How Important Is a Good Property Sales Brochure?

When selling a house, the printed property sales brochure should be fundamental to your property marketing strategy. Alas, all too often many vendors do not think of the brochure as a 'pro-active sales tool' and they simply regard it as nothing more than a point of reference for prospective buyers, giving them room dimensions and an idea of what the property looks like along with the estate agent's details on should they wish to make an offer. Many vendors do not realise how, with just a little effort, their humble printed property details can become a highly effective promotional aid that actively entices buyers.

Many people selling houses in the UK go down the traditional route of simply listing their property with a local estate agent. They then leave all of the marketing and promotion in the hands of the professionals - after all that's the agent's job isn't it? However the quality of sales particulars produced by estate agents varies widely, so it is in the vendor's interests to ensure that the printed details given to prospective buyers are as effective as possible.

In most cases the estate agent's fee will probably include some local advertising, listings on property websites or a photograph and summary details of your property in their shop window. Most estate agents will also produce a printed description of your property to give out to prospective purchasers. This will very often be in a pre-formatted standard template design.

A typical house buyer may cast their eye over hundreds of properties when searching for their next home, it is therefore important that your house stands out from the crowd. To have any chance of being noticed among the dozens of other similar properties for sale in your area or buyer's price range, it is imperative that your property looks as appealing as possible when prospective buyers first see it on-line or in the estate agents window.

Capture the imagination:

Estate agents in the UK are of course legally bound by certain rules regarding the descriptive content within a property sales brochure, but it is the photographic content that usually lets the side down. You only have one chance to make a first impression, so ensure the photographs of your property are the best they can be. If your leading photograph is an exterior shot of the whole house then simple things like ensuring the frontage is tidy will make a world of difference to the overall impression, also try to take the photograph on a sunny day. If your house has a driveway or garage then leave the car off the parking space while the photograph is being taken, this will draw the buyer's attention to the fact there is parking available rather than to what kind of car you drive. Additionally buyers will not be attracted by interior shots of kitchens with washing-up on show or scruffy laundry-strewn bathrooms - remember you're selling a lifestyle - and they will not be enticed by photographs of houses taken at night with only pitch darkness visible through the windows.

To avoid such mistakes ensure your house is clean, tidy and well lit before the photographer arrives. If your estate agent visits at night time to list your property, ask him to come back during the day to take the photographs. You wouldn't expect your estate agent to bring along 'David Bailey' to take photographs of your home, but if you feel your agent isn't a good photographer and hasn't captured the best possible image of your house, then find someone who is proficient and supply the photographs yourself.

One of the most common photographic errors is not keeping the printed details up-to-date; for example still using a photograph taken in winter with snow on the ground to sell a house in the middle of the summer. Perhaps the worst offence is an out-of-date photograph that shows flags in neighbouring windows taken during major sporting events - especially if the football word cup finished over a year ago! These kind of errors effectively 'date' your house and you could be giving buyers the impression that there must be something wrong with it to have been on the market for such a long time.

Retain the interest:

Once your beautifully presented property sales brochure has caught the buyer's eye, it should then entice them to come and view your property. Apart from containing an accurate description (fixtures and fittings, room sizes, floorplan, tenure etc), your sales brochure gives you an ideal opportunity to tell prospective buyers all about your property's unique benefits over other houses they may have viewed. You do not need to write a lengthy essay, but a few carefully chosen points in an opening paragraph that outlines your property's attributes can quickly give the buyer a 'feel' for how your house could become their next dream home.

A small section on local amenities, highlighting local schools, shops and entertainment facilities can also go a long way to enticing a buyer to view your house.

In summary then, a well-designed sales brochure should firstly promote your property and attract the right buyers to view your house by capturing their imagination. Secondly it should be a tangible piece of informative literature that retains the buyers' interest by answering many of their questions; highlighting the unique benefits of the property to make it stand out against the competition. Finally it should be kept up-to-date and underpin your whole marketing and sales campaign and complement any other marketing activities (such as advertisements or websites promoting your house for sale) by carrying the same sales message and clear, quality images.

