From understanding different jargon to negotiating an offer, buying a new home can be an extremely stressful process. Luckily an expert has shared her top tips on making things that bit easier
No matter how much you sugarcoat it, moving house is stressful. From fitting in countless viewings to knowing what you should be looking for in the first place, even the matter of finding a home can increase your stress levels – and that’s before thinking about the logistics of the move itself.
Luckily, there are people on hand who can take a bit of that worry outside of the process. While TV fans may be familiar with Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer helping homeowners and first-time buyers every step of the way, other people like home and property finder Carolyn Flowerdew are also on hand to make finding a dream a little bit easier.
From negotiating with estate agents to helping people find the ideal location, Carolyn’s services are all about putting the fun back into moving homes. “I always say to people that yes, my service is like Kirstie and Phil, but unlike them, I don’t show people four properties and then disappear off! I research areas for people, so if people are moving into the area and don’t know it, I do a lot of research providing details on exactly where you should be looking to live if you want to be in a particular school catchment, for instance,” she tells The Mirror.
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“I also look at what the actual commute times are based on my knowledge of actually living in these areas. I cover Cheshire and South Manchester, which I know exceptionally well, so if you’re working in Manchester, I can tell you how long you should expect it to take you, not based on a Google search. Anyone can Google, whereas my answers are from being on the ground here and seeing it and living it.”
In an age where viewings can be hard to secure around our busy lifestyles, Carolyn, from Property Finder Altrincham (propertyfinderaltrincham.com), can also view properties on other people’s behalf. “Everyone’s busy nowadays, trying to fit a moving house in can be really hard. I’m the person that takes as much of that time consuming side as possible off you so that you can continue everything in your life,” she says.
“I’m there to shortlist properties, so I’ll view them and then tell people if it fits their criteria or not. Even if it doesn’t, I might tell them I think they should see it because it’s a great spot. It’s getting to know people and understand what makes them tick.”
As a result, it would be an understatement to say that Carolyn knows a thing or two about the moving process. With buying a home coming with a hefty price tag, Carolyn has seen firsthand the mistakes that prospective homebuyers make.
“With house moving, people go into it with a long list of what they want. Having someone like me there can make you look at it a little bit differently and decide, well, is that actually important? Is that spare room that you’ll use twice a year crucial or can we look at a house that might have extra space downstairs that you could use for that when someone comes to stay? It’s making people look at things a bit differently, really,” she explains.
As well as being flexible with what you want in a home, Carolyn adds that this flexibility is great once you’ve found a house you may like. Whether you can be flexible with move-in dates or are willing to compromise on other aspects of the offer, this can be hugely appealing for sellers.
“There’s an element of having to be flexible, but obviously only as flexible as you’re prepared to go. If you’re desperate for a house, think about what you are prepared to change. Also get to know what it is you think the sellers want and what you can do to your offer to make it seem stronger than anyone else’s can help,” says Carolyn.
“Also, if the owners are in the house when you go and view it, I always try to have a conversation with them. Some people want people to buy their house that they know will love it as much as they have. You never know, that could be the tipping point.”
But her number one tip? Be prepared. “You need to make sure you’ve got your finances in place, your mortgage and that you’ve done some level of research so that if you want to be taken seriously by a seller,” she says. “Be ready to do what it takes.”
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