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Navigating the Property Market: Tips for Homebuyers
May, 2025

Navigating the Property Market: Tips for Homebuyers

Buying a home is no small thing - it’s emotional, exciting, and sometimes just plain overwhelming. But with a clear head and a solid plan, you can move forward with confidence in the UK property market. Whether you're a first-time buyer or making your next move, here’s how to prepare, stay focused, and avoid mistakes with the Shinerocks team behind you!

Be Clear on Your Budget Before You Even Start Looking

Before you fall in love with a new home, get your finances in order. That means:

Getting a mortgage agreement in principle
Understanding your borrowing limits
Factoring in costs like stamp duty, legal fees, and surveys

Speak with a mortgage broker early on. They’ll explain your options and what’s realistic. If you’re looking to buy property in Purley, Croydon & Greater London, this could give you an edge when making an offer. At Shinerocks we believe in a personal service that is second to none and can help you with all of these things. call us on 020 8660 2010 for a friendly chat.

View our services here

Research the Market Like a Pro

The UK property market isn’t one-size-fits-all - it’s hyper-local. What’s happening in one town could be completely different in another. Here’s what to keep an eye on:

Price trends in the areas you’re interested in
Local school performance, transport links, and green spaces
Regeneration plans or large-scale developments nearby
Council tax bands and average utility costs

Websites like the ONS, your local authority site, and school checker tools are your friends here. And don’t forget to check the crime stats - not just how things look on a sunny Saturday!

We welcome you to speak with us about Purley, Croydon & Greater London – we are your local experts!

Tip: Make a shortlist of your top 3 locations based on lifestyle, not just price.

Think Long-Term - Even If This Isn’t Your “Forever Home”

Ask yourself:

Will this property still work if your lifestyle changes?
What’s the rental potential if you move and decide to let it?
Is the area showing signs of growth or decline?

Being realistic now saves regret later. If you're buying property for sale in Purley, Croydon & Greater London, chat with one of our friendly team at Shinerocks for all the local insights.

Don’t Guess! Ask for Advice

Whether you're buying solo or with a partner, it's smart to get advice from people who’ve been there - just like us!

Talk with friends and family who've recently bought
Speak with us! As your local estate agent, we know what’s really going on in the market
Use independent sources like Money Saving Expert for up-to-date mortgage tips
Don’t skip the legal advice - a good solicitor will keep your purchase on track and uncover potential red flags

Found The One? Act Fast but Don’t Panic

When you find a home you love, chances are others will too. Especially in popular areas where homes for sale in Purley, Croydon & Greater London move quickly. Be ready to:

Make a confident offer (knowing your upper limit)
Ask for a second viewing if you’re unsure
Get your paperwork moving quickly - your solicitor and mortgage provider should be prepped and ready

We’re Here to Help You Move with Confidence

At Shinerocks, we help buyers like you every day - whether you're a first-timer or trading up. We'll walk you through your options, show you properties for sale in Purley, Croydon & Greater London, and answer all the questions you didn’t even know to ask.

Call us on 020 8660 2010 or email enquiries@shinerocks.co.uk to chat with us.

In the meantime, we’ve answered some of your common questions about buying a property.

FAQ’s: Homebuying in the UK Property Market

Should I get mortgage pre-approval before viewing homes?

Yes - this shows sellers you’re serious and puts you in a stronger position.

What’s worth checking when researching an area?

Look at school ratings, local transport, future development plans, and crime rates. Ask what the neighbours are like, too!

What professional advice do I need?

Estate agents give local market advice. Mortgage brokers help you choose the right deal. Solicitors handle legal checks. Don't skip any of them.

What other costs should I plan for?

Budget for a survey, stamp duty, mortgage fees, solicitor costs, removals, and council tax.

 

Have any questions?

Use the form to send us your questions and we'll respond as quickly as possible.

You can also call us on 020 8660 2010, or email enquiries@shinerocks.co.uk.


 

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Purley, Croydon & Surrey

Learn more about the areas we cover by reading these helpful location guides.

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Recent Testimonials

Dear Paul and the ShineRocks team, Thank you! We are delighted that we successfully completed on the sale of The Garth, 12 Welcomes Road on Friday, and we wanted to take this opportunity to thank you, Claire and the team for all your excellent work on our behalf. We really appreciated your proactivity, frankness, responsiveness and good...

Mr & Mrs F

Very professional, responsive and delivered on promises to the tee

Mr G

Worked hard to find possible buyers. Very professional and friendly staff. Drove the completion by liaising with all parties when things threatened to go pear-shaped. Very satisfied customer

Mrs H-W

Having tried a couple estate agents to sell our house, with no result, we tried ShineRocks. Paul Shinerock was realistic in his valuation, which others had not been and we had a number of viewings. A Christmas present was accepting a very good offer. Unfortunately, the buyer dragged his heels and then at the point of exchange decided to...

