Of the thousands of house sales our co-founder Albert Hill has overseen, no two transactions have ever been the same. However, certain themes have emerged that every homebuyer should know about. There are pitfalls to avoid, practicalities to consider and even moments when you should stop listening to advice and go with your gut. Albert and our managing director Lou Willocks discussed all this and more at a recent online session for homebuyers, which we have précised below …

If you are thinking of selling your home, you can join Albert and Lou for the next online talk at 6pm on 16th September that will guide you through the key stages of bringing your house to market. Obviously, it’s a journey we’d be delighted to take you on in real life. But for now, please sign up to our free online session by emailing marketing@themodernhouse.com. 

“Know your non-negotiables, but keep an open mind”

Rather than asking yourself, ‘What do I want?’ when looking for a house, it may be more beneficial to ask, ‘Of the available options, what might work for me?’ It’s very unlikely that you’ll end up buying what you have in mind at the start of your search. The place you buy will probably be a different size, price, location, condition, style, etc., so the sooner that you get comfortable with that fact, the better. Work out what your non-negotiables are, but beyond that it’s good to keep an open mind.

Tulach Ard, a remote loch-side home in the Scottish Highlands (recently on the market with Inigo) is an excellent example of what you could find when casting your net wide. One of the most popular homes we have marketed recently, it had over 200 viewing requests, although as Albert says, “Of the 200 people, I’m pretty sure none of them had a brief that matched the description of this very unique house.”

“The squeakiest wheel gets the oil” 

This is important to remember at every stage of buying a house. The more you can befriend and/or hassle estate agents, the better. Speak to them on the phone and in person if you can, and follow up with an email outlining your basic criteria and your buying position. They may then contact you when something goes lives, or even before.

“Don’t rely on Rightmove” 

Sign up to other resources such as Zoopla, OnTheMarket, etc. Lots of smaller agents aren’t on Rightmove because it is expensive for them. Keep your parameters as wide as possible when signing up for alerts – go outside of your budget and your geographic comfort zone, because these can always be narrowed later on. Allow yourself to be tempted by places beyond your preconceived idea of what you want – look on The Modern House and Inigo, as well as other Instagram accounts that aren’t all about rigid search criteria. 

“Start viewing beforeyou’re fully ready to buy” 

The sooner you can start viewing, the better. It’s hard to judge a place without context, but if you’ve seen some homes before, it’s a lot easier to work out whether it’s good for you or not. When you go to a viewing, turn up early, before the homeowners and the estate agents can get their game faces on. Imagine your daily routine at the place you’re viewing; walk around the house as if you live there and imagine where you’d spend your time. Take notes and ask awkward questions – be blunt and dig as deep as you can.

“Have a collaborative mindset when making an offer”

Making an offer is a good time to establish a collaborative mindset between you and the sellers. The process shouldn’t be adversarial – don’t think of it as buyer vs seller. Remember that you both want the same thing: a fair deal. Start things off in an environment of goodwill; agreeing a price is a major negotiation followed by lots of smaller ones (moving dates etc), so it’s important to set a positive tone from the start.

When making an offer, briefly explain why you like the place, as well as your buying position. Get your legal and financial ducks in a row first, and let the sellers know this. Make offers verbally if you can, so that you can gauge reactions, but always follow things up in writing.

“Be prepared to be freaked out by the survey” 

Although it may seem a long way off, the survey (if you are getting one) is an important part of the process. Surveys range from Levels 1 to 3, and usually Level 3 is not needed unless it’s a particularly challenging building. If it is built out of unusual materials, it’s always recommended to get a specialist surveyor – for example, we often sell apartments in buildings made from concrete (like the Isokon Building), which would benefit from a specialist.

Everyone is always freaked out by the survey, because it usually makes the house / flat seem like it is full of issues. The reality is that surveyors have to list all defects in order to cover themselves, but many of them may not be as much of an issue as they seem. It’s a good idea to call the surveyor afterwards and ask them to talk you through it, so that you can get a sense of what they are really concerned about, and what they’re just saying to cover themselves. You could try to meet them at the house / flat after the survey, or even ask if you can be present at the survey (although this is unlikely to be permitted, it is possible). Polite pushiness always pays when you’re a buyer.

“Keep your eye on the prize throughout lengthy searches” 

After your offer has been accepted, the next stage of the process involves what is commonly known as “the searches.” This is when searches will be carried out about the finer details of the house, the land it sits on, etc. This process can be long and stressful, and solicitors can be adversarial. At this stage, it’s important to keep your eye on the prize, as it can start to feel like a long time since you first fell in love with the place. Be realistic and ready to compromise on certain minor issues, and focus on progressing towards exchange and completion.

“Tips for a smooth completion”

Try not to complete on a Friday; if anything goes wrong, it may be difficult to fix before the weekend. Friday is also the busiest day for removal firms, so it’s best to avoid it if you can.

Be prepared to be hit with buyer’s remorse – after all the hard work to buy the house, once you’re finally inside the empty house / flat it’s normal to question your decision. Remember that once you’ve moved your stuff in, it won’t take long before it feels like home.

Words Holly Nicholas

Photography William Pitt; French + Tye