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Questions to ask Estate Agent

  • 21-03-2015 2:45pm
    #1
    leelee77
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 140 ✭✭


    Just looking for advice really.

    We are going for a second viewing of a house we are really interested in. It is in bits inside and out and we would have to get everything done eventually (no flooring, new kitchen, structure in the garden that would need to be filled in for safety reasons).

    I was wondering what questions I should be asking the estate agent? Is it okay to ask what the vendors are looking for. I don't think the asking price is realistic and have no problems saying that.We bought in the UK but they system was so different. It was a fixed price, we paid the fixed price and that was that.

    We can't go for mortgage approval until the 31st March so need to bide some time on this house as well, but don't want to lose it.

    Any advice gratefully received.


Comments

  • #2
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    Leave it until the 31st as if you start messing the EA around now you'll be lucky to get your calls returned. You mention the UK, and I'm being pedantic here but England and Wales (and NI AFAIK) have a very similar system to Ireland, Scotland has a vastly superior system and is indeed very different. Anyway that aside...

    Find out what properties in the area went for through the PPR. Get a builder in to do a quote for you, most will do this for free. This is something you can do on Monday without messing anyone around (apart from the builder to a degree) and will show you're interested. Get a quote on repairs look at similar properties selling prices and arrive at an offer.

    Once you've AIP make an offer based on the above research, it's either accepted or it isn't. Try not to get wedded to any particular property until the contracts are signed.

    You'll still need a survey regardless of the builders quote, but do that further down the line.


  • #3
    leelee77
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 140 ✭✭leelee77


    MarkAnthony wrote: »
    Leave it until the 31st as if you start messing the EA around now you'll be lucky to get your calls returned. You mention the UK, and I'm being pedantic here but England and Wales (and NI AFAIK) have a very similar system to Ireland, Scotland has a vastly superior system and is indeed very different. Anyway that aside...

    Find out what properties in the area went for through the PPR. Get a builder in to do a quote for you, most will do this for free. This is something you can do on Monday without messing anyone around (apart from the builder to a degree) and will show you're interested. Get a quote on repairs look at similar properties selling prices and arrive at an offer.

    Once you've AIP make an offer based on the above research, it's either accepted or it isn't. Try not to get wedded to any particular property until the contracts are signed.

    You'll still need a survey regardless of the builders quote, but do that further down the line.

    It was actually the Scottish system I was talking about Mark Anthony, as that's where we bought. I have lived in England as well and would agree that the system is similar. I have been looking at the PPR. There is nothing recently and 2 have sold in the last 2 months but there aren't any prices up yet unfortunately.

    I would still would be interested in seeing it on Monday as the estate agent didn't turn up the last time and the vendor was left showing us around, which was awkward to say the least. To be honest I would class this as a first viewing and would be upfront to the estate agent about getting another viewing (around the 31st). We could live in the inside for a while as a lot of it is cosmetic stuff but there are some questionable elements, such as the ceiling in the ensuite and a huge crack in the outside wall, plus that huge concrete stucture that would need to be levelled off. Is it acceptable to ask to gain entry to a house (without putting in a bid) to get a builders quote?

    If we do like this house and want to proceed can we make an offer without loan approval (after we have submitted our application).


  • #4
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    Any EA/Vendor that won't let a builder in would be a huge red flag.

    Beaware though that if significant amount of work needs to be done the mortgage provider may not loan on the value the property will be, but what it is now, or somewhere inbetween. Something I fell foul of a couple of times trying to buy in Edinburgh!

    The problem you have here versus the Scottish system is nothing it set in stone until the contracts are signed, even then the protection isn't as strong as the Scottish system.

    Best of luck with it all! Just try not to get too attached to the property, there's a huge amount of buggering about going on at the moment, especially in Dublin.


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