Viewing and buying property for sale in Devon or anywhere for that matter can be compared to a psychological game of poke. There are high stakes at risk and huge rewards for the seller/estate agent to avoid inconvenient facts and bluff during negotiations. The great thing is though, that all estate agents, like the team at Strutt & Parker, legally have to tell you the truth. Therefore, the most important thing you need to know is the right questions to ask, in the following article we look at 6 of these.
Why Is The Property For Sale?
Although they don’t have to answer this question, they may hint at the seller’s circumstances. It could be that the owner is desperate to sell, because they have to move for work. This tells you they might be willing to accept lower than the asking price.
What Would You Want To Know About the House If You Were Buying It?
One of the biggest fears when buying is that you may be missing something hugely negative about it that other people seem to know about. It is a good idea therefore to ask the estate agent if they were in your shoes, would they buy or is there something that would put them off? If you still feel you are not getting the full story, you could ask neighbours or local shop owners what they think.
What Is Included In The Sale?
This is an important question as you need to know if things like greenhouses and sheds are included in the price or is the owner taking them when they move. You also need to find out if all the fittings and fixtures are also included in the price, because if they aren’t you will have to buy your own. Basically, make sure you know exactly what you are getting for the asking price, before signing anything.
How Long Has It Been Up For Sale?
Asking this question will give you an indication about how desperate the seller might be at this point. If you find out the house has been on the market for longer than 3 months you could ask the estate agent why they think it has not sold yet. It could be an indication that the property is overpriced or just that there are problems with it that other people have wised up to.
How Long Have The Sellers Lived In The Property?
If they have not lived there very long before putting the house up for sale, it is wise to find out why. It could be that they have had disputes with the neighbours or just that the neighbours are too loud.
Has The Property Changed Hands Many Times?
If the property has changed hands repeatedly in a short amount of time, it could be an indication that there is something seriously wrong with it. You could ask the estate agent for details of previous owners to see if you could contact them and ask them directly why they moved out after such a short period of time.
