If you watch a lot of home buying and selling programmes on TV, you'll probably be familiar with the buying process... in England. In Scotland, however, the process is different. This page explains it step by step.

If you are planning to buy your own home, you will have to work out how you are going to pay for it. Buying a home isn't just about getting a mortgage, there are other costs involved in the buying process. You also need to be sure you'll be able to afford the running expenses of your new home.

In order to buy a home, you'll need to find a solicitor to give you advice and carry out the legal work involved in buying a home.

Got your mortgage and your solicitor sorted out? Then you're ready to move on to the next step: finding somewhere to buy.

Once you've found a home you like, you will need to get a formal mortgage offer from a lender. The lender must carry out a valuation of the property before they can make you an offer. You'll also need to get a survey done.

From 1 December 2008, if you're interested in buying a property in Scotland, the seller will need to provide you with a home report. This is a pack that provides more information about the property for potential buyers.

Once you have found a property you like, you know that you can afford it and the bank or building society will lend you enough money, your next step is to make the seller an offer.

Once you have made your offer you have the nerve-wracking experience of waiting to see if it is accepted. This page talks you through what happens after you have made your offer.

Once your offer has been verbally accepted, your solicitor will negotiate in detail all the conditions of sale with the seller's solicitor before ownership of the property is transferred to you. This process is called concluding the missives.

Title deeds are the legal documents which show who owns a property or piece of land. This page explains what title deeds are for, where they are kept and what you need to do if you want to change them.

This page looks at problems that could occur once you have moved into your new home.

Nobody wants to think about dying, but it's important to think about what will happen to your possessions when you die, particularly if you're buying a home, getting married or entering a civil partnership, or starting a family. This page explains more about why you should make a will and how to go about doing it.

New build homes are becoming increasingly popular in Scotland. The process for buying a new build home is slightly different from the process for buying a second-hand home, especially if building work on the property is not yet finished. This page looks at how the process works and what you can do if you're not happy with your new home.

More and more people are starting to use property auctions as a way to buy a new home cheaply and quickly. This page explains how the auction process works.

If you're a disabled person, buying your own home can lead to greater independence. You can choose where and how you want to live, and adapt your home to suit your lifestyle. This page looks at the things you'll need to consider.

If you are buying a home with other people, such as a partner, friend or family member, you need to decide who will legally own the property and what financial share each of you will have. Otherwise it may be difficult to agree what you are each entitled to if you later want to sell the property, or if your relationship breaks down.

Some Scottish secure tenants have the right to buy their homes. This section explains who has the right to buy, how much it will cost and how the procedure works.

If you live in a rural area or on a croft, you may be eligible for a grant to help towards the purchase or construction of your own home.

It can be particularly tough trying to get on the property ladder if you're a first time buyer. This page contains some practical hints and tips to help you on your way.