Buy to Let Is Still a Good Investment

During the economic slump of the past few years it has been a difficult time for both savers and those looking for a good investment. There are hardly any savings accounts that keep pace with inflation and even the price of gold has seen some dramatic falls.

However, there is one sector in the UK where investors can still achieve a good medium to long term return on their investment and that is in the buy to let property market. UK government schemes such as Funding for Lending and Help to Buy, designed to kick start the property market, have resulted in the ready availability of cheap mortgages, which are tempting more people into property investment.

Indeed, the number of private landlords in the UK is now getting up to around the million mark so clearly the buy-to-let market is booming. The easy access to cheap mortgages and strong rental demand continues to drive this market sector.

Buy-to-let lending has increased substantially in the past couple of years and many experts believe this is due to the wider availability of investment mortgages via the Bank of England's £80 billion Funding for Lending scheme. The scheme has had a significant impact on lending by improving liquidity and encouraging lower mortgage interest rates, which has helped first-time investors and is one reason for the good returns available to investors.

The other reason investment returns are good is that there is a continued high demand for rental property because, ironically, those people renting are finding it difficult to buy their own homes because they do not possess a large enough deposit. This has resulted in increasing tenant demand and, at the same time, a shortage of properties. Of course, not all of the rental demand may be long term; some renters could simply be waiting to save enough deposit to buy a home, others may be renting temporarily while trying to buy or as the result of a job relocation.

Many investors feel that a buy to let property will make their capital work harder and earn them more especially since average rental yields are around 6 per cent per annum; certainly a higher rate than any savings accounts or bonds in the current market. Since buy to let returns compare very favourably with savings accounts, stock market performance and other types of investment it is not surprising that more people are turning to investment property.

However, buy to let is not always a straightforward type of investment; there are numerous laws and regulations that every landlord in the UK must comply with. There are also the logistical issues of property maintenance, finding new tenants, handling the rental payments and chasing non-payment. Of course, this could be handed over to a letting agent but that would eat into the profits.There are also dozens of buy to let mortgages available to choose from and new investors should take professional advice from a mortgage broker to find the most appropriate deal for them, as well as investigating all the legal issues and risks associated with this type of investment.

What Is The UK's New Help To Buy Scheme?

The UK's Help to Buy scheme may assist you in purchasing a property worth up to £600,000 - be it a new build or a pre-owned home - with a deposit of as little as 5% of the property's purchase price. The scheme will be of benefit to you if you believe you can afford mortgage repayments, but cannot raise the large deposit associated with traditional mortgages.

How does the Help to Buy scheme work?

The scheme takes two forms: one part, the "equity loan" part, enables you to take out an interest-free loan from the government; the other, the "guarantee part", enables the government to act as a guarantor for some of your debt.

The "equity loan" part of the scheme was introduced in April 2013. This part of the scheme may help you to purchase a new-build property. You will need to raise a deposit of 5% of the value of the property you wish to purchase, but you can borrow a further 20% interest-free for the first five years, if you need to do so. You must repay the loan, which is provided by the government, with the proceeds from the sale of your property. You will be free to repay the loan earlier, but only if you pay off your mortgage at the same time. After five years, your loan will attract a fee of 1.75%, which will increase yearly by Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation plus 1%.

The "guarantee part" of the scheme was introduced in October 2013. This part of the scheme may help you to purchase a new or existing property with a deposit of between 5% and 20%. The government will provide your chosen lender with a guarantee for up to 15% of your loan, allowing the lender to offer you a mortgage, regardless of the small size of your deposit.

Is the scheme available throughout the UK?

The Help to Buy scheme operates in England only however similar schemes are available in Wales and Scotland.

Will the scheme help me?

The scheme will be able to help you whether you have not previously owned a home or are an existing homeowner. However, you will not be able to take advantage of the scheme if you wish to buy a property to rent out to others.

