A year can seem like such a long time away, but is it really? I’d say no, especially when it comes to house buying. So, we thought we put together this blog with 4 great tips to help with your property search.

Did you know that approximately 10% of property is sold away from portals?! The best homes are rarely available, so be sure to register your information directly with estate agents, so you are notified about suitable homes before the rest of the world knows about them. For example, we don’t publish our properties straight to Rightmove, in addition to that it takes time for our marketing to be carried out, so in most cases Mortlock & Joyce will be able to inform you about upcoming homes a few weeks (or more) quicker than if you were to wait until you see it on Rightmove. To register, click the below banner and it’ll allow you to do so without needing to talk to anyone!

 

 

Cheesy, we know! I’ll give you an example of a difficult search – you’re looking for a 2-bed flat in London. London isn’t small, and you’re not short of options. Realistically, can you keep an eye on a large market? Probably not. Instead, note what is and isn’t right about homes and feed that back to agents. Now, when registering you can be specific –

Agents should now have a clear picture of what could be a good fit, and you should be at the forefront of their minds about who they should talk to about their new listing.

We have a fantastic example where Arnel & Edita left their details with us. They are both nurses, having lived in their current two-bedroom cottage for 18 years, they wanted to upsize to a three-bedroom, end-of-terraced house. What made it more difficult, is that the property had to be close to the hospital they work in, so Edita could quickly walk home after a long night shift. After a few months of searching Rightmove, they couldn’t find exactly what they were looking for. At the time, I hadn’t seen anything I thought could be a good match. Fortunately, the tech we use allows us to search for homes very specifically, anywhere in the UK (even garden orientation!) After reaching out to a few hundred potentially suitable homes that were ‘off market’, we were able to get Arnel & Edita viewings on three properties that were not anywhere to be found online. The first two were spot on in terms of size, but with busy schedules they felt were too much work. But as they say, third time lucky, they found their perfect house!

Not all agents will be able to offer this service, but regardless, it’s vitally important that they have your information and criteria, to give them the best chance of finding you that dream home.

If you are curious to find out how it’s done and if we could help you, connect with us on the image below:

You’ve now followed the above advice and have seen ‘the one’. It’s time to make a compelling offer. Having a solicitor ready or at least in mind. It's not essential but when it comes to making an offer it could score you some extra points, especially if a seller has a timeline they need to stick to. 

This might sound like we’re stating the obvious, but often, people haven’t got their mortgage agreed in principle. The most common reply we hear is “my broker told me to do that once I’ve found”. This isn’t your fault, but in most cases, it is bad advice. Regardless of market conditions, the best homes tend to be the most competitive. If, you ever find yourself unprepared when offering, is a seller more likely to lean towards the offer that has shown their approved finances, or an offer where a broker has said “everything is fine”. 

If you want a second opinion about mortgages or the process, click on the link below if you wish to set up an initial appointment with a qualified broker to run through your options.

Be nice to the agent, even if you don't like them. They are the middle person speaking to you and the owner. It's time to offer:

Initially, we suggest you call the agent to verbally put over your offer and run through the relative information we have outlined above. Shortly after, send a written copy with any supporting documents, and ask if they could share a cover letter with the seller.

The letters aren’t essential, but our clients who take this advice generally have great results, especially when buying from homeowners rather than investors. Some of them have not only secured the home but at a lower level than others had offered! In the letter, it’s your opportunity to include information about you, your family, and why the property is a good fit – maybe it’s near your family for childcare, your new job is down the road, or your preferred school is in the catchment here. The more personable, the better!

As a small business, our reputation is one of the most important things to us, so we are extra picky about who we work with and recommend. So, if you’re planning to move in the next 6-12 months and would like to get a head start, we can suggest a mortgage broker, solicitor, surveyor, removals, or most things connected with a house move, and we’d be happy to point you in the direction. To chat with us, click the banner below.