50 House Buying Tricks guide discussion 23 October 2012 at 2:39PM edited 24 October 2012 at 10:16AM in House buying, renting & selling 43 replies 19K views

Davesnave

TrashyBook wrote: »

Buying a home can be massively stressful even if it's something you are really keen to do.

And if it's something you're being pressured into doing (eg moving because of work relocation) then I can see why a home finder is a good idea, especially if you're new to the area.

If you're working full time (and you can afford it!), it makes sense to have someone do a lot of the initial leg work for you, to give you time to do actual viewings in your free time, rather than just trawling round estate agents (in the flesh or online!)

I've never used one (and don't think I ever would), but I can see their merits.

I would rather use the home finder's fee to help fund 6 months in a rental.

Sold & rented last time, and I'd certainly do it again, anywhere that's not a fast rising market.

Property_Investor

A few other techie tips that haven't been mentioned are 2 features that are available on Righmove and Zoopla
1) saving properties of interest, this helps me navigate to them easier in future.
2) add personal notes to the properties, I use this sometimes to compare properties if I am interested in more than one.

I register with local estate agents as they can notify you of new properties on the market before it hits rightmove and zoopla.

If you use both Rightmove and Zoopla I recommend installing Property Form Filler, search for it in Google Chrome's webstore.
Its a time saver on the repetitive task of filling out forms (with location/price range/# of beds etc) when visiting both Rightmove and Zoopla.

rupert.brooke

It's a useful guide.. However, when it comes to specific choices, it's crucial to find the right marketplace or an international property broker (what they call 'property finders' here) to get your job done. Unless you are a PhD in property trade, you can't hope to do everything absolutely correctly on your own, especially taking into account that an average person goes for buying a new piece of property once in his/her lifetime.. And it shouldn't be just another 'property finder' or an online property catalogue'; it has to be an 'expert-!!!!!!-marketplace' combo, as far as I understand the trend. Zoopla and rightmove aren't bad for the UK, but I would definitely add tranio.com to the list. It is perhaps the most widely cited resource on the internet at the moment both in terms of expertise (including highly sophisticated surveys) and property auction services.

fairy_lights

rupert.brooke wrote: »

Zoopla and rightmove aren't bad for the UK, but I would definitely add tranio.com to the list. It is perhaps the most widely cited resource on the internet at the moment both in terms of expertise (including highly sophisticated surveys) and property auction services.

Jeez, spammers are getting lazy these days. At least have the decency to put on a bit of a show about how you're not in anyway linked to the company, and just happened to stumble on the website...

rupert.brooke

fairy_lights wrote: »

Jeez, spammers are getting lazy these days. At least have the decency to put on a bit of a show about how you're not in anyway linked to the company, and just happened to stumble on the website...

No I haven't just 'stumbled' on the website! However, the fact that I know the company and am a grateful client doesn't make me a spammer, darling! I own a beautiful piece of property in Spain thanks to "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named-Without-Being-Called-A-Spammer". So, why do you think I shouldn't spread the word?

Davesnave

rupert.brooke wrote: »

. So, why do you think I shouldn't spread the word?

Because you are new, and we don't trust people who come out with gushing praise for something until we know them, at least a little bit.

It's nothing personal; you're just pixels at this stage. :A

constantinouBros

Tax haven places are a plus to buy a house so you will have access to that place. Also If somebody is non EU citizen and wants to take the European union's citizenship, he can buy a property in Cyprus or Malta and take all these benefits a e.u citizenship can provide.

MichaelThomas

Very nice guide!!

twopints_2

Removal companies want your work if you have flexibility with your moving date ask the moving company if they offer any discount for quieter times Nicks Removals is one company that will varies quotes at non peak times the end and begining of the months when lots of contracts are exchanged is a peak time

SuzieSue

If you're buying a new build don't use the builder's recommended solicitors even if they give you a discount for using them.

Also, read this if you are buying a new build leasehold house or flat (many new build houses are leasehold now):

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/oct/29/new-builds-house-buyers-leasehold-property-trap


Also, be careful if the road you are buying on is unadopted (google for horror stories)