Will the scheme help me to acquire a mortgage?

If the only thing standing in your way of acquiring a mortgage is a lack of a large deposit, the scheme should be able to help you. If, however, you have a poor credit history, are unemployed or have recently chosen to become self-employed, the scheme may not help you to acquire a mortgage.

What rate will I have to pay on my mortgage?

Under the Help to Buy scheme, lenders are free to set their own mortgage rates. Mortgages offered through the scheme should, in theory, cost less than the 95% mortgages available on the market. This is because the government will act as a guarantor for some of your debt. That said it is important to realise that, in order to participate in the scheme, lenders must pay the government a fee so this may not always be the case.

What will happen if I fall behind on my mortgage repayments?

Unfortunately, the Help to Buy will not help you if you fall behind on your mortgage repayments. The guarantee is for the lender only and this means that if the lender is unable to recover your debt from the sale of the property, the government will help to make up the shortfall.

Ten Tips for Budding Landlords

Buy-to-let is booming and, for savvy investors, it can be an obvious place to put your money if you want to save for the future. However, becoming a landlord doesn't come without its pitfalls, so here are a few tips to help first-timers avoid some of the common mistakes:

1. Buy property that appeals to those wanting to rent. Flats and two-bedroomed homes appeal to a lot of potential tenants, especially those who struggle to buy their own home. Stay away from large houses which can be expensive to rent, and often put people off.

2. Don't go for that stunning period cottage. You may want it yourself, but remember you aren't going to be living there and a new property will mean less maintenance over the years.

3. Don't just buy a property in your local area. Look at areas where people want to live for a number of different reasons - good schools, commutability, good transport or also where students may want to be based.

4. Location, location, location. As with any property, you don't want to be going to run-down areas as this can attract poor-quality tenants, but at the same time you don't want somewhere too affluent.

5. The type of mortgage you get is important. Whether it's a buy-to-let or a repayment is down to you, but if you get a rental income which covers your mortgage then you are doing OK. Think about getting a fixed rate if you are worried about rising interest rates and go to more than one broker.

6. Consider using a letting agency. Shop around and find the best deal as there are plenty of letting agencies out there. Don't worry about trying to haggle with them, especially if you have a few properties - you should be able to get their fee down to around seven per cent.

7. Beware of the letting agency 'add ons'. When it comes to doing maintenance on your property letting agencies can charge an 'admin fee' - but you don't have to put up with that. You already pay a monthly fee and this should cover any work they have to do.

8. It's not what you know, it's who you know. If you know anyone who rents out property have a chat with them, find out what they have learned from doing it - they may know a good plumber or electrician, or can possibly refer you to an efficient letting agency.

9. Do the maths. Before you make a decision check you can afford to cover any eventualities such as replacing the boiler. Also, filling in the tax return forms isn't a piece of cake - think about employing an accountant.

10. Make sure you are doing the right thing - remember you are putting your money into something that may fall in price over the next few years. The property market is unpredictable, but then so are stocks and shares.

Tips for Successful Quick House Sales

According to the Quick House Sales Market Study conducted by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in 2013, quick house sales accounted for £500 million to £900 million of all properties sold in 2012. The study was carried out to determine whether or not this method works favourably with home sellers. The findings based on the report show that quick house sales can be beneficial to home owners who need a fast, guaranteed, and hassle-free way to sell their properties.

Before jumping into the bandwagon, consider these helpful tips for a successful quick sale of house.

1. Have your property assessed by an estate agent. To avoid getting a false valuation of your property and getting far more less than its market value, have your property assessed first by at least three different estate agents. This should give you a clear idea of how much your property is worth so you will know if property sale companies are offering you a fair amount for it.

2. Shop around for companies. Not all property sale companies are identical. Search for the right property sale company like you would an insurance company. You'd want one that's legitimate, trustworthy, efficient, and won't cost you more money than you're willing to lose. Don't settle for the first one you come across with. Have at least three on your list and compare what they're offering.

