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Andrea Harlin, M.A.
Part 1 of 3
Six Questions You Should Ask an Estate Agent
By Izzy Evans
I am recommending this article because it provides a step by
step guide for purchasing and selling real estate. This article
also lays out the process in a step by step easy to follow the
course of action. This article covers how to interview an agent,
to find out why the seller is selling their home, and negotiating
the price. Please read this article and implement as you
purchase and sell homes.
Part 1 Real Estate Questions to Ask When Buying and
Selling Properties
Whether you are buying or selling, moving can be a stressful
time, and it is highly important that you find the right estate ag
ent. Going with your gut instinct about an estate agent can be
useful. If you don't feel comfortable giving an agency your
house to sell, then don't choose them. However, you should
not go on gut instinct alone; make sure you ask questions as
this can give you helpful insight and information about
prospective agents. This article talks about six important
questions you should ask a potential estate agent if you are
buying a home.
If You Are Buying:
1.
Why is the owner selling?
This is a good starter question, and the answer should
give you some insight into why the owner no longer
wants their house. It may be that they have already
bought another house, either in the UK or abroad. In
these circumstances, the owner may want to sell their
house quickly so they can settle into their new
property. You may also want to check what is
included in the sale. You don't want to buy a house
only to find later that the fixtures and fittings were
not included.
2.
How long has the property been on the market?
If a house has been sitting on the property market for
more than six months, there may be underlying
problems that you may not initially notice. In worst
case scenarios there may be structural issues or damp,
but in many cases, the property may just simply be
overpriced. It is possible that if a house has been
languishing on the property market, the owner may
accept an amount that is lower than their asking
price.
3.
How did you decide on an asking price?
An estate agent should be able to provide a good
justification for the asking price that decided. You
can decide whether or not you agree with this
evaluation. Check the asking prices for other nearby
houses that are for sale as this can give you a good
idea of the average for the area.
4.
What offers have the owners had so far?
In the majority of cases, an estate agent will tell you
if there have been other offers made but will not tell
you how much they were. This can give you an idea
of the popularity of the property and whether you
need to make a more rapid decision. You may also
want to ask what the seller's minimum price is, as a
minimum negotiable price could save you a great
deal of money.
5.
Are there any important plans for the area?
This is a question that you can answer by doing your
research about the area, but it can also be useful to
ask the estate agent for their opinion. You may not
want to move to an area only to find that a local train
or bus service is shutting down or that a local
supermarket is planning on relocating.
6.
Is the property listed?
It is important to know whether a property is listed as
this can affect what you can change about the house.
Equally, if a property is in a conservation area, there
may be other restrictions on what you can do. It
would be disappointing to buy what you thought
would be a 'fixer-upper' property only to discover that
it was a listed building.
Part 2 will discuss real estate questions to ask when
selling
properties.