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