Dealing with estate agents

[Yak]

OK, i've decided to try and buy my own house as my rents going up by 6.3% soon :mad:

I've been doing a far bit of (scary) research on the web and the one part that i cant find information about is how to deal with estate agents while looking...

Do you Email your requiremts to them, then wait.
Or do you have to keep phoneing them up to see what they have?

I have a worring feeling that I have waited to long and all the houses i want I no longer can afford :(

Any help appresiated :)

[Wak]

You can go in and tell them what you want and ask them to phone you or send the details when something comes up, or you can phone up and tell them to send everything in a certain area/price range etc, or go there periodically and look at the photos of properties on display.

[NikB]

I think it's best to go in and have a chat with them, let them know what you need, this helps to let them know you are serious. They will put your details on record and send you detail swhen they have them.

It is also a good idea to pop in once/twice a week and see what they have as places at good prices often go before they have printed the sale sheets. Get to know them, hassle them a bit so thet they always think of you first when somewhere comes up.

Cheers

Nik

[Jeff]

Now the market is slowing down a bit, they should be falling over themselves to show you potential new homes :)

I am moving into a new house this week and certainly had no lack of suggestions from the 3 estate agents I spoke to while looking - the hard part is getting them to leave you alone once you've found somewhere! :rolleyes: :D

[Scottie]

You need to look through all the house adverts in local papers, and also drive round the areas you want to live in and pick out the houses yourself. You'll be lucky to get an estate agent contact you about a good house, they normally get snapped up quite quickly.

[Yak]

Cheers guys,

Hassling people... not my greatest skill :( Got intimidated just going in one today and ended up emailing them to find that the house was no longer available :(

I know where I want to live as Im already there :p but only renting. Whis I had bought a house a yea or 2 ago before every thing went mental.. as now most of the houses that look interesting are out of my price range DAGNAMIT :( :mad:

I hat it when they say the houseing market is boyant or is doing well when thay actualy meen tis feckn extionate ... sorry I knoe im ranting again but its a right pain

Thanks all the same...

[Jeff]

:( prices are extortionate m8. I thought you chaps oop north had things a bit better price wise? Bristol and Bath are seriously silly (and how anyone can afford to live in London I have no idea) :(

Best of luck with your search tho - hastle people as best you can and make sure they know you're serious and you'll hopefully find what you're after :)

[Yak]

Sorry I was ranting... Feel better now though :)

How much did you pay for your house.. if you dont mind me asking?

[Jeff]

Originally posted by Yak
Sorry I was ranting... Feel better now though :)

How much did you pay for your house.. if you dont mind me asking?
A lot!! Well, is to me anyway :rolleyes:

3 bed detached = £160k :eek:

That's bloody good value for this area as well. Unbeleivable init :(

Oh well, hopefully won't need to move again for 20+ years :D

[Yak]

Well that's 2.5 X my upper limit!

Must find better paying job! Ming you im earning 25% more than I was when I was working in london. :confused:

OK another question, If you make an offer under the asking price, how mcuh do ya doing it by? as a %. Is there any logic to it?

[Jeff]

Originally posted by Yak
OK another question, If you make an offer under the asking price, how mcuh do ya doing it by? as a %. Is there any logic to it?
You do it via the estate agent usually. They will have an idea of what the vendor is likely to accept, but will also want to get the most they can (more commission for them). Ask the estate agent what they think they'll accept and knock a couple of grand off for good measure :)

Saved £5k off the asking price from mine BTW but it was (comparitively) well priced to begin with coz they wanted a quick sale :)

EDIT: Also mate, as you're currently renting, make sure they know you're not part of a chain - means things will go thru quickly and they know they won't have to wait as long before getting their greasy mits on their share of the money :)