Home Auction Advice from Estate Agents

When you buy a house there is always some risk involved. The house may look in ship shape condition but unless you get a really good surveyor to take a look you could be missing the fact that it is suffering from a severe case of dry rot!

You may look around the house on several occasions but you may not have been there at one of the several times a day that the freight train passes the house so loudly that the foundations of it actually shake.

The current owner may have assured you the neighbourhood kids are as good as gold but unless you are in the area after 9pm you will have missed the large teenage gangs that congregate on the street corner and make a nuisance of themselves all night long.

Buying at auction is no different. You can, and most certainly should, view the property before making a bid for it but even then you cannot be 100% sure. The seller, who obviously wants a sale, may not always tell you the whole truth about the area you are considering moving in to. This is why it is always wise to speak to a local estate agent.

Speaking to an Estate Agent

Local estate agents are experts in the local area. They will know what prices the other properties in the area sold for. They will be able to tell you whether the area is quiet and family-orientated or not, whether there is heavy traffic or whether it is a safe play area for kids to play out. In fact the estate agent can tell you just about everything you need to know about the area and if he is not connected to the sale then he will be even more honest! You can find an estate agent in your yellow pages but it's always best to get one recommended by a friend or family member so you know you can trust their advice.

Making a List of Questions

Before you meet with the estate agent be sure to come up with a list of questions about the property and the area that you are keen to have answered. Obviously if the property is not part of the estate agents remit he will not be able to tell you anything about that house specifically. But he can tell you about houses in the area in general.

List all the things you want to know and then bring the list with you when you have your appointment with the estate agent. Making the list helps you remember all the points you want to look at. If the estate agent is not very helpful try another in the area or even just speak to local people in the neighbourhood to find out their real opinion of the area.

It is crucial to have as much information as possible before going through with the sale at auction and speaking to local people and/or local estate agents is a great way of getting the whole story and not just that which the seller is telling you.