Most property searches start on the internet, but Rachel Johnston of Stacks Property Search says, “Online is an aid, not a substitute for an exhaustive property search. Buyers that restrict their research to the armchair are likely to fall into the category of chronic searchers destined to look but never buy.
“But at least make your surfing as constructive as possible. My advice would be to set up very carefully organised searches for three or four of the main portals. This will involve:
“There are many advantages to the portals. Some will tell you how long the property’s been on the market, some will tell you whether the price has been reduced, and there’s plenty of historical information and comparisons that you can delve into that will help you build up a picture of the local market. You can also establish which estate agents operate in a particular area.
“But the portals should be complementary to estate agents, not a replacement. A good estate agent will start to build up a picture of what you do and don’t like; going to see properties and reporting back to them on what suited you and what didn’t will be much more effective than trying to get a search engine to understand the way your mind works.
“And remember, the portals are way behind the market. Before you get an e-mail alert, you’re behind the field. Buying agents will have seen the property, as will the proactive buyers who haven’t relied on the portals for their intelligence. And some properties won’t ever find their way onto the portals at all, their buyers preferring to keep a low profile and only show their properties to selected buyers.
“One of the greatest dangers of the property portals is that buyers tend to spend too long on the computer, and not enough time on the road. Property simply isn’t a ‘virtual’ commodity. The impression you get from pictures and descriptions may vary dramatically from the real thing. So by all means start your search on the internet, but get on the phone, talk to the agents, and go and see as much property as you possibly can.”
Stacks Property Search & Acquisition, 01594 842880 / www.stacks.co.uk
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