Buying a House When Its Not For Sale

Caz6

I may be taking on the impossible here but thought I'd ask..

By driving around the area we want to live in, we've found a house we'd like to buy...perfect size, quite run down (we want a project) and nice area...but it's not for sale. The house looks empty..all curtains drawn except 1 room which looks empty, driveway over grown and full of weeds, no car/signs of life.

By looking at nethouseprices.com we've found out the house was sold a couple of years ago although it's quite obvious that, at least on the outside, nothing has changed since then.

Any ideas on how/if I should progress this? I understand it's common for property investors to make offers on houses that aren't for sale but don't know where to start.

Thanks in advance

karen_newcastle

Why not put a polite note through door expressing your interest and asking the owners to all you for a chat.

mikthe20

You should be able to get the ownership details from the Land Registry I believe.

Caz6

mikthe20 wrote: »

You should be able to get the ownership details from the Land Registry I believe.

Thanks mate - do you know which part of the site as I have looked and used the earch function and can't find it - or do I just write to them under the freedon of info act?

Caz6

karen_newcastle wrote: »

Why not put a polite note through door expressing your interest and asking the owners to all you for a chat.

Yeah I thought about that - would give me the opportunity to have a closer snoop too!

Will probably go for that option or ask a neighbour.....

I wondered how investors do this bit!?!

sarah_elton

karen_newcastle wrote: »

Why not put a polite note through door expressing your interest and asking the owners to all you for a chat.

Yep, my mum sold her house to someone who put a note through, and one of our neighbours where we used to be bought their house by putting a note through. No harm in trying.

Explain that you've been looking around the area and you really like the look of their particular house. Don't just make it a short generic note that looks like you've put it through everyone's doors.

Caz6

sarah_elton wrote: »

Yep, my mum sold her house to someone who put a note through, and one of our neighbours where we used to be bought their house by putting a note through. No harm in trying.

Explain that you've been looking around the area and you really like the look of their particular house. Don't just make it a short generic note that looks like you've put it through everyone's doors.

Gosh this goes on a lot then! I didn't have the guts to do it before I read all this - glad I asked now!!

dekh

Make it clear you aren't an estate agent. We recycle EA leaflets all the time. Well, we used to - they don't seem to be posting many "we have buyers for your house" junk these days...

geo555

Check your cauncils website to see if any planning applications have been submitted. It could be a case of a developer wanting to rebuild, but not yet.

smithron

Where abouts in the country are we talking here?

smithron

geo555 wrote: »

Check your cauncils website to see if any planning applications have been submitted. It could be a case of a developer wanting to rebuild, but not yet.

Yeah, thats a good point- lots of people round my way do that, especially if it is a large detached plot