This guide to buying has been prepared to provide more detailed information on the process of buying your new home and the service provided by Merchant Homes.

Once you have paid your reservation fee, Merchant Homes is committed to retaining the plot you have chosen, in your name, for an agreed period.  A further deposit, generally 1% of the purchase price will be paid on conclusion of missives.   These monies then become part of the final purchase price, and will be deducted from the balance you pay when you move into your new home.

From now on the Merchant Homes’ team will look to make sure life runs as smoothly as possible for you.

Our Sales Executive will keep in touch with you on a regular basis to let you know how everything is progressing.

But should you have any questions you would like to ask in the meantime, please do not hesitate to telephone our Sales Executive at the development Marketing Suite who will do their best to assist.

If you require a mortgage to purchase your new home and have not yet made arrangements, now is the time to make a formal application based on the purchase price and details of your chosen plot.

The role of your solicitor is to make the legal aspects of buying and selling a property as straightforward as possible and to ensure that all the necessary documentation is completed on time. If you have not already instructed a solicitor our Sales Executive will be happy to supply the details of some local firms.

This is also the time to add those personal touches to your new Merchant Homes’ property by choosing your favourite tiles and kitchen units from the choices available.  Again, our Sales Executive will be able to help you.

Our Sales Executive will provide an indication of when you will be able to move into your new home, but please bear in mind that this is only an indication as the building process can be affected by factors outwith our control. As work progresses, our Sales Executive will keep you advised as to the build progress of your new home.

This is when two identical documents, one signed by Merchant Homes and one by yourself, pass between the respective solicitors.  After missives are concluded both parties are legally committed to the sale and purchase of your new home.  The exchange deposit payable on conclusion of missives will now require to be paid to Merchant Homes, and is subject to the conditions of the contract.  In most circumstances, the deposit is non-refundable in the event of non-completion by the customer.  Our Sales Executive will assist you throughout this process.

Once you have legally committed to the transaction by concluded missives, we will keep you updated as to when you will be able to move into your new home.  Legal completion is the event when ownership of your new home transfers to you and you move in.

When work on your new home is complete, formal notice is served on your solicitor and legal completion takes place within the period specified within the contract.  If applicable, you should liaise with your solicitor who will contact your mortgage lender to arrange a final survey of the property.  By this time you should have signed mortgage and transfer deeds.

During this period, our Sales Executive will invite you to a demonstration of your new home at which time you will be given an explanation of the operation of the appliances, including central heating and hot water systems.  You will also be shown the location of your mains isolation points and your water stopcocks.  These will be clearly identified within your new home.  In the event that there are any outstanding matters, these will be attended to as quickly as possible.

Your solicitor will take care of everything on your behalf, with help from the Merchant Homes’ team.

Through your solicitor, the balance of monies due, ie the agreed purchase price, less the amount of your reservation fee and the exchange deposit, will be transferred to Merchant Homes.

It is important that the transfer of monies takes place as early in the day as possible.  For legal reasons we will not be able to allow you to move into the property until the balance of monies due has been received by Merchant Homes’ solicitors.  Our Sales Executive will advise you when the monies have been received.

Once the balance of monies due has been received you will become the proud owner of your brand new Merchant Homes’ property.