Questions to ask when buying a House

When looking to buy a Devon property there are a few questions you should always keep in mind to make sure you end up buying the house of your dreams, rather than a home from hell.

When speaking to the seller, either directly or via a Devon estate agents there are a few questions you might need to ask:

• What exactly does the sale include - garage, size of land, fixtures and fittings etc
• How much is the current council tax bill and utility bills
• What are the neighbours like
• Has the loft been insulated
• Have there been any problems with the boiler and when was the last time it was inspected
• Does the property have cavity wall insulation
• Does the property have central heating, and if so how old is it?
• Is the property a listed building or is it in a conservation area
• Has the property been altered in anyway, and if so is it possible to see the relevant planning documents

When viewing the property there are some questions that you should be asking yourself.

• Does the property need any updating?
• What are the views like?
• Do the windows need updating, if it’s a wooden frame and you can press your fingers into them they could well be rotten
• Is there enough storage space?
• Are there enough power points?
• Are there any cracks in the walls that could be a sign of subsidence?
• Can you see any signs of damp?
• Is the pointing on the walls still intact?

If you find yourself struggling to answer any of these questions you might want to take a professional around so that they can point out any potentially problematic faults.

The biggest question you will have to ask though is one that only you can answer, does this feel like your home?

Save money and buy a distressed property

With the current financial climate the amount of repossessions is on the increase, figures show that house repossessions are at a 14 year high. Many people who are close to having their property repossessed are trying to sell their house as quickly as possible which in turn gives first time buyers a chance to pick up bargains by buying what the industry has named ‘Distressed property’.

What are the advantages of buying a distressed property?

One of the main advantages of buying a distressed house is the price; distressed sellers are looking for Quick Property Sale and to claim back the best Cash for Property they are selling.

Distressed properties can sometimes give buyers a price reduction of up to 30% of the properties recommended listing price. Another advantage to buying a distressed property is the fact that no chain is involved so the buying process is much easier and faster for the parties involved.

What are the disadvantages of buying a distressed property?
There are not many disadvantages to buying a distressed house; the only factor that can differ between distressed and normal house sales is the house condition.  Many houses are refurbished and renovated before they are sold to increase the value returned, with distressed houses they are sometimes in poor condition due to the owner’s financial situation. In some cases the previous tenants may have removed as much as humanly possible from the house to recoup as much money as possible to repay their debts, so houses in this condition will cost more to refurbish and make habitable again.

Buy a Cheap Home

Buying a property is a big step for anyone to take. A property will be the biggest purchase of your life and for low to medium earners one that can be very hard to initially buy. The hard work often pays off though as you can find yourself with a good return on investment, especially if you buy a Below Market Value Property which often come in the form of repossessed homes.

A repossessed home is becoming more and more common and whilst there are a wide variety of reasons for them to happen, one of the most common reasons is the owner struggling to pay their outgoings on a monthly basis. Once this happens more frequently, a back log occurs and they get into more trouble. Often, the only option for them is declare themselves bankrupt and it is generally at this point their house is repossessed and is put up on a Residential property auction.

Because these houses often require a quick property sale they can be available for far less than if they were valued and put on the open market which makes them a great investment for first time buyers. Of course, its not just first time buyers that like to take advantage of the investment opportunity, it is honed business men and women who see their next money making opportunity.

It is because of this that it is important that you do your research prior to attending the auction and if possible attend other auctions before the one you want to bid in so you can get a feel for how they work. If the process is all a little daunting or you find attending these live auctions problematic then there are a whole host of online property auctions these days that you can safely bid in the comfort of your own home.

Things you should know about Property Auctions

So, you’ve bitten the bullet and decided to try and buy BMV property through an auction. Hopefully you have chosen to do this having spent some considerable time researching and attending previous auctions so you have got a feel for what they are like, what the process is and how the format works.

