By Steve Roulstone
Buy to Let seems to be making a comeback, certainly as far as the press are concerned anyway, with several articles being published both at National level and at regional level. One such article in the local paper we advertise in, The Newsletter in Stafford caught my eye this week and whilst in principal it is a good article, i gleaming issue did come to mind!
Ten Top Tips!
The article was giving what the writer called, his ten top tips when considering But to Let and I would have to agree with most of what was written, what I would take issue with is what was NOTR written. On two occasions in the article, it mentioned speaking to people who had experience in the field, such as others that the reader may already know who had invested in the property.
Who Knows Best?
It even stated that you can use Managing agents to look after your property although we would raise a charge for doing so! Excuse the Sinicism here, but I am yet to find an Estate Agent who would do this for free, or a Solicitor that would provide an agreement at no charge! Of course we would charge and in relation to both of the professions I have just highlighted, could assist in ensuring the purchase was done correctly, especially with so many properties being linked to on site Management Companies now and the agreement we would provide would be certainly as good as any solicitor, but nowhere near as expensive! Sounds different put like that doesn’t it!
Blindingly obvious who to speak to!
No what the article never suggested was the blindingly obvious place to get good experienced advise is from your Professional Letting agent. It is disappointing not to be recognised for the service we can provide and the knowledge we can pass on! I know from the people who have come to us and just how many we have assisted in buying property, that we do a good job here. Yes we do turn such contacts in to business and we do charge! But we have never forced anybody to hand over there keys or their money! Rather that as professionals in the field, the advice has been such that our Landlords have CHOSEN to use our services and the many happy Landlords we have are living proof, that the professional Agent should be top of the tree when considering top tips.
Professional.
Now regular readers of my blogs will know that I take every opportunity to blow the trumpet of professionalism. Well there is no difference on this occasion. The whole point here is to ensure it is the right Agent and that the advice is good advice. Whilst we continue to wait for the Government to bring in the legislation to make professionalism in our industry the norm, all you have to do to ensure you are dealing with a Company that conforms, is look for the (or ask for the) evidence of the professional bodies they belong to.
Check it out
At Castle Estates in Stafford, we are members of ARLA, (NFOPP) and belong to the ‘Safe Agent’ scheme, as well as being members of The Property Ombudsman. By checking and reviewing the organisations (and all this can be done before you even speak to anybody, because the logos, will all be clearly shown on an Agents web site) you can be sure you are speaking to a professional Agent and therefore receiving good advice, now isn’t that what we all want?
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