How much you can spend depends on your deposit, income, existing commitments and the type of mortgage available to you. A “mortgage agreement in principle” will give a useful indication of what a lender may be prepared to offer, subject to checks and valuation. You should also budget for legal fees, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT), registration dues, moving costs and a contingency for any work needed. We can talk you through these figures as you plan.

In addition to the purchase price, you should plan for legal fees, LBTT, registration dues, any mortgage arrangement or valuation fees and removal costs. There may also be costs for initial decorating, furnishings or minor repairs once you move in. In some cases, extra surveys or specialist reports may be advisable if issues are highlighted in the Home Report. At the outset we will provide an estimate of likely legal costs and outlays based on your price range.

A Home Report is required for most properties for sale in Scotland and is prepared on the seller’s behalf. It usually includes a Single Survey, which includes the valuation, the Energy Performance Certificate, and the Property Questionnaire. You should pay attention to ratings, any recommended repairs and how the valuation compares to the asking price. We can help you interpret the report, highlight any areas of concern and explain how it may influence your offer and mortgage.

In many parts of Edinburgh, demand is strong and supply can be tight, particularly for popular property types and locations. This often leads to competitive bidding, closing dates and offers above the Home Report valuation. Lenders usually base their mortgage on the valuation figure rather than the price you pay, so any amount over valuation may need to come from your own funds. We will help you judge a realistic and sustainable offer level for your circumstances.

A closing date is usually set when there is more than one interested party and the seller wants all potential buyers to submit their best offer by a fixed time and date. Offers are submitted through solicitors, and the seller then chooses which offer, if any, to accept. You generally will not know the details of competing offers. We will advise you on strategy, taking into account your budget, the Home Report and recent similar sales.

Yes. Sellers can accept an offer at any time, even when a property is advertised as “Offers Over” and a closing date might eventually be expected. If you are ready to proceed and the property is suitable, making a well-judged offer before a closing date is set can sometimes secure the property and avoid a bidding competition. We will discuss the pros and cons with you and prepare and submit any offer on your behalf.

Missives are the formal letters exchanged between solicitors that together form the binding contract for your purchase. The process begins with the written offer and continues through a series of qualified acceptances until all points are agreed. Once the final acceptance is issued and missives are concluded, both buyer and seller are contractually committed, subject to any agreed conditions. We keep you informed at every stage and will only conclude missives on your clear instructions.

The Single Survey within the Home Report gives a general assessment of condition, which is often sufficient for most buyers and their lenders. However, if the report flags specific concerns, you may wish to commission additional specialist reports, such as damp, timber or structural inspections. We can advise whether further investigations are sensible in your case and help arrange appropriate surveys if you decide to proceed with them.

Once your offer has been accepted, the legal process typically takes around six to eight weeks, although this can be shorter or longer. Timescales depend on factors such as mortgage approval, legal searches, the seller’s onward plans and any conditions that must be satisfied. We will discuss likely timing with you at the outset and keep you updated as matters progress. If you have a particular deadline in mind, we will do our best to accommodate it.

If you need funds from your sale to buy, it is usually not easier to buy first. Most sellers prefer buyers who are “proceedable”, meaning their own property is sold or on the market with a realistic chance of selling. In a competitive market with closing dates, buyers have much more credibility if their own property is already on the market or at least “ready to go” immediately. In practice, many people buy and sell at the same time, and this is routinely handled by solicitors as part of the conveyancing process. We can help you plan the timing of both transactions to minimise stress.

Yes. It is normal to use the same solicitor to handle both sides of your home move. Using the same solicitor for both transactions can simplify your move and improve coordination. It means one point of contact managing dates of entry, contractual conditions and the movement of funds between sale and purchase. We will take an overall view of your position, advise on strategy and work to keep both sides of the transaction aligned. This joined-up approach can reduce delays and make the process smoother from start to finish.

We advise on all key elements of your offer, including price, conditions, date of entry and items to be included or excluded in the sale. Drawing on our knowledge of the local Edinburgh market and the Home Report, we can suggest a sensible range for your offer and highlight any risks to consider. After the offer is submitted, we handle all negotiations with the seller’s solicitor on your behalf, keeping you informed and protecting your interests.

We can point you towards experienced mortgage advisers who regularly assist buyers in the Edinburgh market, although we cannot provide independent financial advice ourselves. Where appropriate, we can also suggest surveyors or specialist contractors if additional reports or work are needed. You are always free to choose your own advisers, and we will work closely with whoever you appoint to help ensure your purchase progresses as smoothly and efficiently as possible.