3. Check the company's background. If the company is a broker, or one that introduces you to a third party buyer, make sure that the company is registered with The Property Ombudsman or Ombudsman Services Property. If the company claims that it is under the regulation of an official body or has signed up to a code of practice, have it checked out.

4. Get an independent legal adviser. Property sale companies typically have their own legal adviser that they would recommend to you, but it's best that you get your own legal adviser-one whom you trust and know and has no connections with the company. The purpose of a legal adviser is to explain anything you're not sure about related to the transaction, whether it's legal terms or processes. He makes sure that you've read and understood the agreement.

5. Negotiate the price and the terms. Don't be shy to haggle. This is definitely a given in quick sale of house transactions. This is also where knowledge of your property's true market value comes into play. Ideally, you want to aim for that, but the final price would also depend on whether quick house buyers are willing to pay that price or haggle for a lower one. If you can't get your ideal price, psyche yourself to settle for the next best price instead.

6. Put everything down into writing. Do not settle for merely verbal agreements because you've got nothing to back you up in case something goes wrong. You need to document every detail you've agreed upon during the entire quick sale of house process.

7. Don't commit right away. You cannot be rushed or pressured into a decision you do not want even if there's a queue of quick house buyers knocking on your door. Don't sign or agree to anything until you receive a final offer in writing and all the checks and surveys are done.

Three Step Guide on How to Haggle in the Current Property Market

The current market is back in the doldrums and when the property market is falling, past experience tells us it's a great time to bag a bargain and buy a house at a discount that you are unlikely to get in the coming years. Here's a step by step guide on how to buy a property by haggling down the price.

1. Get your finances sorted!

The key success to securing a bargain property is to be able to buy quickly. This means you need to have either cash or as good as cash with a hefty deposit and a lender that is capable of making funds available in a few weeks, rather than the normal six weeks they take.

2. Find a legal company which can exchange quickly

The legals for buying and selling a home can take months. Much of this is down to poor conveyancing companies. So if you want to bag a bargain, it's vital to ensure you work with a legal company that can work to tight deadlines and isn't reliant on one person to do the work, in case they go sick or on holiday.

3. Understand where to get property bargains

Property bargains are secured when people are desperate to sell. There are lots of reasons why someone might sell a property at a bargain price which include:-

(a) The three 'D's -Death, Divorce and Debt

Sadly things happen in life to homeowners that force them to have to sell their property at less than it's worth. If someone dies, a partner might need to sell up as they can't afford the property anymore or they need to move nearer to friends and family. If a couple aren't getting on and divorce is the only option, not everyone can afford to stay in their family home, particularly with so many families having two working parents. Debt is a rough thing, particularly in these difficult times, so when it really bites, selling up and releasing the equity is sometimes the only option.

(b) Repossession

For a property to be repossessed, the procedure takes sometime - it can be six months or more. If the owner has been to court they will often be given/be advised to try to sell the property themselves to get the best price they can rather than have the property taken off them and sold on incurring increased fees for doing so by the lender. This can be a great source of bargains, but can be like finding a needle in a haystack, unless you are happy to hang around the courts. They are either sold through agents, to 'quick sale' companies or via local auctions.

(c) Chain falls through

If someone has sold their property and made an offer on another one, then their buyer pulls out, this can cause a chain to breakdown unless another buyer can be found at short notice, so a great time to be able to offer less than the property originally sold for - as long as you can move within a matter of weeks to replace the previous buyer.

(d) New Build Properties

Developers run businesses and businesses have targets to achieve. So at the end of the year, or even the half year, the sale of one property might mean bonuses all round for the developer's staff. This is when dropping a property's price is worthwhile. As is selling off the 'last two' properties to free up expensive site sales offices and staff.

