Searching for a new home can be an incredibly stressful process, no matter whether you are looking to buy or rent. It seems that everyone knows somebody who has suffered a house hunting horror story. Fortunately, when you employ the services of professional Northern Ireland estate agents it should be possible to avoid most of the common pitfalls. After all, Belfast estate agents aim to ensure that their clients get the property of their dreams because they know that making a good impression is the best way to secure future work. It can be difficult to know where to look for a property when first moving into an area. That is why it is a good idea to employ the service of estate agents Belfast who have access to the local knowledge that you might need.
With Halloween coming up, there will be plenty of scare stories flying about. Trick or treating is always something for new neighbours to look forward to – especially when living with kids. Getting out into a new community and getting to know new neighbours is a good way of ensuring a happy start in a new home. However, in the spirit of Halloween, here is one real scare story from a lady who decided to search for a home without the help of an estate agent!
The House of Rat Droppings
Julia, 32, had answered an advert for a 2 bedroom house to rent in the local newspaper. She arrived at the property on time and there was nobody about. After 15 minutes waiting she decided to leave. Just as she decided to walk away, a text came through on her phone from the landlord saying that they would be 5 minutes late. When the landlord finally turned up 30 minutes later, it is fair to say that Julia was not in a good mood! However, she needed a place to stay so thought that she may as well look at the property whilst she was there. The landlord opened the front door and Julia was attacked by a jumping cat! A smell of stale animals wafted through the door. Having recovered from the shock of the cat attack, Julia tentatively stepped inside the building to be confronted with rat droppings on the staircase. She promptly walked out of the building never to return!
A responsible estate agent would never have shown Julia around such a depilated property without warning her beforehand. Plus, whilst it is obviously not always possible to be on time, if there are any reasons for a hold up, a decent agent will let the client know as quickly as possible. They certainly would wait to let the client know that they are running late until after the time that they are supposed to arrive. The fact is that it pays to find a house with a company that can be trusted. Nobody wants to live in a grot spot. Find the right place to live with an agent that can be trusted.
About the Author – Sarah Makinson is a freelance blogger who contributes to a range of consumer and lifestyle sites, including First Time Buyer NI.
