Tips That Every Buyer Should Know

Be friendly with the estate agent

An estate agent is looking to work on behalf of their client and make a sale, but estate agents are busy and often have a lot of clients to look after. If you take the time to develop a relationship with your estate agent and give them as much support as you can, you’ll find that they are more likely to work harder of your behalf.

Set your budget

This is crucial and you need to think about all of the related costs and how much you can afford to spend in total. You may have an idea about what you can afford to spend on a house but don’t forget that there will be survey costs, stamp duty and solicitor fees to think of. Knowing all of your costs and knowing how far you can afford to go with respect to expenditure will; help you to spend accordingly.

Show how you will fund the purchase

If you are asked how you will fund the purchase, it is important to be in a position where you can show funds. This is where having confirmation from an independent party, such as a bank manager or building society, that you can provide funding to the agreed limit is crucial. Showing that you are serious and in a position to purchase will ensure your bid is treated with the respect it deserves.

Do your research

If you are planning on staying in an area for a period of time, make sure that you want to stay in the area. This means you should get a good feel for it, and this takes more than an hour or two. You want to speak to locals and get their opinion, while you also want to make sure that you find out about amenities and schools. You will find information online and social media can be a great way to get insight from locals and a real flavour. In this area, online and offline research is crucial. Your research should also consider what local and similar properties sold for.

Don’t make silly bids

While you want to pay as low a price as possible, there are some bids that can be seen as an insult, and this may see any further bid you place being ignored. This is why it is important to ensure that your opening bid is sensible for all parties, and not a way of hardballing to the lowest possible price. This is where getting advice from an expert is likely to be the best decision you’ll make because it could save you from making an embarrassing mistake.

Follow through with your promises

The buying process can be a fraught one and this means that many people or actions are dependent on other people or actions. If you promise to do something on a certain date or time, make sure you do it. This removes a lot of stress and it also ensures that you are a person that is trusted. If people don’t trust you in a property purchase, you may find that you struggle to get your way.

You should also:

• Arrange a survey
• Have a solicitor ready to work on your behalf
• Take your time before committing to a purchase