Looking for a new home to buy can be done in a range of ways. There are old fashioned ways (which still work very well!), or the more modern, technological ways. Here are some tips for locating your dream home.
Start with a visit to some property websites. If you are looking for a brand new home, you can search on various developer websites, the main national ones all have good websites for you to search for your nearest (or preferred) location. You’ll be able to see houses based on the number of bedrooms and get an artist impression of how the homes will look when they are built. Many developments are advertised a long way in advance of when they are actually built, so you can usually get a good idea of what is around even ahead of when the houses are put up. Buying a brand new home can be a slightly easier way to get on the ladder, offering a range of benefits to the buyer.
Another way to look for a home is through the estate agents themselves. You can make an appointment to speak to an agent, tell them the sort of property you are interested in, along with your budget, and they can help find the right home to match your requirements. Estate agents are actually very useful to speak to, because they often know of houses which are soon to be listed on the market, which have not yet been listed. This can be a great way to explore potential homes which other people do not know about!
Online house sales websites are a third way to start your search. Check out the local property listings, see the sold prices other homes went for and easily filter down your search to a specific area, style of property and even if it has a driveway or not! You could search for things like “houses for sale north Berwick” to get an idea of the types of homes which are for sale currently. There are also options to include sold listings in your search, as this can help you to figure out the budget you want to spend and see what your money could potentially buy you.
Of course, if you have friends and family who know of homes which are for sale, these can be a good source of information too. Asking neighbours, family and friends for any leads can help you to find homes before they are up for sale to the general public.
Once you have a shortlist of homes, it is important that you take the time to go see them in person and view the inside of the property with the sales agent. This is your chance to look round the house, visualise yourself living there, and see what the local area is like throughout the day. During the viewing, you should look thoroughly round the house, ask questions about it and discuss any potential issues with the agent.