Here are just a few reminders for you prior to your big day:

1. Before bidding takes place it is a good idea to get pre-qualified by a lender so you know that you have the financing on the spot if you are the successful bidder.
2. When the hammer goes down and the auctioneer says sold, that property is yours. There is no going back at this point so you need to have made sure you have researched the property well and are certain you want it.
3. On any given auction day it is quite possible for twenty plus properties to be up for auction and each one could take as little as an hour to be won, so you need to be on the ball and make sure you are ready for your ‘lot’. If you snooze you lose.
4. Keep to budget. One of the biggest pitfalls people face is when they get too excited and end up bidding more than they have originally allowed for the property. This can lead to all manner of problems so stay disciplined.

Of course, these days, auctions can be even easier than this. Surf online and you will come across Property for sale by auction online, which makes the whole process as easy as bidding for something on your other favourite online auction sites.

Property Auction Selling: Advantages

It is expected that over 35% of people will use Property Auction Websites to sell their own home in the next 5-10 years and there are several reasons why this may be.

One of the biggest and most attractive advantages of selling a property online is that it is guaranteed to be a quick sale. No time wasters are allowed and it means that you’ll not have to show your house to every Tom, Dick or Harry on request. One of the hardest things to do is sell a house when you are working full time and struggle to find the time for other important things, let alone to be at home so you can show a potential buyer around.

Another attractive advantage of selling your property via auction is that the house is put up and sold ‘as is’ rather than the open market where most estate agents will encourage you to ‘spruce it up’ and modernise the interior prior to selling if your house requires it. One of the biggest problems this causes is trying to find the money it will take to make the improvements and then also the time this will take too. An auction house will take the property as it is and anyone that is bidding on the property will be aware that it is sold as is.

When one of the main reasons to sell you house is to free up some money and help you get back on your feet, selling a house via one of the Online House Auctions is one of the best ways to do this due to the speed your house can be sold.

Sell your House Now

I’ve got an idea that might defy any or all of the good advice you have had over the years. You’ll be familiar with this good advice, it starts off with your parents telling you how important a good education is and carries on throughout the years to how important it is to get on the property ladder. I believe that whilst the first piece of advice is always going to be good, I feel the second piece of advice is only good when the timing is right. Buying a house in today’s climate is actually probably not a good idea and whilst many have already bitten the bullet and got on the first rung of the property ladder, those that haven’t shouldn’t feel envy.

It’s a known fact that many of the people that have got on the property ladder have been struggling to repay their mortgage with arrears mounting up month after month and as a last resort settling for a Quick House Sale for Cash. If you are one of those people, you will probably feel enormous pressure and stress especially if you are responsible for a family too. There is often a great deal of shame that comes with admitting you are in financial dire straits but the sooner you face up to the problems you have, the sooner you can get it sorted and move on with your life. Sell your property and rent it back could be a good option if you want a quick sale or alternatively you could cut your losses altogether, sell up, settle up and go and fulfil your dream doing what you have always wanted to do.

A better way to sell your house?

What’s more stressful than selling your home? Losing your job, being riddled with debt, experiencing a family break up, or all of the above? It just so happens that having to sell your property is usually as a direct result of all or one of these factors mentioned and you may be praying for someone to come along and buy your property for cash to get you out of the hole you are on.

For some time there has been pressure and an expectation to own your own home in this society: get on the property ladder and have a mortgage. But what happens when the mortgage becomes a noose around your neck? With the economic climate being as it is, the threat of redundancy is omnipresent. When it happens, the inevitability of running up debt just to survive and feed your family is inescapable and can lead on to greater problems like your marriage due to the high stress levels and constant worry looming over your heads.

It can feel like there is no where to turn and whilst it was once an exciting reality owning your own property, providing for your family and having those big plans, is it now a distant memory replaced with fear and anxiety. The DIY plans are put on hold, the garden landscaping axed and trying for another baby suddenly seems reckless. Whilst you are stressing about how to cover the increasing mortgage repayments you may be relieved to know that there are companies that allow you to sell your property and rent it back. This means you and your family get to stay where you are, the kids continue with the same school and there is no upheaval caused by moving. Plus you get to pay a reasonable rent rather than an extortionate mortgage, so perhaps some of those plans you had shelved can be dusted off and started again.

Man and Van Removals

Looking at moving house? There are so many things to thing about. You are running around before the date that you have to move out asking yourself have I done everything. Have a cancelled the gas and electricity suppliers?  Have I redirected the mail and notified the bank of my change of address?  Have I cancelled the phone line and told all of my friend where I am going? With all this to think about you can easily become overwhelmed.