(e) Half and Half Homes

At the moment, buyers are making offers on properties which are either pristine and ready to move into or a wreck which needs a lot of work (new kitchen and bathroom, re-decorating). Half and half homes which are partly pristine and partly a wreck therefore just aren't selling, so after a long time waiting for a buyer, vendor's are more likely to drop their price. These properties can take a while to secure at a bargain though, as it often takes vendors more than six months to realise they aren't going to get the price they had hoped.

(f) Properties needing substantial work

Many people want to do a up a property, but that doesn't really mean they want to get their hands dirty. Most 'do-er uppers' are really looking for somewhere they can move into then upgrade the decoration and put in a new kitchen and bathroom. The real bargains come when a property needs gutting - or already has been, if it's been fire damaged, wrecked by previous owners. So less buyers trying to compete to buy these properties means you are more likely to 'bag a bargain'.

(g) Properties with 'undesirable' neighbours

Most properties are sold when they sit next to another property or overlook lots of beautiful countryside. Those though that have a pylon in the back garden, front onto a busy road (although less so in city centres), next to schools, or a dilapidated property, tend to sell for a lot less than those in a better location. In a falling market these are the toughest properties to shift, so you can make pretty low offers and if the vendors can still move on, your offer may well get accepted.

So if you want to haggle to bag a bargain in the property market, it's essential to sort out your finances, sign up a proactive legal company and find properties where vendors are likely to be 'motivated sellers' and let you have the property for less than they would when the property market is buoyant.

What To Do If You Are Thinking Of Selling in 2014

The property market is starting to change. With renewed confidence in the market aided by the Help to Buy Scheme, whether people are taking part or not, more buyers are definitely out there than there have been for a long time.

And with demand for property on the up, from a sellers perspective, things are getting easier to move too. With property prices in some areas recovering to 2007 levels, it means less homeowners are in negative equity and with just a 5% deposit to have to find, its possible to contemplate moving on.

For those who tried to sell up during the credit crunch but couldn't, it's also worth thinking about trying again, especially if your property is in a price bracket which would appeal to first time buyers. First time buyers, according to CML, tend to spend up to £150,000, but bear in mind, this includes London, so it's likely to be £150,000 to £250,000 in London and Home Counties and under the £100,000 mark everywhere else.

So Who Should Sell in 2014?

If you want to trade up and you don't have a big deposit, as long as you can afford mortgage rates of 5-7% over the next five years, then it's definitely worth thinking about trading up and taking advantage of the Help to Buy Scheme.

You can typically secure mortgage rates of 3% for Help to Buy on an new build, whereas the scheme for existing homes rates are around 5%.

You need to check what's happening market wise to make sure the 'pick up' reported in the media and house price surveys is actually happening in your area. Look on sold property prices on the likes of Rightmove and Mouse Price to see if properties are selling near to or for more than 2007 levels. If they are still selling for a lot less, talk to local agents who have sold properties similar to yours and see what prices they have secured.

If you are looking at trading down, then the most important thing is to move when it suits you. It may be that you have been stuck in a property you can't sell but are getting divorced and are desperate to move on. It may be that you are in debt or a member of the family hasn't been well and when these life events happen, it's more important to try and move on to a better place than worry about maximising your property's price or rushing into buying something which isn't right.

It will be difficult to find somewhere to live in most areas, as you will probably be competing with first time buyers who are after one and two bed properties.

Key steps you need to take if you are thinking of selling in 2014 are:-

1. Check on sold property price data to see what similar properties have been selling for
2. Talk to local agents who have sold properties similar to yours as to what price they are getting
3. Make sure you speak to a broker about financing your move and a local Help to Buy agent

Then, work out whether you should sell your property as a 'show home' or just as it is. Since the credit crunch, with such good mortgage rates with high deposits, people don't have the money (or time) to do up properties as much as before. Those that do want a wreck to do up are typically after a bargain price, so it's a good idea to chat to local agents about whether you sell the property without any work doing to it, or spending say 1% of the asking price painting and decorating so someone could 'move in' and start living there from day one.

