Look Online First
Nowadays, there are plenty of online property search engines that can help you find the property of your dreams. Type in what you are looking for and where, and press Search. You’ll see all the options that meet your criteria without the need for an estate agent.
This saves you a lot of time as you don’t have to consult with individual estate agents before finding something that sparks your interest. When you have a shortlist of properties, then you can reach out for an appointment. It is also a relatively stress-free process as you are presented with plenty of options strictly within your criteria. This means you don’t have to waste time looking at properties that don’t suit your needs but that agents want to show you!
Consider A Fixer-Upper
Buying a house that needs some TLC might sound like a lot of work, but it can mean a simpler sale process. Properties that aren’t in the best condition are often not in high demand. They have been on the market for a while, and the owners are often keen to sell up quickly. This means you have more power in negotiating. You can put in a lower offer, push for better terms and seal the deal a lot quicker. You will also face lower stress levels as there are likely fewer people competing for the same property and less risk of it all falling through. Buying a fixer-upper will also offer you a return on your investment, as once completed, the property will be worth more.
Get Some Savings Behind You
The more you have on hand as a deposit, the more willing lenders will be to part-finance your property. If you can approach lenders with a solid amount of capital, you will benefit from easier negotiations, better rates, more incentivizing terms, and a faster setup process. A good starting point to aim for is 20% of the total value of your dream home. If you’ve got this saved, you will find getting a mortgage much easier.
To find out where you stand, the best thing to do is to visit a mortgage comparison site like Trussle, for example. Here you can input the deposit you have or want to have, your income, outgoings, and various other data. It will then present you with multiple options from different lenders based on your financial status. It’s a valuable tool when working out when is the best moment to start your home-buying journey.
Close The Sale In The Winter
Typically, if you buy a home in the winter, it will cost you less. This is because there are often fewer buyers in the market as few want to move house over the Christmas period. This is a relatively well-kept secret for those in the know. Not only will it cost less, but everyone involved will be keen to close it as soon as possible to make way for festive and end-of-year. Stakeholders will be more receptive to offers, better terms, and ensuring the process is completed as soon as possible.
Springtime tends to benefit from plentiful inventory, but a higher number of buyers in the market means prices can be higher. There is also more demand meaning the buyer is not in the best position to negotiate or call the shots. If you want a smoother house buying process, you should start looking in October, November, and December.
If you follow these tips, you can save yourself lots of stress when looking for a house. While we cannot guarantee everything will go smoothly, these will make certain aspects of the process more manageable!
