It’s tough to get ahead in the hunt for a home. There are no promo codes, no Black Friday sales, and no reselling the next day if it’s too small.
So how can you get ahead when everyone’s looking on Zoopla, just like you?
Well, there are lesser-known tactics to find a property that not everyone knows about. And they start with our handy tools.
Whether you’re a first-time buyer or you’ve done it all before, these insider tips will guide you towards your dream home that little bit faster.
1. Filter by reduced-price properties
You know that Black Friday sale we mentioned? This is the next best thing.
Our handy ‘price-reduced’ filter can help you find properties that have had their asking price cut. And you never know: that leafy area, an extra bedroom or a nice big driveway could be back in reach after a price reduction.
Search reduced-price properties for sale
Homes are reduced in price for all sorts of reasons, and it’s mainly to do with the seller wanting to speed up their sale. It might be that they’re holding up their chain, their mortgage offer is running out, or they simply want to move quickly for personal or family reasons.
2. Find properties with no chain
Our ‘chain-free’ filter can help you find properties that’ll be quicker to move into, because the seller doesn’t need a new place and that makes them end of chain.
They might be moving into a new-build home or a rental property, or going to live with family or a partner. Or sometimes it’s a sale after the owner has died.
Buying a property with no chain can streamline the whole process. It reduces the risk of delays as there’s less work for conveyancers and fewer checks to wait for. It means a more predictable buying experience (read: less stress) and it’s often simpler to plan moving day.
3. Look for the ‘back to market’ badge
Our ‘back to market’ badge can help you discover a hidden gem that other buyers are missing out on.
This badge captures properties that may have previously received an offer, but they're now back up for sale. And that's rarely anything to do with the home itself.
It’s often an issue further up or down the chain, or a financial hurdle like a mortgage offer not getting approved or a change in someone’s budget.
They’re all humans in the rest of a chain as well, remember - even if you never actually talk to them. That means job changes, relationship break-ups and health issues could all have stopped the sale from going through.
Another pro of ‘back to market’ properties is that you know the seller is serious about moving. They're likely to have all their ducks in a row and could be keen to move quickly.
Search property for sale to see ‘back to market’ properties.
4. Search for properties by travel time
Ruled out certain properties because they were too far from work or family, or the school run looks like it would take an hour? You might find some homes are better located than you thought with our travel time tool.
Choose your mode of transport - by car, foot, bus or train - and we'll only show you properties that are within your ideal travel time.
So search by travel time to find the perfectly positioned home, whether it’s close to your family, office, school or just your favourite pub.
5. Be the first to know about new properties for sale
Think of our property alerts as one of those ‘New season drop’ emails that lands in your inbox. Only the freshest properties, carefully curated for you and pinged to your inbox as soon as they’re listed for sale.
Sign up for instant property alerts
Because if you’re the first to find a property, you can be the first to view it. And if you’re the first to view it, you can be the first to make an offer.
