The best thing about going house hunting, is that it is exactly the same as going hunting for anything else in life. It requires preparation and adequate planning as well as research to ensure that you pick the correct house for yourself (and your family).
Think of when you go shopping for clothes in-store. Isn’t it always much easier when you know where something is situated, so you can pick it up easier? Sure it is. It saves you from the tricky minefield that you would have to navigate for the future.
- Look past all the new and fresh upgrades
You need to be looking for things such as sloping walls, floors, doors and windows that stick when opening and noticeable damaging to the exterior. Also very importantly, look for things like mould that has been cleaned off (there will be evidence somewhere), which tells you that the place isn’t exactly safe to live in. Hire a home inspector to help you determine if a place is worth moving into or not. When you keep these things in mind, it makes your house search all that much simpler.
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Finding a desirable place in a hotbed market
There is nothing more annoying and frustrating than wanting to find a place in a hot market, where houses go off the market faster than you can change your clothes. It becomes a challenge however with the right know-how, you are able to gain a significant advantage.
Here is how :
Your
realtor should be able to pull up records of sellers, to acquire their personal information in order to write them a personal note. In the digital age when everything is done online, it is incredible to be able to reach out to someone on a personal level and connect with them. Another smart strategy is sharing the buyer’s needs on social media with agents who have access to real estate that isn’t on the market.
Making your house hunt an inside job, is a given. A lot of people skip this part out because they don’t have the understanding of it. One of the quickest ways of knowing about a house is by going to a garage sale in the area. People often know their own area and you can casually ask the homeowners in the area what their thoughts are. Because they aren’t on the guard, they will be much willing to answer your questions on anything you may ask on. It is also recommendable to return to a property at night and inspect it. The sun does a lot of covering up as well as bright lights. The night lights will show you so much more than you think you could see in the first place.
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Make full use of pricing psychology
It has been long established pricing psychology enables a seller to sell their house at a faster rate. Start looking for prices that “don’t” add up, especially something like $342,000 as opposed to $345,000. The idea behind this trick is that it looks more calculated and thought out, so that you don’t think of negotiating against it. People are much more likely to buy in a number that ends with 7 or 9, instead of a flat 0. Think about your own reactions, and go with that.
You would be surprised how many people seem to miss this very obvious strategy to get into someone’s good books. Look around the home for a shared idea of interest. It can be a book, a movie--even collection of something like furniture. Simply put, we tend to trust and give more to people we like to begin with. Take a picture of yourself in front of the house and send the picture. It subliminally puts you ahead, as the seller starts to see you already living in the house.
Small connections go a long way.
Ensure that the water facilities in the house are working correctly. Check all the sinks, taps and drainage systems. This can easily be done by asking to use the bathroom and hearing the sound that the water makes. If anything needs changing or alarms you, just walk away from the premises. Same goes for things like the gas and electricity.
It is very easy for a realtor to tell you that everything is closely located, however think of things like major public transport links for transit, trains and buses --not to mention good parking spots, if there is none outside the house. What is important is that you do all your independent research, without anyone telling you anything. You may be surprised to find things that you may have overlooked
If you are buying the place, you won’t have much of an issue with this--as once the paperwork is complete, the place is yours. However, if you are
renting a place, you will find that it is imperative to meet your landlord/landlady in person before you choose to go ahead with renting the place. Never overlook how you feel about someone and trust your gut.