Property Price Forecasts by Region in 2014

Understanding what's likely to happen to property prices in the future can be really helpful in knowing whether now is the right time to buy or sell.

How can you use property price forecasts to help you make your decision?

This really depends on whether you are a first time buyer, trading up, down, investing in property, looking at exiting from your investment and whether you are taking out a mortgage or have cash.

What do the forecasts say?

Ideally, property prices would always increase just ahead of inflation. Over time the average inflation is around 3% per annum, but at the moment and for 2014 it looks like inflation will run at around 2%.

In comparison, the forecasts range from 4% in Scotland to 8.4% in London for 2014 and over the next five years, property prices are estimated to rise from 17% in Scotland to 39% in London. Now, although these figures sound enormous, don't forget if inflation runs at 3%, to stand still, property prices over a five year period to keep pace would need to increase by 16%.

So the predictions are that Scotland's property price growth is in line with inflation, and areas such as the North East and West, Yorkshire and Humber and Wales won't grow much more either. So in these areas, although there will be different price changes for different property types in different local postcodes, overall it doesn't matter too much when you buy as prices aren't expected to rise that much.

However, in areas such as the South East and West, East and West Midlands and the East of England and of course London, knowing what prices are likely to be at, at the end of each year, can be helpful in knowing whether it's best to buy now with a 5% deposit or whether it's better to save up for a higher deposit, knowing how much you may need.

Below I've given you some thoughts on how to think through whether it's worth buying now or wait for a while, and from an investor's perspective, how to work out whether it's a good idea to invest in the area you are planning to or not.

First time buyers, should you buy in a rising market?

For anyone looking at buying in areas like London where you've seen a sudden 5-10% increase in prices year on year, it's feels very scary at the moment and better to buy now than in the future.

And to some extent, in areas where you have 7-8% growth in 2014, if an average property price is £200,000 now, in a year's time, these forecasts suggest prices would be around £215,000, so a 5% deposit would increase from £10k to £10.75k. However, if you could save up another £10k so put down a 10% deposit instead, you may get a better mortgage rate so your costs are lower.

On the other hand, if you do buy now and put down a 5% deposit, then your property's value could increase by £15k, allowing you to increase the equity in your property from £10k to £25k, so £25k over £215,000 would give you a 'deposit' of 11.6% and as you are likely to be on a repayment mortgage, the equity may be even more.

But, and it's a big BUT, by 2016 interest rates are likely to start increasing, so it's important to make sure you don't overstretch yourself too much as mortgage rates since 2000 have been as high as 7%, so if you do buy over the coming year or so, then make sure you can afford the mortgage on-going.

Buyers and sellers trading up, is it good to buy in a rising market?

When buying and selling in a market which is rising, it's definitely a good time to sell and trade up sooner rather than later, as long as your job and finances are secure.

For example, if your £150,000 property increases by 7%, then it would be worth £160,500 by the end of 2014. If you then buy a property worth £300,000, then that would cost £321,000. So you'd earn an extra £10,500 on your current home, but then it would cost you an extra £21,000 to buy the new one.

Buyers and sellers trading down, does it matter when you buy if prices are rising?

For anyone looking at trading down, it's important to make sure you move to a property and area which is right for you, especially if you are retiring. Although seaside towns and lovely rural settings may seem great to start with, if you are retiring, making sure you have easy access to public transport, doctors, hospitals and indeed having family and friends close at hand, is incredibly important.

But the good news is if you are trading down, a rising market will help you financially. If you are selling a £350,000 property and hold on to it for a year at a price rise of 8%, then it should be worth £378,000 - if you own your property. In the meantime, if you then buy a property at the end of the year which is worth £200,000 now, if it too increased by 8%, you would have earned £28,000 from your own property, but spend only an extra £16,000 on the property you trade down to.

