Why use a property finder?
What Is A Property Search Agent?
Most people broadly understand what a search agent is.
But fewer, I think, understand the real value that property search agents bring to the process of buying property.
1) Long Term Decisions
When you employ a property search agent, they’re entrusted with far more than simply finding you a building. The outcome of your purchase will impact on your life for many years to come.
We believe your biggest decisions should also be your best decisions in life.
2) The Prime Importance of Location
The old adage, location, location, location is a cliché. Nevertheless it’s true. Distance affects everything. And, aside from the building itself, you’re moving because you want to be nearer some things (i.e. coast, schools, supermarkets) and further from others (crime, noise pollution, heavy traffic), The location you choose to live in impacts upon your life enormously because it affects your distance to everything else.
Idyllic little villlages may not be quite so idyllic if they cut you off from things you want in your life, or they extend the commuting time required to get to them.
A property search agent will work hard to understand your real needs and what’s most important to you – and work to achieve the optimal balance of your most important requirements. This is probably the most difficult part of property buying – negotiating trade offs. There is no such thing as the perfect property, because it’s a matter of balancing out your priorities with the location and what’s available.
3) Local, Practical, Expert Knowledge
A property search agent knows their region inside out. They know the right – as well as the wrong – places to live. Dozens of factors come together to understand what you’re really looking for, and then map that onto your preferred location to look for the right property.
4) Avoiding Lemons, Finding Rough Diamonds.
Some properties look good on paper. With a viewing, they’re a different story.
A professional property finder will not only be able to spot the properties you should steer clear of but also be able to uncover rough diamonds. That is, property which no-one else is touching but which hides some special value no-one else has quite yet appreciated.
In an age where everybody seems to be into renovation and maximising property value, the “undiscovered gems” are of a different sort than there used to be. They tend to be properties that need modernising and bringing up to date for 21st century living. Having expert advice can make you look twice at properties you would never have considered before and yet find them a superior match.
5) Detecting & Pre-Empting Property Problems
When you’re ready to make an offer, you’ll obviously turn to a chartered surveyor. But before then, property search agents can detect many problems and defects which you’ll want investigated by experts.
They’ll also have a thick contact book of professionals, craftsmen, electricians, architects, plumbers, damp proof specialists and structural engineers with whom they can put you in contact. A property search agent can organise such visits even if you’re not there.
The earlier a problem is detected in a property search, the better you can handle your buying strategy, particularly when it comes to negotiation.
6) Negotiation
When you find the property you want to buy, you will have already formed some kind of attachment to it. This can undoubtedl make negotiation trickier. If you really want the property you’re after, you might be more coy about bargaining over the final selling price. Or you might negotiate quite fiercely only to find out you’ve lost your dream property over a trifling negotiating point. Auctions and negotiations tend to bring out unusual behaviour!
Therefore having an impartial, emotionally detached negotiator on your behalf not only eases the pressure on you, but also puts you in a more skilled negotiating position. Knowing how to negotiate and when to accept the price without pushing too far, are skills which are gained by buying properties for many different individuals over the years.
7) Having An Expert On The Ground
If you live outside the area you’re moving to, it can save many hours of arrangements and visits with contractors, estate agents and various other professionals in a property buying process. A property search agent only gets paid upon completion of a property purchase, so they’ll be working hard to make sure the property purchase goes smoothly. And if the process falters for any reason, a property finder will be a central figure in getting things back on track.
8) Hotel Bills, Meals, Petrol & Precious Time
Property buying is a difficult enough process if you’re not moving very far. But if you happen to be moving some distance, the costs of simply finding a property to purchase can be considerable. This is even to think about the time it takes to find properties, undertake research, set up appointments.
Whole evenings, weekends and holidays’ worth of time can get sucked up into the property buying experience. On the other hand, professional home finders really can bring the joy back into the experience. Finding property should be a positive, rewarding experience, not a drudge.
Conclusions
The ultimate result of a successful property search is a better buying decision that will impact your life for many years to come.
If you’re looking for fine property in Devon, Dorset, Cornwall or Somerset, Recoco have been in the search agency business for over 10 years. And if you’re considering using a property search agent, the best place to start is by giving us call on 01392 424 679.
We know you’ll have lots of questions before making a decision, and we’re happy to answer them in an informal conversation about your property search requirements.
