Buying without an Estate Agent - advice please

smileypigface

I am moving with my job (back to an area I've lived in before and know well) and in the new location there is only one good secondary school (and several not so good).

I have done my research and in order to be in with any chance of getting my son into the good secondary school we will need to live within half a mile walking distance of the school.

This close proximity narrows my search to one road - it's a 5 year old development with a mixture of houses - I really like one particular style of house. There isn't much movement in the housing market in this road (probably due to the school being so popular).

So, this morning I got off my backside and leaflet dropped all the houses I like the look of in that street. And to my amazement I have had a call from someone who hasn't got their house on the market yet but had been giving serious consideration to doing so - and welcomes the chance to save paying estate agents fees.

I'm off to see it later this afternoon.

I know that the estate agent would supervise the production of a HIP prior to putting the house on the market - and that HIP would be passed to my solicitor at the commencement of the process.

As we won't have an estate agent can anyone advise me whether the seller needs to get the HIP done herself (by going direct to a HIP company I assume) - or whether my solicitor will be able to do all the HIP stuff like it was done in the days before HIPs?

Any other advice for proceeding without an estate agent would be welcomed - I know they play an important role in keeping communication open - but I'm very confident in my solicitor as I'll be using one I have used in Conveyancing before and she is very proactive.

Thanks - a very smiley pigface today!

jessbob

If the property has not actually been marketed, ie no estate agent instructed, and no adverts placed in papers by the sellers, then there should be no requirement for a Home Information Pack.

However, the Seller still has to have an Energy Performance Certificate for the property. this can be arranged through their solicitors if they so wish.

chickmug

hi smileypigface

It sounds good to me and all I would say is make sure your solicitor knows they will be acting as your solicitor and sometimes as an agent. Making sure when you discuss with them how much extra they are likley to charge for the extra work.

smileypigface

Thank you for the replies - we went to look at the house - and it's lovely - we knew the layout but the condition and decor is perfect - all ready to move into - we'd only need to decorate one bedroom and that's because the seller has a daughter and we have a son (who, although says he has nothing against lilac - would rather have yellow .. apparently!).

Luckily the seller has sold without an estate agent before so knows the ropes - and she's happy to move into rented accommodation to ensure we achieve our deadline!

All good news!

And I can't quite believe I had another phone call this evening in response to my flyer - so we have a reserve number in case this one doesn't get off the starting blocks!

Thanks again for the advice.