Your property questions answered.
Is it alright to buy direct from owner?
Q I notice more vendors advertising properties for sale without using estate agents. At the moment I am reluctant to consider viewing these properties. Can you tell me what the implications are for the buyer in engaging directly with the vendor?
A An estate agent is the middleman, valuing the property, marketing it, showing it and then negotiating the deal in terms of price, timing, etc. From a vendor’s point of view, it means availing of a professional service and the facility of selling property without ever even seeing the buyer. It’s the legals that are really important in a house sale: is the title clear? Are there planning issues, etc? The buyer’s solicitor is the key person in the sale.
You shouldn’t be reluctant to view and buy a property that is for sale by the owner, however there are some issues you might want to consider. How has the owner valued the property and is it realistic? Do your research to get a handle on the prices of other, similar houses in the area. If you are unsure you can always seek the advice of a local estate agent as to the value. In the UK, it’s normal for homeowners to show prospective buyers around but it’s not the norm here. Some people find it very uncomfortable. A contributor to this column once viewed a tiny house where the family – husband, wife and two children – followed her around from room to room. She couldn’t see the house properly, felt intimidated about asking questions and was generally mortified. Are you a good negotiator? Estate agents are trained in price negotiation. As they have no personal attachment to the property they don’t care when you say the place is wildly overvalued and you’ll only offer x for it. An owner might feel very differently.
Will you feel comfortable negotiating the deal yourself or if not, do you have someone who could do it for you? Once you have agreed a price, the solicitors take over, their side and yours. As for actually making an appointment and going to the property, apply the normal rules of personal safety. As a woman, it might be better for you to bring a friend with you or at least tell someone where you are going.
My Victorian redbrick will have a low BER
Q Our house which is for sale is a protected structure (redbrick, Victorian, terraced house, Dublin 8). A viewer has asked about its energy rating. As the house is old, and we know from living in it that it is cold and a little draughty it won’t fare well.
A No buyer is going to be expecting a Victorian house to have an A1 rating or anything like it. Of course old houses can be retrofitted to greatly increase their energy efficiency and we have seen a newly refurbished period house with a B1 rating, although in that case the house had been gutted and then renovated with energy efficiency in mind. Unless you have done considerable work to your house it will indeed have a low BER, and buyers will expect this.
Most buyers of an old houses will be more interested in the surveyor’s report for news of subsidence/damp/roof issues/structural problems. You do however have to get a BER certificate.
Your questions:
Send your queries to Property questions, The Irish Times, The Irish Times Building, 24-28 Tara Street, Dublin 2 or email propertyquestions@irish-times.ie. This column is a readers’ service and is not intended to replace professional advice.
