Tips & tricks for the search for a property

For the search for a house or an apartment for sale, but of course also for rent, you can use different ways and channels. Most searchers look around on well-known real estate portals and narrow down the results displayed by filtering them according to their needs. Less common, but not uncommon in these times of supply/demand ratio shifts, is placing your own ads for property searches. While sellers are more likely to choose an agent service, very few potential owners know that they can also contact a real estate agency and hire them to do the search . When searching for a house through a real estate agent, you should make sure that you do not inadvertently enter into a sole contract with them. This would mean that you can neither commission another estate agent, nor take advantage of a convincing offer from another estate agent on the internet. It is definitely advisable to speed up your property search by using different channels and search forms. If you want to save time and do not want to look through portals every day, a real estate agency can be a good solution. With Lukinski, you don’t sign a gagging contract and benefit from professional support that will get you into your own four walls in a timely manner. When commissioning a property search, it is important that you communicate your requirements and be specific about all the criteria that are relevant to you. It is not enough to state your maximum price and the living space or property size. In the end, a real estate agent can only work professionally for you if he knows your wishes and can start a targeted search on the basis of your information. If you are searching yourself, you should compare different houses and apartments on the basis of the ancillary costs. Additional expenses of up to 17% depending on the state are not uncommon. You should know: both the asking price and the broker’s commission are negotiable within a certain margin and with a lot of empathy, as well as a little negotiating skill, you can acquire your dream property at a lower price.

Look for yourself or hire a real estate agent?

This decision is based on how much time you want to invest in the house or apartment search. Many searchers do without a real estate agent because a commission is due when the contract is signed. If you look around in the real estate offers on the Internet, you will find that, with a few exceptions, they basically pay a broker’s fee when buying. Therefore, you should take your luck into your own hands and contact a real estate agency. The cost factor is no different from the commission you pay when you sign a contract if the owner you are buying from has hired an agent. Searching on your own involves many hurdles and usually takes longer than you might initially imagine. Many properties do not even make it into the portals where you are searching. If you have deposited your specifications for the search with a real estate agency and triggered an order, you will receive information for each incoming object according to your criteria, as well as the exposé for viewing. If you like the property, you can arrange an appointment for a viewing and the purchase can be initiated in your interest. If the property does not meet your expectations, no costs are incurred and the real estate agent continues to search. A qualified real estate agent with good references will usually find your dream apartment or home faster than you, or than a professional colleague who has little experience and no large network. It is therefore worthwhile to make comparisons in advance and to focus not only on the percentage commission, but above all on the services and competence. Alternatively, you can continue to search yourself despite hiring a broker, as long as you pay attention to the factors listed in the next point when drafting the contract.

Real estate search with brokerage contract – you should pay attention to this!

You tend to outsource the real estate search and do not deal with real estate portals every evening after work. Then it comes to a brokerage contract, which you should always make in writing. There is no legal requirement for an estate agent contract to be in writing. But to avoid possible legal disputes in case of disagreement, you should exclude verbal agreements and refer to the written form. In addition to the concrete information about the search, i.e. the size and location of the property, the number of rooms, furnishings and standard as well as the budget that you want to spend on a property, further facts belong to the contractual contents. Define the term of the contract concretely with date and hold the commission height, as well as the maturity of the commission likewise in writing. The scope of activities for the real estate search must also be described exactly. In order to exclude a sole commitment to the commissioned real estate agent, the document drawn up must not be a sole commission. Even though an exclusively commissioned real estate agent will go to great lengths to ensure your satisfaction, you are limiting your scope of action. In the case of land and homes, a contract period of six to eight months is usually set. If you are looking for an exceptional property, the period can also be a year. If you have not signed a sole contract, there is no obligation that prohibits you from accepting an offer from another agent. If you find your dream house in the advertisements of a competitor, in the case of a sole commission you must either renounce or fulfil your contractual obligations and make a payment.

Placing advertisements – does it make sense?

When searching for your house or dream apartment, you can use all the possibilities. Placing an advertisement can be quite useful if you provide potential owners with the right information. Whether you advertise on a real estate portal or rather on municipal advertising sites depends on whether you want to spend money on the request or start a free call. However, you should not expect too much from an advertisement. Very few owners sell properties privately and even fewer homeowners read advertisements and respond to requests. Nevertheless, it is a possibility, provided that you consider the advertisement only as an additional measure and not as the sole strategy.

Checklist for the real estate search

Both when you are searching yourself and when you hire a real estate agent: define your wishes and be specific. In your mind, you already have an idea before you start looking for a property, which you can use as a basis for your search and to compare offers. If you are looking for a property together with your partner, you should write down the checklist with all the criteria and make your wishes clear to both of you. The size and location of the house, the number of rooms or a bathroom with a bathtub are only basic specifications. In the case of plots of land, for example, it is important that you specify exactly what you want to use the property for later and base your search on the suitability of a plot of land. If you’re looking for a house to move into immediately, don’t focus on properties with a renovation backlog or in need of modernization. Accept minor handyman work in favor of an adequate price, determine exactly what area you are compromising on. Buying older properties requires special attention. Here, it may be advisable to hire a surveyor before buying and find out about the structural fabric and dampness. It is also advisable to check an older heating system and electrical wiring. These and other items are components of the checklist you have on hand for any property search. When commissioning an estate agent, pass on a copy of the list and simplify the search for him by clearly stating what you want and what you consistently reject.

Preferring to search for real estate from private sellers: here are the facts

For your search for the dream house or a modern condominium, you have decided to completely waive additional costs for a service. You do not hire a broker yourself and exclude paying for the broker hired by the owner when you buy. In this case, you have the option to focus on private offers and buy commission-free from the owner. The advantage is obvious: you pay no commission and pay the purchase price when the contract is signed, as well as the fees for the notary and the land transfer taxes. However, there are some disadvantages to buying privately. Finding commission-free properties is relatively difficult, as most owners sell through a real estate agency. Once you have found a commission-free property, make an appointment to view it with the owner. If there is sympathy, the conversation can go very well and provide you with a lot of knowledge about the property. If there is antipathy, a viewing appointment of an hour can drag on and become an unpleasant experience. Contract formation is also very complex when buying privately. If neither you nor the owner are experienced with purchase contracts for real estate, mistakes are pre-programmed and good (usually legal) advice is often expensive. The private purchase offers a high risk potential and is more suitable for real estate seekers who are either construction or legal experts and thus realise a core area of the transaction with competence.

Quickly and safely into a new home – Lukinski Lukinski provides support in the search for real estate!

You can search for real estate in different ways. The easiest and safest way to search is with Lukinski. As an experienced real estate agency, we find out in the first conversation with you what you are looking for and what you primarily value. We work at favourable commissions and find the house or apartment according to your specifications in our large network in a timely manner. You do not have to take care of the contract processing on your own. If we search for you, we accompany you beyond the real estate purchase up to the notarial certification, the land register entry and the handing over of the real estate.