What we do
Finding your dream home in Kent can be challenging. You have probably wasted hours of precious time trawling through the property websites, unable to find what you are looking for. Then whenever you spot something interesting, you discover it has already sold. Maybe you are relocating and you are unfamiliar with the area you are moving to; making the process even more daunting.
You may have devoted countless weekends to visiting properties that look great on paper, only to be disappointed by the reality. Maybe you feel disheartened because all the properties that you like have fierce competition and you always seem to end up bidding against other buyers and not being successful.
These are just a few of the reasons why more and more purchasers are realising that it can pay to have an expert on your side. As a Kent Property Finder, we’ve found and secured many properties for private clients and here we happily highlight what we do and how we do it.
Kent property finders
Property finders have an intimate knowledge of their local area as well as the regional housing market, so they are well placed to advise you on everything from commuter links and the top schools in Kent to the different neighbourhoods and local amenities. You can also feel assured that they will give you their honest and unbiased opinion as they are acting solely for you, rather than the seller.
Property finders can save a client considerable time as they do the leg work. In just one town in Kent, there are almost 30 estate agents, building a relationship with each of these agents will take time and dedication that most house hunters simply do not have. Armed with your property wish list, a property finder will preview a wide selection of properties on your behalf and report back to you with a shortlist of those most likely to suit you, detailing both the good and the bad.
Access to off market property
The best in the business have a wide network of useful contacts. They will get an early viewing on the best properties because they live locally and can react quickly when a good property is listed.
Last year in the UK, a large number of properties were sold ‘off market’. This is when a homeowner asks an estate agent to quietly market their property without listing it on the various property websites. This is usually because the homeowner does not want a large volume of viewings, they would rather the agent offers it exclusively to serious buyers who are in a favourable position.
Estate agents know that buyers who use the services of a property finder are highly motivated and committed buyers. Property finders will also source off-market homes by proactively seeking properties in your preferred streets, approaching homeowners direct while giving you professional representation.
Securing a property
Finding a home is the first hurdle, securing a property can often be a much greater challenge. Much criticism levied at estate agents is unjust and due to people forgetting this fundamental fact; they are there to represent and advise the seller, not the buyer. So how do property finders work with estate agents?
When you are house hunting it is easy to think of the estate agent as your ally, after all they call you when a good property comes onto the market, they are able to give you useful information about different locations, and often guide you during negotiations. But they do all of this in order to help their client achieve a sale. The vast majority of property negotiations that take place are weighted in the seller’s favour, because the buyer does not have any professional representation.
Panic can kick in when it comes to negotiating. As a buyer you are emotionally invested at this point and while you don’t want to pay over the odds, you also don’t want to lose the property by offending the owner. Many buyers feel uncomfortable negotiating, especially if they have met the owner on viewings.
A property finder will help you save money because they are skilled negotiators and are able to remain objective. They will have already thoroughly researched the competition and from this, they will gauge the true value of the property. They will also get an in-depth understanding of the owner’s motivation and priorities, through communications with the estate agent, the property finder’s relationship with the selling agent can often play an important role, as well as exploring the history of the property’s marketing.
Buying a property
The deal is not done when your offer gets accepted of course, the progression of the sale is often one of the most stressful parts of the process; whether it’s uncovering of problems following a building survey or challenges agreeing completion dates there can be unexpected bumps on the road to ownership.
Reading through survey reports and solicitors paperwork can be confusing if you are not familiar with the jargon used, and if you get involved in a long chain then things can get complicated quickly.
A property finder will guide you through each step, advising you and keeping in regular contact with the various parties involved to keep things on track.
Property Finder Kent
Employing the right property finder can save you time, money and stress. Not only can a Kent property finder assist greatly with finding the perfect property, they provide discerning buyers with useful information to ensure they can make well-informed purchasing decisions. Handle negotiations on behalf of the buyer after conduction thorough due diligence and oversee the process of purchasing a property, dissecting reports and reporting to the buyer providing additional assistance where necessary.
Having a representative acting solely on the behalf of the buyer can balance the role of the estate agent, who’s working in the sellers interest, often resulting in a fairer outcome for the buyer.
Please get in touch if you would like to find out more about our services and to discuss your plans to move in greater detail, without obligation.
