Every year, around 5% of the British population move home – that’s about 300,000 people! But finding your dream home doesn’t have to be hard. With prior planning and a clear vision you can increase your chances of finding your ideal home in your dream location.

As a nation obsessed with property, we can spend hours surfing the internet looking for our dream homes. For many this dream turns into a reality once they stumble across “the one”.

Work out your budget

Establishing how much you can reasonably afford, before you set out on your hunt for your dream home, is the very first step you should take. We recommend speaking to a financial advisor to find out what you can afford, how much deposit you can feasibly put down and how much you can comfortably pay per month. Now is the time to take into account your savings, income and any outstanding debts you may have.

Create your dream house wish list in priority order

List down all the things you’d love from your new property. This can include the bigger things such as ideal number of bedrooms, bathrooms, a garden and off-road parking/garage.

Your wish list can also include other factors such as open-plan kitchen-diner, proximity to good schools, transport links, a real wood-burning stove and so on. Write down anything that’s important to you and then prioritise the list. This is a great way to find out what you’re willing to compromise on.

Where to search

Using property search websites

The best property search websites include RightMove, On The Market and Primelocation which can help you find your dream home to buy or rent:

• Draw a Search

For those that know exactly where they want to live, on some property portals there is the facility to draw a sketch on your target area of search. Simply draw the exact area you are interested in on a map, and, hey presto, it will show all properties for sale or to rent in your search area.

• Property Alerts

We all like to be the first to know when a new property to buy or rent comes onto the market, and by registering for property alerts allows you to do just that. You’ll receive an email when a new property matching your criteria is added to the property web site.

• Surfing on a Mobile or iPad

Whether you are commuting, on your lunch break or sat in front of the TV, jump onto the property web sites or their mobile app to start an effortless search and enjoy swiping through their image gallery.

Most importantly, enjoy looking for your dream home to buy or rent, you never know what gems you might find. Happy home hunting!

For further information or help about finding your dream home in the UK contact Premier Property Search at enquiries@premier-propertysearch.co.uk or call + 44 (0)1962 793100.