10 Property Websites You Simply Must Visit Before You Buy
Update: this blog has now been updated, and you can view it here.
Did you know that Estate Agents used to be open all hours?
8’til 8 was common and all weekend: the Internet has changed all that now. Estate Agents are open for more civilised hours.
The good news for you when looking to buy a house or flat is that the internet has not only enabled Estate Agents to get a life outside of selling properties, but it has also taken out some of that tedious, old fashioned detective leg work that you needed to do as well.
So guess what? We’ve compiled especially for you a list of 10 Property Websites You Simply Must Visit Before You Buy.
We’ve even updated this post which first appeared in 2011 to include the latest of those little App thingies which everyone seems to be looking at when walking down the street.
First Up: Property Websites You Simply Must Visit Before You Buy Your Home
No surprise here: It’s the Estate Agency portals.
The daddy of all the so called property portals is Rightmove.
It’s the one portal that most Estate Agents feel they need to be on.
Rightmove has been joined by Zoopla as the top two portals although their ranks have been joined this year by OnTheMarket a new portal set up by some of the largest Estate Agents.
And, as we are constantly told the future is mobile you can download Apps from Rightmove and Zoopla as well.
Next Up: Websites You Simply Must Visit Before You Buy Your House
Naturally, Estate Agents want to achieve the best possible price for their clients’ properties.
So if you feel an asking price may be a bit rich (or toppy in Estate Agent jargon) then reach for the Land Registry website.
All properties sold in the UK must be registered at the Land Registry so you’ll find up to date statistics on what properties actually sold for.
And if you need an App to provide this information you’ll be pleased to learn that the Land Registry has an App called Sold House Prices Land Registry UK
You can find some of this information on the Property Portals as well.
There’s More: Websites You Simply Must Visit Before You Buy Your House or Flat
I personally like the Hometrack website which is a great resource for current market conditions; price moves up or down; number of mortgage approvals, average time it takes to sell a property etc.
At the end of last year, for example, houses were on the market for 6.3 weeks before a sale subject to contract and Sellers were achieving on average a fraction under 96% of the asking price.
You can view Hometracks latest Housing Market Analysis here
There is also an App called AroundMe which will give you more general information about local amenities.
Mortgages: Websites You Simply Must Visit Before You Buy Your Home
The majority of buyers will need mortgage finance to help with their purchase of a property.
Mortgage finance is still tight for most people without a huge deposit to put down.
I would favour a Mortgage Broker and one of the best is John Charcol
I always listen to what Roy Boulger has to say about the current state of the mortgage market when he is interviewed on TV and Radio.
You could try your Bank as well but the days of a Bank Manger using his business acumen to decide whether you are worthy of a mortgage or not have long gone #ComputerSaysYesNoMaybe.
You can of course get an idea of the type of mortgage products available at various comparison websites such as Money Supermarket or Compare the Market but be careful as not all Mortgage providers are listed – just enough though to enable those irritating adverts with which we are constantly plagued.
And then: Websites You Simply Must Visit Before You Buy Your Home
Well, congratulations you are already on it.
There is simply no other law firm website with so much educational and interesting content on Conveyancing and buying and selling your house or flat. We’re multi-award winning in actual fact.
We’ve written over 750 articles about Conveyancing and the House Buying process. The second edition of our book on Conveyancing comes out later this year, if you hurry (while stocks last) you can find it here.
Here is a flavour of our content an easy-to-digest visual aid about all the Conveyancing jargon you will experience in your house buying journey. It’s called:
What’s the Name of That Legal Thingy? – And don’t keep it to yourself –pass it on.
What’s The Name of That Legal Thingy? from Clutton Cox, Solicitors
Bonus Ball Website: How to Make You Smile While Buying Your Home
We love laughter here at Clutton Cox Towers.
Finding the right property and the anxiety you feel until contracts are exchanged can be tough
So why not find the time to relax and amuse yourself.
Step forward Tracy Kellett a buying agent with BDIHomefinders.
You should definitely read her hilarious blog on the more exotic side of buying a property.
Try this for size: The aspirational A-Z of a middle class home… Allegedly.
Happy Surfing and ‘Appy Days
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in 2011 in our original series “Everything You Need to Know About Buying and Selling Your Home in 31 Bite-Sized Chunks” and has been completely revamped and updated.
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