Buyers Agent

Smalltownhypocrite

Can anyone recommend a buyers agent in Durham/Newcastle area?

We are currently attempting to negotiate a private sale. I am a first time buyer and no clue what I'm doing and need a professional. 

I cannot find any buyers agents in the area, except one that will only take on people 5x our budget, and the only national one that said they would cover my area isn't responding to us.

babyblade41

Can't you get a property solicitor, plenty of them around just ask for recommendation from local people in the area you are buying 

propertyrental

What do you need an agent for? To do what?

Presumably you will be using a solicitor for the legal work?

And if you need a mortgage you'll either have a mortgage broker or contact within the bank you are using?

You'll have at least a surveyor appointed by your mortgage lender to give a Valuation, and perhaps a survey?

As for price negotiation - well, ultimately it's your money, so your decision. Do some research into property prices in the area.

So. I repeat: What do you need an agent for? To do what?

Grizebeck

what area are you looking at?, ive moved to this area

Smalltownhypocrite

propertyrental said:

What do you need an agent for? To do what?

Presumably you will be using a solicitor for the legal work?

And if you need a mortgage you'll either have a mortgage broker or contact within the bank you are using?

You'll have at least a surveyor appointed by your mortgage lender to give a Valuation, and perhaps a survey?

As for price negotiation - well, ultimately it's your money, so your decision. Do some research into property prices in the area.

So. I repeat: What do you need an agent for? To do what?

To help with the negotiations... we aren't buying from an estate agent, I know the value of the house, I also know what they bought it for but I also am attempting to persuade a person I contacted out of the blue to move and let me buy it off them, they obviously aren't willing to move for no incentive when they only just moved in a year and a half ago. 

I need a negotiator because I'm not good at it and I'm massively stressed. Some people 'like' to haggle and have fun 'guessing prices' and not being scared to offend... we are not them. We are not willing to play silly games and lose the house we want (has personal significance + theres nothing else like it around) but also don't want to pay silly money unnecessarily. 

Negotiations are LITERALLY the main point of a buying agent who are there to use their expertise and guide us to the best price.

We don't have a mortgage broker or 'bank' involved and what we want is not remotely in the job description of a solicitor.

A service exists specifically for this because its something some people need, I am simply asking for people to recommend companies that provide the service I need since like everything in this country everything is based in bloody London as if the north doesn't exist.

Smalltownhypocrite

Grizebeck said:

what area are you looking at?, ive moved to this area

DH8 and DH9 area (Consett/Stanley in north west Durham County)

Grizebeck

Yes I know the area
What you need is a Surveryor to do a valuation for you
Stanley is a cheap area! Especially round south moor etc. Do you actually know stanley at all? Some areas I would avoid
Consett is decent 

Smalltownhypocrite

Grizebeck said:

Yes I know the area
What you need is a Surveryor to do a valuation for you
Stanley is a cheap area! Especially round south moor etc. Do you actually know stanley at all? Some areas I would avoid
Consett is decent 

Yes I have lived here for nearly 2 decades... I wouldn't touch south moor with a 6 foot barge pole, there are nicer areas though we aren't all 'radgies' lol.

I know what the house value is, its valued between £80-£84k and last sold for £72k (2 years ago) we have a max budget of £110k but would obviously prefer to get it for in say the £90k range. 

They obviously want more to move than the 'value' to make moving worth their while. To be honest if it was just one street away the value would jump to £150-£200k (which is insane and we can't afford despite them being 30 seconds walk from each other. Those are the pretty sandstone road facing houses not the 'back ally' one we are wanting which actually is bigger and has more outdoor land though). So I'm happy to pay more than its worth as its the area we want and actually big enough for us (rare).

I can't get a survey until we have a deal with the owners, we have no access yet. Currently its just discussions about them possibly selling to us if we make an offer suitable.

user1977

Smalltownhypocrite said:

Grizebeck said:

Yes I know the area
What you need is a Surveryor to do a valuation for you
Stanley is a cheap area! Especially round south moor etc. Do you actually know stanley at all? Some areas I would avoid
Consett is decent 

I can't get a survey until we have a deal with the owners

Why not? Even though it doesn't seem to be the English way, it makes sense to get a survey first, rather than agree a price and then have to renegotiate when the surveyor tells you that you've got the price all wrong....

Surveyors can in any event give you a valuation without accessing the property.

propertyrental

Smalltownhypocrite said:

Grizebeck said:

Yes I know the area
What you need is a Surveryor to do a valuation for you
Stanley is a cheap area! Especially round south moor etc. Do you actually know stanley at all? Some areas I would avoid
Consett is decent 

I know what the house value is, its valued between £80-£84k and last sold for £72k (2 years ago) we have a max budget of £110k but would obviously prefer to get it for in say the £90k range. 

They obviously want more to move than the 'value' to make moving worth their while. ...

Can I just clarify: is this property on the market? Is the owner wanting to sell?

Or are you approaching the owner on a purely speculative basis? Clearly that will impact on what price they might accept.

An owner who has not considered selling is only going to re-consider if offered a significant incentive.

But assuming this is a property on the market, with a owner wanting to sell, then the figures you quote above make clear you don't need an agent. You have a clear understanding of the market, so make a offer based on that.

NameUnavailable

Smalltownhypocrite said:

propertyrental said:

What do you need an agent for? To do what?

Presumably you will be using a solicitor for the legal work?

And if you need a mortgage you'll either have a mortgage broker or contact within the bank you are using?

You'll have at least a surveyor appointed by your mortgage lender to give a Valuation, and perhaps a survey?

As for price negotiation - well, ultimately it's your money, so your decision. Do some research into property prices in the area.

So. I repeat: What do you need an agent for? To do what?

To help with the negotiations... we aren't buying from an estate agent, I know the value of the house, I also know what they bought it for but I also am attempting to persuade a person I contacted out of the blue to move and let me buy it off them, they obviously aren't willing to move for no incentive when they only just moved in a year and a half ago. 

Have you just decided on a house and are trying to get the owners to sell up to you and move?

Why would they do that unless it was significantly worth their while to do so? The cost of moving, the hassle of finding a new home (presumably they would want to find another similar home in the same area).

I think the type of agents you're referring to are property finders - investors/wealthy people employ an agent to do the legwork of finding a suitable property for them, like a personal shopper.

As for valuation, the value is whatever the current owners would be willing to sell for, which is unlikely to be market value for the reasons above. I think I'd want a premium of at least £20K on top of full market value (after costs) to even consider such a thing.