Don’t only register with one agent

The property market can be a minefield, but armed with good advice, you can find the home you’ve always wanted. Managing Director and Co-founder at Middleton Advisors Mark Parkinson gives his top tips when looking to close a deal.

1. ESTABLISH YOUR PRIORITIES AND WHERE YOU’RE PREPARED TO COMPROMISE

This is often a balancing act between the space and location of a property. So decide, do you have a growing family or work from home? Space is probably going to be a bigger factor so you might want to widen your search area – there are some super quality areas that you might not know about. If you’re commuting every day then location might be more important but it might be worth thinking beyond the Tube. The Overground and Crossrail have made a lot of areas easier to reach than previously. Even when there is a lot of high-quality property on the market, you’ll probably only be able to tick about eight out of ten boxes so be clear on your non-negotiables.

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH

If you’re looking for a two-bedroom flat you should look at least 10 properties. Our advisors see well over 250 properties a year, some years more than 500. The more research you do the better placed you are to negotiate.

3. DON’T ONLY REGISTER WITH ONE AGENT

Every London area will have five to 10 main agents. Talk to all of them. An agent might not have what you are looking for today, but they might get one on their books next week. Your buying journey won’t be done and dusted in a couple of weeks so you should be certain to leave no stone unturned so you don’t miss out on what you’re looking for.

4. YOU CAN AFFORD TO BE FUSSY

There will be more supply coming onto the market in the next couple of years as more and more people come off low fixed-rate mortgages. Assuming interest rates settle around the four per cent mark, that’s quite a bit higher than many people fixed at a couple of years ago and could mean a number of strategic sales.

Read the full article Wondering how you find your dream house at the right price? for more detail on these top tips:

5. Don’t disregard a property just because it’s been on the portals for a while 6. Be proactive 7. Be sure to check out the wider area 8. Make an offer 9. Look for properties you can improve in some way 10. The garden question 11. View more than once