with your belongings in it. Don’t be put off if the paint or wallpaper is not to your taste - these can easily be changed. Kitchens and bathrooms sell properties - even if they’re not exactly what you want, do they have potential?

What maintenance work has been done or improvements made to the property (double glazing, rewiring, extensions and so on)? Do the owners have guarantees or warranties for the work done? Check the outside (walls, windows, roof, gutters, drains, paintwork) as well as the inside to see how much work or maintenance you might need to do.

How big is the garden? Will you have enough time to look after it?

Check the council tax if you are house-hunting on the border of two authorities. You could find a big difference from authority to authority.

How energy efficient is the house? Ask to see the current owner's bills to get an idea of what you could expect to pay.

How secure is the house? What locks are fitted? Is there a burglar alarm? Is the property in a neighbourhood watch area? Has it ever been burgled? You might like to make enquiries at the local police station about the crime levels in the neighbourhood.

What is included in the sale - carpets, curtains, blinds, kitchen appliances? If they are included, what condition are they in?

What local amenities are there? How good is the local school?

How long has the property been up for sale and is anyone else interested in it? Have any offers been made and turned down? Have there been many previous owners? If the property changes hands regularly is there a particular reason for this? Why are the current owners selling and how quickly do they want to move? The answers may tell you something about the asking price or property potential.

Once you’ve found your ideal home we will help you agree a purchase price with the seller. Whatever price you agree, it should be subject to survey and contract.

This means that neither you nor the seller will be legally forced to go through with the sale until you exchange contracts. You have a let out if you change your mind or if you think the price should be reduced because something comes to light in the survey.

Once the seller accepts your offer, it’s time to make a formal application for a mortgage and tell your solicitor or licensed conveyancer to start the legal work.

We understand everyone's financial circumstances need individual consideration and it's important any mortgage you're thinking of taking out to buy your new home really is right for you. As we're a subsidiary of Nottingham Building Society, we can arrange an appointment for you to speak to one of their qualified mortgage advisers. They offer an 'advised' mortgage service (and will give you an 'Initial Disclosure Document' detailing this). They'll run through a number of questions with you and, from your answers, will give you some advice and a recommendation as to the most suitable mortgage for you from their range of mortgages. They're happy to hold appointments at your local branch or over the phone, whichever is most convenient for you. To arrange your appointment, either:

It's the easiest thing in the world to fall in love with your dream home. That's when you can overlook faults or decide they are not worth bothering about. Whatever property you are buying, there may be something wrong with it - even a new home can have hidden faults. There are several different types of valuations or surveys you can have ranging from a basic mortgage valuation to a detailed building survey.

If a survey highlights a problem, an inspection by a specialist may be recommended to find out if any work needs doing and to give an estimate of the cost. You may also want to reconsider the amount you are prepared to offer for the property.

The legal work is done by a solicitor or licensed conveyancer and it is a good idea to use someone recommended to you by a friend or relative.

Your solicitor or licensed conveyancer will usually:

Your solicitor or licensed conveyancer will arrange for you to sign and exchange contracts with the seller. This is normally when you will have to pay a deposit to the seller's conveyancer. Exchange is the point of no return and neither you nor the seller can normally withdraw, even if one of the parties dies or the property is destroyed. In special cases, you can pull out but you might lose your deposit. From exchange, the risk to the property usually passes to you in which case you will need to make sure that the property is insured and any life assurance has started.

Completion is the day you become the legal owner of the property and have the right to move in. It usually happens about a month after exchange of contracts, although it can be sooner. This is also the time when your solicitor will have to pay your legal fees.

There's a lot for you to do before you move into your new home so it's a good idea to start planning in advance. Here's a list of things to do.