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Properties and estate agents around Britain


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  4. House Hunting

House Hunting

Methods of finding a house include :

  • Estate Agents
  • Property magazines
  • Newspapers
  • Driving around areas that are suitable
  • Word of Mouth
  • Auction
  • Internet

ESTATE AGENTS

To find a good agent look in the local paper or directory. It is best to become known to the estate agents personally so make few calls to them and spend time calling in to see them.

If you are moving out of the area then it is worth getting yourself on a mailing list in order to find out about the local houses that are on the market. Or you could ask for help from your own local estate agent and see if they have any contact in the area that you are moving to. Estate agents in the area that you want to move to will be willing to help you from a distance and there will be no extra charges for this. There are even agencies that will go so far as to help you find the right school for your children.

ADVERTISMENTS

You should find out the day that the local paper has a property section. If you are looking to buy a new house and there are none that are suitable for you in the area then you could ask your estate agent if they know of any details of future plans for new houses in the area.

Property magazines will also have up to date information on houses on the market. Copies can be ordered from local newsagents if not available in your local shops.

DRIVING AROUND

If you already have an idea where you would like to live then it may be a good idea to have a drive around the area and see for yourself what properties have for sale signs displayed outside their houses or browse local notice boards at estate agents.

AUCTIONS

This method can be seen to be a more expensive method of selling your house however if buying there are many bargains that can be made Although it is said that it is usually the seller that will gain when coming to auction. Buying at an auction is very different to the normal method of sale. Before the day of the auction the property should have been viewed, valuated and a mortgage should have been raised. It is important to limit yourself to a fixed price and to not go over this limit.

INTERNET

Looking for property over the Internet is becoming a much more popular method in toady's society. It can make the process a lot less time consuming as you do not have to wait for your estate agent to send you details of property as it is at your fingertips.

However there are still parts of the process of buying and selling houses that will have to be taken offline in order to complete the deal. It is a good house hunting method.

Once you have found a house, there are many factors that need to be carefully evaluated before a final decision can be made.

  • Location - traffic/local amenities/trains/
  • Accommodation - how many rooms?/kitchen large enough?/separate toilets?
  • Structure - National House Building Council Buildmark?/which way does property face?/damp?/rot?/General Decor
  • Fixtures and Fittings - what is to be left?
  • Services - Fuel consumption/water discolouration?/hard or soft water?/
  • Council Tax - how much?
  • Parking - garage/room for more than one car
  • Vacant Possession - When could you move in?

Once these things have been considered and you are happy with the outcome it would be wise to go back and have a second look at the property. It would be best to pick a different time, day and weather condition, if possible.