The UK’s property market is very busy right now, with a combination of the stamp duty holiday making moving cheaper and people moving out of the city because they’re working from home more.
A brisk (putting it mildly) market is great news for sellers, that’s for certain, but it can be challenging for house hunters, who are faced with more competition than usual.
There are a few things you can do to stay buoyant in a busy market, thankfully, so gird your loins and read on!
Hit up all the property portals
Check out all of the portals, all of the time. At least twice a day you should be scrolling through listings, looking for fresh properties and reductions (although these may be a rare bird). You need to see as many properties as possible so you can make an informed and balanced choice.
Apply for your mortgage-in-principle
If you have the finances pinned down then you can be out of the starting blocks straight away, which could help you to fend off all those rivals. Your estate agent will want to know if you have a mortgage agreed if you plan to make an offer on that dream home that’s just hoved into view.
Engage a solicitor
Having a solicitor ready to go, as well as having all your paperwork lined up means you can nudge ahead of the competition and become someone’s preferred buyer. It also demonstrates that you’re serious about getting things moving.
Get your own property listed – yesterday!
If you need to sell your own property in order to buy your new home, then don’t hang around. Instruct a local estate agent to start marketing your home so that you find a buyer all the sooner. If you have an offer on your place by the time that you’re ready to make an offer yourself, then this puts you in a stronger position.
