You may wish to speak to one of our Independent Financial Advisors (IFA). If you don't already have an IFA, talk to the St Edward Homes Sales Office who will be able to put you in contact with an IFA.

At this point you will also be asked to choose any options that may be available to you, for example kitchen and bathroom fittings. The options available to you will depend on how far along the build process the property is.

The reservation deposit will vary depending on the size of your property but is typically between £1,000 and £5,000. Reservation is done at the Sales and Marketing Suite. Upon reservation you will be introduced to your Customer Relations Team. The team will now be your dedicated point of contact from this point until completion.

This is typically a solicitor but does not have to be. The person appointed must be a professional, qualified in English Conveyancing law. You can ask the St Edward Homes Customer Relations team for advice. You will need to advise your solicitor of the exchange period, which will normally be 14 days; however this may vary depending on the stage of construction of your home.

If you have a house to sell, you should inform your legal advisor of this as they will have to apply for title deeds which can take up to three weeks to obtain. Once appointed, please provide the details of your legal advisor to the Customer Relations Team.

Once you have applied for your mortgage, send the Customer Relations Team details of your application. You may want to chase up any referees that are required for your mortgage application.

Check your mortgage offer, sign it and return it to your lender. Confirm with your legal advisor and our Customer Relations Team that your mortgage offer has been received and that you have accepted the offer.

You will need to:

• Agree how to pay the deposit when you exchange (this will be 10% of the purchase price)
• Sign the contract ready to exchange
• Agree how to pay the balance of the purchase cost on completion

You can either do this yourself by hiring a self drive van or get a quote from a specialist removals company. Doing the move yourself will cost less but don't underestimate the time and effort required to move home. If you choose to use a removals company, confirm what the quote includes, i.e. packing boxes, doing the unpacking/packing, insurance etc. A number of websites are available with contact details for removals companies including:

• HelpIAmMoving.com
• Yell.com

The sites listed in Step 10 can also provide contact details of storage companies in your area. Minimise your removals and/or storage requirements by throwing out anything you don't use anymore. Arrange a skip if necessary.

There are a whole range of people and organisations that need to be told about your move including your doctor, utility companies, banks, insurance companies, the DVLA, TV Licensing, schools etc. There are a number of useful websites that can help you through this process, including:

• IAmMoving
• HelpIAmMoving

You will also need to contact the Royal Mail to forward your post. You can find out how to do this at:

• Royal Mail

• Confirm arrangements with the removals firm
• Sort out parking problems.
•  You should inform neighbours about any parking issues.
• Some local authorities may be able to help with parking bay suspensions to allow better access to your property.
• Cancel deliveries of milk and newspapers and other services
• Arrange a plumber/electrician to disconnect relevant appliances
• Make arrangements for pets. The HelpIAmMoving website has advice for this.
• If you are doing the packing yourself, start packing non-essential items

• Clean the house and empty/defrost fridges and freezers if they are being left
• Remove fixtures and fittings not included in the sale
• Complete packing all items except those required the following morning - change of clothes, breakfast essentials, overnight toiletries etc
• Confirm with your Customer Relations Team when you will have access to your new home. This will typically be in the afternoon on the day of completion to allow funds to clear

You'll need to:

• Turn off central heating, water, electricity etc
• Note down gas, electricity and water meter readings
• Lock all windows and doors
• Arrange for keys

You'll need to:

• Check deeds are exchanged and the balance of the purchase has been paid
• Meet with the Customer Services Team to pick up the keys to your new St Edward Homes property