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Finding a place to live in the UK can be difficult; there are all kinds of pitfalls, including chains breaking, bidding wars, worrying surveys, difficult neighbours, unrealistic pricing, dodgy boilers and rentals getting snapped up before you can even go and see them. How can you beat the herd and make that dream home yours? Here, estate agents share their tips on securing the perfect property.
Get your finances ready
“It still shocks me that, pretty much daily, I get viewing requests from buyers who haven’t had a conversation with anyone about their finances,” says Kiel Holder, an independent estate agent in Reading. “On paper, you might think, with money sitting in the bank, ‘Of course I’ll get a mortgage’ – but it might be that one phone bill you failed to pay four years ago reduces the amount of money that lenders offer you.” Holder recommends consulting an independent financial adviser – rather than just going for whatever your bank can offer, as this tends to mean you get a better deal – and having a mortgage in principle ready.
You need to be equally prepared when it comes to rentals, says Nathan Barrow, lettings director at Stow Brothers in east London. The market is “very competitive” and “demand still outweighs supply”. He recommends one month’s rent upfront and then about five weeks’ rent as a damage deposit. “You will also need supporting documents to show your financial stability,” such as payslips, tax returns and bank statements.
Think long term
If you are buying a property, it is helpful to have a five-year plan, says Gareth Yates, an estate agent in Manchester. “Are children on the horizon? Are there any job changes coming up? How secure does life look at the minute? You really need to know what 2030 is going to look like for you. It’s not economical to move regularly.”
It is also important to be clear about what your non-negotiables are. This is essential before you start viewing, says Holder: “If you’ve got two cars, then a driveway or parking may well be essential. If you’ve got children, it might be that school catchments are important.” This will prevent being “tempted by the beautiful chocolate-box cottage that doesn’t match what you actually need. You will be putting it back on the market in a year or two, and stamp duty is quite expensive.”
Go beyond the websites
“Once upon a time, it was all about setting alerts on Rightmove and Zoopla,” says Holder. “But if there is an opportunity to register directly with an estate agent, you absolutely want to do that as well, because that will be the first place any new property appears – directly on the agent’s website or social media.”
“Everybody is addicted to Rightmove,” says Holly Price, founder of Price Independent Estate Agents in York, but she notes that there are many other ways to find a home. “I know of agents that have sold just from a TikTok video.” Price suggests researching the best local independent estate agents to follow on social media and sending them a message to say you are looking.
Get to know the agents
“Try to build a rapport with an agent,” says Holder. “We always work with what we call our ‘top buyers’ or ‘top tenants’. They will be people who are the most memorable, who have got their finances in order, have a good grasp of reality, and know what they are looking for. As an agent, when that home comes up, you know who to call straight away. If someone comes across as challenging or problematic, you’re going to have reservations about working with them over the next three to six months, and you’re going to question if they are going to make it through.”
Does he mind people who are constantly on the phone, badgering him for updates? “I quite like those people,” says Holder. “It tells me that they’re motivated.”
Be prepared to drop everything to get to a viewing
“It becomes a full-time job,” says Yates. “Understand that every weekend, every evening, will be taken up with viewing houses. You’ve got to make sure you’re flexible. If your only viewing availability is 5pm on a Saturday, you’re going to miss out on so many properties.”
The lettings market is all about speed, he adds. “Make sure you have all your information to hand, so if you like that property, you can walk into the office straight after the viewing, fill in the tenancy agreement, give them all the information they need, and get your referencing done the same day. Don’t spend too long thinking about it.” And give agents as much notice as possible if you can’t make a viewing, he says: “People who don’t turn up without notice rarely get another look in.”
Bring a checklist of potential problems
“Look at the radiators and windows,” says Yates. “They’re a good indicator of how well looked after the property is. Is there mould around the windows? Do the windows open? Are there thin radiators that are not going to be very energy-efficient? The other thing to look for is where things have been covered up by paint: if there’s a freshly painted area and the rest of the wall hasn’t been painted, chances are there’s something going on behind it, like damp.”
Holder adds to the list of things to look out for: “Are windows double-glazed? Are you close to a busy road? If so, you might want them double- or triple-glazed. If you’re looking at any new-builds, take a tape measure and get familiar with bed sizes, because a lot of new-builds will feature slightly smaller furniture, which makes the property look bigger – and when you go to move in, you can’t even fit the bed in, let alone the wardrobes. What are you close to in terms of infrastructure? If you’re looking at a home because you want access to a motorway, visit the area during rush hour. How easy is it to get to where you need to go? Because you might have viewed it on a Saturday afternoon when there are fewer cars on the road.”
Find out who will be managing a rental, says Barrow, and “if there are things that you would like addressing, be very clear with the agent. Sometimes tenants fear that if they state anything as part of their offer, that might make them look less favourable. But I think the more open communications are, the better.”