It’s no wonder that people choose to get a professional company in to help them move. For starters it eliminates the need to be thinking about if you can get all of your stuff in the back of one, two or three cars. You also won’t have to think about whether you need a ford transit van or some other type of commercial van.

Leave it to the professionals. Let them decide how much stuff you have and what size vehicle you need. Just book them and sit back and what someone else do all of the work and stake the stress out of moving home.

It will be bliss allowing someone else to al of the lifting, watching them struggle getting all of your stuff in the van and packing everything away. All you will have to do is lead them to your house and watch them unpack at the other end. Why should you struggle with your wardrobe up the stairs?

Professional removal companies will help you move to you new home more efficiently. It shouldn’t be looked upon as an additional experience but more as a professional service that will make the transition to your new home more comfortable.

House problems?

After the media exposure of the government’s expenses claims there was an out cry of public opinion showing disgust for these politicians cheek in fiddling their claims.

Some politicians had chosen to claim the home in which they lived was in fact their second home and an additional home else where was actually their primary place of residence. At a time of recession there is little sympathy for these people who can’t fill a form out correctly and are unsure of where they live.

The state of the economy has seen people have their houses repossessed as they where unable to meet payments, yet politicians have managed to claim money that they are not entitled to.

Many of these politicians seem to forget that they are working for us and are on a substantially higher wage than the majority of the country yet still continue to receive substantial benefits.

Perhaps we aren’t being sympathetic enough to their problems? It must be hard choosing in which house to live, as most of us only have one to choose from, so we do have it pretty easy. Yet they can be grateful that under the unfortunate circumstance they claim too much money, or ‘accidentally’ receive too much cash a simple ‘I will return the money and apologise’ is all they have to do and then come the pat on the back. All is forgiven. Unfortunately it’s not as simple as other working folk. What would be viewed by many companies as theft would result in being sacked and then being pursued by legal charges.

An excuse of ‘oh I forgot to pay for that’ will work wonders if you are a politician but try that when you’re halfway out the door of WH Smiths with the latest copy of  Private Eye and security will be on you quicker than you can say ‘evening officer’.

To make matters worse, this all comes at a time when house prices are plummeting and the property in which they reside is less than what they paid for it. Many people are moving towards Cash for Property services to enable to keep their heads above water.

Things to Consider When Looking for a House Part 2

Last time we talked about considering the things that are important to finding an ideal home and that these things might have not have been considered. We looked at the importance finding the right location and how this is one thing that cannot be changed. This article will look at other key elements of finding and looking at any new potential home that you find to avoid any nasty surprises.

One big question on many people’s lips is ‘what potential does the house have?’ Many people are looking to develop their own house with an extension perhaps for a conservatory, porch or maybe even an additional bedroom. Look at other house in the street and see what they have done as this will give you an idea of the likelihood of getting planning permission for that extension.

You need to remember that the internal decoration of the property can be changed at any stage. Very few people move into to a new house they have just bought and keep it exactly that way that they bought it in, as people like to personalize it by putting their own stamp on it.

There are some people who really enjoy the sun, so for these people the way the house faces play a large part in what will be considered a good property or not. This is one thing that doesn’t change so it is important that this is something that is addresses right from the beginning. A rear garden that faces the right direction is for many people a deal breaker when it comes to choosing a house.

Another major consideration to a lot of people is the outside look of the property. It’s important that you like the look of the property. This is a very individual thing and what some people consider to be nice others would look to change. Many people do not really change the brick work of the building out the outside appearance except from the front garden.

If you don’t want a lot of work to do on the property a new build is probably what you want to be looking for. Yet for those of you who are looking for a bit more of a challenge and wanting to put your own stamp on it repossession is worth considering. Sometimes repossessed houses are a little worse for wear but that can be had at a bargain price.

To help eliminate additional stress of moving and starting a life else where many people have opted for a Quick Property Sale for Cash which enables them to get cracking on to the next big adventure. A Quick Property Sale can be just what you need to get you moving quickly in the right direction.