A natural inclination when researching overseas property, especially if
you have a trip planned, is to pick out houses on the web and try to line
up a schedule of viewing appointments based on seeing those particular
properties. So, what is wrong with that?
Well, the most significant aspect, which come people do not accept in
these days of less buoyant property markets, is that any property can
sell at any time, even in more subdued market conditions... OK, if you
are visiting within just a few days, then perhaps that one house of
special interest will still be available but, if your visit will not be
for a while, then we definitely advise against focusing on specific
properties... and certainly not to assume that a whole selection of
houses will still be available for a schedule of appointments.
Another consideration is that even the best property descriptions and
photographs can only convey so much about a property - it is seeing a
property that really counts and, once there, it could easily be that
there is something you do not like about the house itself, or its
environment, neighbourhood, etc. So, even for the most attractive
looking proposition, we would advise against "hopping on a plane" to
view it. That could be a terrible waste of time and money.
So, why use the web to view properties? We would suggest that it should
be purely for research purposes, to get a feel for what type of property
you can buy, and where, within your budget.
In that case, how do you approach your house hunting visit? Well, unless
they have a particular specialisation, most normal agents will have a
good selection of most types of properties, so, rather than racing
around trying to view one or two properties with each of a large number
of agents, plan to see a smaller number of agents and spend some time with
them, most likely half-a-day, to discuss and view a number of properties
in a more leisurely way. You will most likely see a larger variety of
property in this way and you will also have the time to discuss the local area, amenities, etc., with the agents.
Accepting that it is best to use the web to research what your money can
buy, but to visit on the basis of seeing what the agents have available
at the time, takes out a lot of the frustration and disappointment that
can arise if you arrive hoping to view a collection of
particular houses you have seen on the web... and it is worth bearing in
mind that not many people actually buy houses they have picked out on
websites... in fact, many visitors buy properties that have only just
come available at the time of their visit - some of the best properties
hardly make it onto the websites!
So, if you are planning your Languedoc house hunting trip, depending on your areas
of interest, we can quite likely arrange a small itinerary of
appointments for you to view a number of properties with our local
agents in different parts of the region - we would only ask that you
give us as much notice as you can of your trip...