But be flexible
Sometimes it can pay to be open-minded, especially where cleanliness is concerned, says Price: “If a property isn’t clean or tidy, it can really put buyers off, but you’ve got to think that you’re not buying their home, you’re buying your next home.” She recommends not spending too much time marvelling at nice furniture, but checking the boiler instead.
Always see a property twice
“We can spend longer choosing an outfit than we do choosing a home,” says Price. Find out ahead of time how long your viewing will be, make the most of that time, and ask to go back for a second viewing if necessary. This is more applicable when buying rather than renting, since rental properties may be quickly snapped up.
“I know estate agents don’t like it,” says Yates, “but I would go once in the morning and once in the evening. You get an idea of where the sun travels.” Holder suggests looking at a property with the seasons in mind: “Is the sun beating through the windows all day? Or do you get respite? How warm will it get in summer? If it is a new-build flat, it is probably going to be quite toasty.” Likewise, “if you’re viewing a home in winter, is it warm? Is the heating on? Does it feel like the heating has been on for hours? Try and gauge it,” he says.
As the cost of building works has gone up, Price recommends booking a second viewing and taking along a builder, an architect or even a knowledgeable relative to give an honest assessment of what is involved. “Parents always say no,” she says, laughing.
Be a bit nosy about the neighbours
Yates does not advise knocking on neighbours’ doors, but he does suggest turning up early and seeing what is happening in the street. “I always say 8pm on a Friday is a great time to pull up on a road and just see: is it loud? Is there lots of lairiness going on? It will give you a good indication.”
Let the agent know what you think
“Make sure you leave feedback on every viewing,” says Yates. “It shows that you’re willing to give up some of your time because the estate agent wants to get feedback for their vendor, and not everyone does that.”
“Whatever the reason a home isn’t right, constructive feedback helps the agent understand your needs better,” adds Holder. “There may be something coming up which the agent knows about, but nobody else does at that point, and that feedback has just put you in the hot seat without you even knowing.”
Don’t offer too low
If you plan to offer below the asking price, says Holder, “make sure you’ve done the research to justify your decision. Lowball offers without reason may cost you your credibility and significantly reduce the chances of getting a call first when ‘the one’ comes up.”
Manchester is a bit of a mixed market at the moment, says Yates. “Some properties are still going over the asking price, but the general rule is that offers are coming in anywhere between 3-4% below the asking price.”
Barrow says that some renters will offer over what is advertised to try to secure a property, but the new renters’ rights bill will address this, along with no-fault evictions, unfair rent rises and access to pets.
Write a heartfelt note
It is quite common for potential buyers – or tenants – to include details of their personal situation alongside an offer to try to get the edge on the deal. “The cringeworthy notes can be the most powerful,” says Holder. “Speak from the heart. It doesn’t matter how corny it might sound; it’s about what that home means to you and how you feel you’ll grow into it. I’ve had sales before where that letter has made the difference. Some sellers might just laugh at them and go, ‘Who’s paying the most money?’ Others will say, ‘Actually, that’s a really nice sentiment, and even though that offer is £5,000 less, that’s made us really want to go with them, because it’s given us additional security and peace of mind that they’re committed.’ You can’t really lose doing it.”
It can also be well worth putting a note through doors asking if people might be prepared to sell, says Holder. “Sometimes it’s a trigger point for a seller who’s maybe sat on the fence – they take that as a sign.”
Accept that chains are unavoidable
“Suck it up,” says Yates. “People who avoid properties in chains are putting themselves out of most of the marketplace.” The biggest chain that Holder ever worked on had 13 links. “It’s not ideal, but don’t be put off by a big chain if it’s your dream home,” he says.
Get a good team in place
If you’re buying a property, “make sure that you appoint a competent and capable conveyancer,” says Holder. “A really good one is worth their weight in gold. The cheapest option is rarely the right option.”
“Get a solicitor that has been either recommended or is highly rated,” says Price. “A local solicitor, not an online one or someone a couple of cities away. And don’t be afraid to chase the agent, even though you shouldn’t have to. Ring up and say: what’s going on? That’s how you prevent fall-throughs: communication.”
Be prepared for the worst
It’s a sad truth that almost one in three sales in the UK fall through. “It normally comes down to one of two things: mortgage or survey,” says Yates. “Occasionally you will get a vendor pull out because their life situation changes. But normally it is when a survey comes in saying there is £20,000 worth of work to be done and the vendor refuses to reduce.” If you don’t get something, it is always worth putting a letter through the vendor’s door telling them how sad you are, “so that if the sale does fall through, you’re the first name that they think of”, says Yates.
Remember, everything happens for a reason
If you miss out or a deal falls through, it can be gut-wrenching. “Don’t be too sad,” says Holder. “You’ll find your dream home when it’s ready to find you. I see it time and time again: sales fall through, buyers are devastated, but the house they end up in is so much better for them.”
