Five Benefits of using a Property Finder – what do they do differently?
With a host of property search engines at your fingertips – Rightmove, Zoopla, primelocation to list but a few – why would you actively engage a property finder when you can do it yourself?
This is the question – understandably – that Chiltern Relocation gets asked a lot. What can you do differently to what I am already doing myself?
With a world of information and properties to pore over online it can feel like you have all options in front of you in order to make an informed decision – but this isn’t always the case.
So, does it pay off to use a relocation agent and why? These are the five benefits of getting on board with a professional home finding company.
1) Access to properties not online
This has to be one of the greatest benefits of a home finder. Relocation companies have excellent links with local estate agents, solicitors, builders and architects and many local networks who are able to alert us to new properties coming to the market. Many houses do not hit the search engines for a variety of reasons: privacy, probate, speed of sale. These properties are advertised through select personal networks and this is how Chiltern Relocation is able to gain access to off market properties. Many vendors prefer to have pre-vetted potential buyers as opposed to open days with multiple viewings throughout the day. Post pandemic the number of off-market sales has soared with 2021 registering a 51% increase on the previous year generating £30billion worth of sales.
2) Avoids FOMO
FOMO – fear of missing out – is a genuine worry with home buyers. Is this the right house for them? Have they seen everything available? Is there an area that they have missed or that they should have looked at?
By using a relocation agent, you can put your FOMO to one side.
Property finders know the areas inside out and know what will work for you. Our local market intelligence ensures that you are buying in the right location at the right price and we look at and understand the longer-term implications of the move (secondary schooling/commuting). At Chiltern Relocation we always include a ‘wild card’ property on our Viewing Days. These are properties that differ from the client’s original brief but that we think would be suitable – perhaps in an area or housing style that hadn’t been previously considered. One client wanted riverside flat in Henley but we knew that they would not gain the space they needed to work from home or the social contact for their son. The clients would not be able to view in person so we carried out the searches on their behalf taking videos and copious notes. We presented a wild card of a village location just outside Henley with plenty of internal space, a garden, close proximity to local school and a great social network. The client was really grateful that we understood their needs better than they could and they settled very quickly.
3) Saves your time and your relocation agent is on hand to view
Many of our clients find it difficult to set aside time to view properties when they come to the market and often discover that by the time the weekend has come round, that the property has already gone under offer. With busy lives and young children, it is hard to drop everything to view a house. However, with a relocation agent they can view the property as soon as it comes to the market and in Chiltern Relocation’s case, we are usually offered the ‘first view’ for our clients making sure that they do not miss out and, if the property is suitable, are in a strong position to make an immediate offer before other viewings.
Buying agents are also able to view a wide range of properties in a wide range of locations on your behalf and take videos and photos to give you an invaluable insight into multiple options in order to produce a shortlist ahead of viewing together.
4) We know the right price
Negotiation is a key part of the job for relocation agents. Knowing the right price for properties is our job. At Chiltern Relocation we are able to steer clients through negotiation processes successfully and have an excellent success rate with sealed bids. We know when a house is overpriced and it is better to walk away and we also know when to look outside of the budget at possible houses that would accept an offer or conversely at properties that are well below budget but could make a fantastic build project.
5) We know the right people
Buying a house involves a lot of professionals and knowing the right people can make a huge difference. We have amazing contacts with builders, solicitors, architects, landscape designers, interior designers etc and they can all play their part in a successful house purchase. Chiltern Relocation has arranged for an experienced architect to view a house with us to explain the changes that could be made to clients who have gone on to buy successfully. We have viewed houses with award winning builders who can explain their vision for a plot and how the finances would stack up. We know solicitors who know if a house is under probate and likely to be coming to the market and who will advise us accordingly. We know landscape gardeners who can have the vision for a garden that initially was seen as a deal breaker.
If you would like to find out more as to what a relocation agent does differently then please read our blog.
If you would like help with your move please do get in touch. Tel: 01494 672086. Email: enquiries@chilternrelocation.com
Visit: www.chilternrelocation.com
