| It's the thing everyone searching for a new home | | | | You should follow news about the property |
| would give their eye teeth for: You find the house | | | | market on websites such as this one. If you |
| of your dreams and discover it's not just perfect, | | | | know the overall UK property market is slow, and |
| it's also affordable! | | | | it's worse locally, that puts you in a stronger |
| Welcome to the unlikely world of cheap property. | | | | position as a buyer. You know that more cheap |
| It doesn't seem to exist when you first look for | | | | property is likely to come up elsewhere. This kind |
| it. But dig deep, and you'll find it does still exist, | | | | of knowledge helps your brain make the decisions, |
| even with the over inflated house prices that | | | | rather than your heart. |
| seem to plague buyers, especially first time | | | | Know how much similar properties sold for |
| buyers. | | | | Effective haggling for cheap property is all about |
| The best place to find cheap property is at the | | | | leveraging information. If you know a similar |
| auction houses. If you're a bit more picky about | | | | property sold 3 months ago for £150,000, |
| where you want to live, the only other way to | | | | why would you pay £155,000 now |
| get a good price is find the perfect property, and | | | | (especially in a slowing market). |
| then try to haggle the price down. | | | | Take advantage if it has been left on the shelf |
| Haggling is nothing to be scared of. As a potential | | | | Houses that have been up for sale for a while are |
| buyer, you're well within your rights to offer less | | | | great targets for the haggler. That advantage |
| than the asking price for a house. After all the | | | | increases if the price has been dropped - it shows |
| seller can always say no. Haggling is about finding | | | | that the owner is keen to get a sale and is more |
| the right price for both parties, and is a technique | | | | likely to enter into negotiations. You should be able |
| used by professional property investors every | | | | to find out from the seller's estate agent how |
| time they buy a new project to work on. | | | | long it's been on the market. If they're not |
| Here are our top tips to make you a super | | | | forthcoming, then ask other estate agents - as |
| haggler: | | | | property professionals, they will often be aware |
| Set a budget and stick to it | | | | what else is happening in the area. |
| Getting cheap property requires you to think with | | | | Keep your cool |
| your brain and not your heart. Look closely at the | | | | When viewing a property, try not to show how |
| property valuation of a house set by the seller, | | | | much you like it. It's easier to negotiate if the |
| and decide exactly how much you actually want | | | | seller can't read how much you want it. A poker |
| to pay for it. Then stick to that... it can be a | | | | face is needed! |
| powerful buying technique to dig your heels in | | | | Show your cards |
| over a price. You present the seller with a difficult | | | | Saying that, one clever tactic when haggling is to |
| choice - lose a keen buyer, or get the property | | | | demonstrate to the seller and their agent how |
| sold for the sake of dropping the price a few | | | | much research you have done and what |
| thousand. Of course, there is always the danger | | | | information you have. It demonstrates you are |
| you will lose the property. This is one of the | | | | serious, and can sometimes make the haggling |
| downsides of life as a haggler. | | | | over cheap property a much quicker process. |
| Use market trends to support your position | | | | |