So from a trading down perspective, buying when you find the right property is more important than worrying about house prices, as long as the area you are buying into rises at the same rate (or less) than the one you are selling in.

Factors Affecting UK Property Market - Think Before You Sell

Everything that is related to the property market is in a state of mess currently. Whether it is figures pertaining to new home building or mortgage lending or even property sale, almost everything is on the decline. The soaring property prices are making things all the more difficult for property buyers. In fact, according to the latest figures shared by property experts and analysts, the average property price now stands at £204,981. In the wake of economic instability, it will only get difficult to hunt for potential property buyers. Read further to find out what has caused the property market to turn gloomy and why you shouldn't consider a quick property sale at the moment.

Rising Unemployment

As far as the UK unemployment level is concerned, it is at an all time high. The unemployment figure in the UK has increased from 2.57 to 2.6 million for the months of October to December 2011. The fact that people are not sure whether their job is secured or not and it is further causing them to lose their self-confidence. This in turn is affecting their buying decision as they do not know whether they can afford to buy a house or not. Therefore, if you are looking for a quick property sale, you will have to wait for the right time or sell your property for a lesser value that the prevailing market price. Those who need a fast home sale are not finding the right kind of buyers and the couple of buyers who are showing a certain amount of interest are not committing when it comes to buying property. More and more property buyers are claiming for job seeker's allowance and this year will be no different as it will bring more financial concerns along with it.

Uncertain Mortgage Outlook

People who are buying property for the first time are not getting mortgage from lenders. In fact UK's gross mortgage lending stood at £11.7bn in the month of December 2011. Given that a mortgage is not available easily, even home builders are finding it difficult to construct new homes and buildings. On the other hand, even the scenario around mortgage payment is not too good. More and more people are facing problems in paying their monthly bills, simply because they have lost their jobs or their financial position is not too good. Therefore, unless home builders, mortgage lenders and government do not come together to devise an insurance scheme, the existing mortgage situation will only discourage buyers and those who need a fast home sale.

The best way in which you can achieve a quick property sale is by consulting professional and expert property dealers and estate agents. They can offer assistance, guidance, advice and can consultation that will give you the perfect opportunity to garner the best price for your property.

Reasons For Selling Your Home Fast

You might be facing lot of financial difficulty paying your mortgage, household bills, car loans, credit cards or other personal loans. All your problems can be solved if you sell your property to a specialist company. This company will help you avoid getting deeper into debt and also stop the threat of having your house repossessed. Specialist companies will buy the house from you and rent it back to you.

One more reason for selling your home fast is when the couples want to take a divorce or go in for a separation. The specialist company will help you and your ex-partner to pay off your outstanding debts and resolve your joint financial liabilities fast, allowing you to move on the next phase in your lives without any financial ties.

Due to your job or some other reason you may be planning to move abroad or relocating within UK, but you have less time for all this then the best thing is to call a specialist company who will help you sell your house quickly. If you don't want to sell your house then the specialist company can opt for sell and rent back option.

Bereavement means the loss of a loved one by death. Bereavement is a traumatic and distressing time in anyone's life. If you are planning to sell your property quickly without the hassles of estate agents, advertising, broken house chains etc then just meet a specialist company.

If you are in a property chain situation your intended purchaser could break the chain by deciding he no longer wants your property because of financial problems or simply changing his mind. Whatever be the reason, you might have lost your buyer, causing the property sale to collapse completely. So in such a situation contact a specialist company who will buy your property quickly or if you wish they may also buy your property and rent it back to you.

Many people take their health for granted but when they face some serious problem it may affect their friends and family members. This may affect your financial position as you can no longer earn. In such a situation you may think to sell your house quickly so that you can pay your medical costs, urgent operation, or you can move to a more suitable accommodation.

You might have found your dream house but since you can't sell your old property, you can't move into your new house. So if you want to sell your old house fast call a specialist company. He will sell your home fast.

You might be having an inherited property and you want to sell it fast due to unforeseen costs or other difficulties. So there are many sell and rent back companies who will help you out.

