h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Here's some reeealllly basic stuff :

Try and find a solicitor who has been recommended to you personally. Ask around others who have moved recently and try and get the best one you can (not necessarily the most expensive). I was lucky in that my sister works for a solicitor and she was fantastic and knew exactly what was needed at every stage - the one at the other end was awful and didn't seem to know anything.

Definitely shop around for mortgages. Also remember that the bigger deposit you can put down the more options you'll get (but don't use all your available cash!). I managed to have about 20% deposit saved up and basically I had my pick of any mortgage I wanted. Ended up with a flexible one where I can put in as much as I want every month.

Though if there's someone out there who could explain all the payments and outgoings and stuff associated with a mortgage then I'd be jolly greatful, as I still don't have a clue three years later.

Be very careful if you're buying a place which needs a lot of work. It's very hard to find good builders (we're talking South England here). Again go on recommendations only, make sure they're attached to a proper guild or similar organisation. You might want to get a date out of them before you've actually brought, as some of them are booked up for months ahead.

Have a good walk around the neighbourhood as well first. Those well-spent ten minutes can be very enlightening.