Negotiating a sale price, the realistic criteria of your search for a property and decision making when purchasing property. Here are a few things to remember!
Thank you to Harriet Kibbe for a new topic handled on the subject of local real estate.
In this monthly series, she highlights different topics giving some local property-related insights and tips. Here she covers some of the recurring questions many of us have.
In recent conversations with potential buyers I have come across a few similar topics that I would like to share with you. And no, its not about heating systems, the risks of asbestos or japanese knotweed, I’ll keep them for another day!
Here are some of the most frequent conversations I am having at the moment:
The listed asking price is what the buyers want, not necessarily the market price.
Don’t be put off by the price of a property if it is only slightly higher than your maximum budget. If you love a property, always make an offer even if it’s well below the asking price. Making an offer is not legally binding, it may be a bit cheeky but you never know! In addition, it will help the estate agents think of you when another property pops up on the market and save you the hassle of going to them.
Be prepared: have discussions with your bank of choice about a potential mortgage.
What funds they would be able to lend based on your income and equity? This way when the right property comes up at the right price, you can act swiftly, which you will need to!
Unless you have a very decent budget there will always be a main road, a train line, some overhead cables, or the highway.
Figure out which of these you know you can’t tolerate. Everyone is different: the convenience of being close to the highway will be dampened by the amount of traffic at rush hour, will you get used to it? The beautiful view over the lake will also involve overlooking the train tracks, can you live with that?
When you have found a house with what you think you can live with, go around to it at different times of day and night to check what kind of activity is going on.
See if you can talk to the neighbours, they usually have no interest in whether you buy the house on sale or not, so they will give it to you straight. Also it obviously helps to know the neighbours before moving in… on both sides!
Harriet has lived in the Geneva-Nyon area on and off since 1988, growing up as part of the transient international community, and has settled in Founex with her family and four children since 2011. Having moved several times she has always offered her help to newcomers and people from the international community in general to assist in their integration and understanding of the region.
If you want to contact Harriet you can reach her by email here.