Mr P

A great service offered by both Paul and Claire. Sometimes the best thing an agent can do is to convince you to accept an offer and to encourage you to pay more to get the house of your dreams. Had Paul not convinced me to accept the offer on mine I would not have moved. Claire moved heaven and earth to enable me to purchase a property through...

Mr & Mrs W

Very helpful, pleasure to work with, and they offer a great service

Mr L

My house purchase was very complicated, ShineRocks handled it very professionally

Mr H

Claire was our estate agent and she was incredibly professional, always available and kept us completely up to date. A pleasure to buy and sell with

Mrs P

Exceptionally professional and helpful and very knowledgeable. Would highly recommend ShineRocks

Mr P

Excellent service over a period of several months. Always at hand to offer advice and their expertise. Highly Recommend Shinerocks and thank you for all your help

Mr A

I was very pleased with the service - professional yet caring

Mrs L

Very professional and excellent service in a complicated situation which resulted in a positive result. We have purchased 2 homes from Paul in the last 14 years. Claire is remarkable and kept us fully up to speed

Mr P

Very friendly. After a slow start we got on very well and achieved our objective. Particular thanks to Claire

Dr L

Hi Caire, Can you say a massive 'thank you' to Paul for coming to see me. He really gave me some things to think about that had just not crossed my mind. Swapping the bathroom and middle bedroom and adding a bathroom to the main bed room made so much sense, I've got Alan coming over on Saturday to cost it up! I'll definitely...

D

We have recently purchased a property through shinerocks and can honestly say the service we received from Claire was exceptional. She kept us updated regularly and liaised tirelessly between solicitors, vendors and the other agents in what became a difficult and frustrating chain. She was both professional and personable, and we always felt...

M & C

Claire, You're an absolute star! Thank you so much.

Mr and Mrs W

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for your assistance and facilitation of the purchase of our property, and I would relish the opportunity to work with you again in future endeavours.

CT

Just want to say a big thank you for all your help and support.  I know you were not our estate agent but we really felt supported and coached through the whole process and I can't thank you enough. 

M, J &A

Paul, Claire and all the team at ShineRocks have always acted with the utmost professionalism and in my experience have been the best estate agency I have ever encountered.  

Mr D

Dear Claire, Thank you so much for making our dream home come true.  Invitation to the house warming is guaranteed! Much Love

R & N

Hi the ShineRocks Team Would like to say thank you for a great service in completing on our house.  We are totally blessed, we feel so lucky.  Your team with friendly voices were very proactive in updating us.  Paul you have a good team around and to say the least, you have some charm. You are a very nice bunch of people to...

L M

We would like to also comment upon the superb level of professionalism shown by the staff at ShineRocks. Having been to other block bookings we must say that this one was handled to so well. Additionally the advice given regarding parking was most helpful. We will certainly keep an eye out for other properties marketed by you. Kindest...

Mr and Mrs H

Dear Paul How very happy I am to be the lucky chap that has been given the privilege to buy and live in the elegant property. Thank you again for the excellent service provided by ShineRocks. Yours sincerely 

Mr R

Thanks for all your attention - I am impressed with your service and will recommend you to friends. Kind regards 

Mrs A

Dear Paul This is amazing! Thank you and your team very much. Whatever happens now, I know that you all did a fantastic job in achieving this - its unbelievable. Many thanks Kindest regards 

Mrs D

Terrific news. Thank you Paul. With all thanks for your support and help during this process. All best wishes 

Mr H

Thank you so much for all your help with our house move. We appreciate the hard work you put in to finally get us to an exchange date. Your calm approach and sense of humour throughout really helped. Thanks again, 

Mr and Mrs G

Thank you so much for all your work on selling our home. It is much appreciated. Best wishes 

Mr and Mrs R

Thanks again for everything that you have done to get our new home. God bless you. 

Mr and Mrs P

Dear Claire and the 'team' at ShineRocks for all of your help and patience with our purchase.  Best wishes

K and L

Dear Mr Shinerock, thank you so very much for valued advice last Saturday; your remarks and suggestions have certainly got us thinking of the best way to turn! Best wishes

V and K

Dear Paul We are at last beginning to see some order in our new home and have time to catch breath. The move was challenging to say the least as we were downsizing dramatically and had too much to fit in prior to having an extension to create two more rooms and allow us to convert an existing one into a utility room. We would like to take...

G and S S

Good morning Claire, I have been meaning to e mail you since Monday just to say thank you! Mum and I are extremely grateful for all the time you have given us and we really do value your advice and guidance.  We have been in contact with a lot of agents, in fact probably all of the main estate agents around the area and ShineRocks...

S and M

Dear Paul, Well, we got there in the end! Although it was long, complicated and at times, a very stressful journey, we appreciate the help of you and all your team in finally getting us over the finishing line. Best regards

B

Thank you for everything you've done. I couldn't have got through this without you. Putting up with every difficult situation in such a kind way. Thank you so much. 

Mrs P

Paul, Claire and all the team at ShineRocks have always acted with the utmost professionalism and in my experience have been the best estate agency I have ever encountered.

Mr H