Three Step Guide on How to Haggle in the Current Property Market

The current market is back in the doldrums and when the property market is falling, past experience tells us it's a great time to bag a bargain and buy a house at a discount that you are unlikely to get in the coming years. Here's a step by step guide on how to buy a property by haggling down the price.

1. Get your finances sorted!

The key success to securing a bargain property is to be able to buy quickly. This means you need to have either cash or as good as cash with a hefty deposit and a lender that is capable of making funds available in a few weeks, rather than the normal six weeks they take.

2. Find a legal company which can exchange quickly

The legals for buying and selling a home can take months. Much of this is down to poor conveyancing companies. So if you want to bag a bargain, it's vital to ensure you work with a legal company that can work to tight deadlines and isn't reliant on one person to do the work, in case they go sick or on holiday.

3. Understand where to get property bargains

Property bargains are secured when people are desperate to sell. There are lots of reasons why someone might sell a property at a bargain price which include:-

(a) The three 'D's -Death, Divorce and Debt

Sadly things happen in life to homeowners that force them to have to sell their property at less than it's worth. If someone dies, a partner might need to sell up as they can't afford the property anymore or they need to move nearer to friends and family. If a couple aren't getting on and divorce is the only option, not everyone can afford to stay in their family home, particularly with so many families having two working parents. Debt is a rough thing, particularly in these difficult times, so when it really bites, selling up and releasing the equity is sometimes the only option.

(b) Repossession

For a property to be repossessed, the procedure takes sometime - it can be six months or more. If the owner has been to court they will often be given/be advised to try to sell the property themselves to get the best price they can rather than have the property taken off them and sold on incurring increased fees for doing so by the lender. This can be a great source of bargains, but can be like finding a needle in a haystack, unless you are happy to hang around the courts. They are either sold through agents, to 'quick sale' companies or via local auctions.

(c) Chain falls through

If someone has sold their property and made an offer on another one, then their buyer pulls out, this can cause a chain to breakdown unless another buyer can be found at short notice, so a great time to be able to offer less than the property originally sold for - as long as you can move within a matter of weeks to replace the previous buyer.

(d) New Build Properties

Developers run businesses and businesses have targets to achieve. So at the end of the year, or even the half year, the sale of one property might mean bonuses all round for the developer's staff. This is when dropping a property's price is worthwhile. As is selling off the 'last two' properties to free up expensive site sales offices and staff.

(e) Half and Half Homes

At the moment, buyers are making offers on properties which are either pristine and ready to move into or a wreck which needs a lot of work (new kitchen and bathroom, re-decorating). Half and half homes which are partly pristine and partly a wreck therefore just aren't selling, so after a long time waiting for a buyer, vendor's are more likely to drop their price. These properties can take a while to secure at a bargain though, as it often takes vendors more than six months to realise they aren't going to get the price they had hoped.

(f) Properties needing substantial work

Many people want to do a up a property, but that doesn't really mean they want to get their hands dirty. Most 'do-er uppers' are really looking for somewhere they can move into then upgrade the decoration and put in a new kitchen and bathroom. The real bargains come when a property needs gutting - or already has been, if it's been fire damaged, wrecked by previous owners. So less buyers trying to compete to buy these properties means you are more likely to 'bag a bargain'.

(g) Properties with 'undesirable' neighbours

Most properties are sold when they sit next to another property or overlook lots of beautiful countryside. Those though that have a pylon in the back garden, front onto a busy road (although less so in city centres), next to schools, or a dilapidated property, tend to sell for a lot less than those in a better location. In a falling market these are the toughest properties to shift, so you can make pretty low offers and if the vendors can still move on, your offer may well get accepted.

So if you want to haggle to bag a bargain in the property market, it's essential to sort out your finances, sign up a proactive legal company and find properties where vendors are likely to be 'motivated sellers' and let you have the property for less than they would when the property market is buoyant.