There is nothing like a global pandemic to give you a new perspective on things! Whether you were thinking of buying a new house anyway, or the ramifications of Covid-19 have forced your hand, you may be looking with interest at the housing market right now.
We were seeing high demand before the crisis took off and interest in our properties remained strong online throughout the first lockdown period. Thankfully, physical house moves can still continue and hits to our website and properties on Rightmove, Zoopla, On The Market and Prime Location are still in the high levels.
Houses for sale in Cornwall are sure to prove even more popular in the coming months heading towards spring. So if you are a buyer looking for a new Cornish property, how should you proceed in these unusual times? Here is a handy guide from our expert property team, who have adapted quickly to a new way of working as a result of coronavirus.
Get those ducks in a row…
There may or may not be an influx of buyers in rural areas, but either way it helps to get yourself in the strongest position and be ready to offer quickly and decisively to secure that dream Cornish property!
Get a new mortgage lined up, advance the sale of any current property, and don’t forget to check that your credit rating hasn’t been adversely affected by any borrowing or late mortgage payments. The first round of the government’s mortgage holiday scheme shouldn’t have affected your rating, but if you take a second one it may do.
Make the all-important wish-list and decide on the aspects of a new property that you just can’t do without (home working potential, good walks on the doorstep, and decent broadband are all strong contenders right now!) In the world of fewer visits and restricted travel you’ll want to make every property viewing count.
Put your trust in technology
Like many estate agents, here at Harding Laity we are offering virtual viewings, walk-throughs and even interviews with current owners to see how they experience life at home.
Remember to tell us what is important to you – for example if you plan to work from home we’ll be sure to show you details of your potential new home office, including the view if there is one!
This digital content will give you an in-depth view of the property and surrounding area, but you can always ask for more information unique to your interests. For example, we can provide links to location guides, local walking and cycling routes, favourite neighbourhood restaurants and nearby beach cams.
While a virtual visit isn’t the same, it is a fast and effective way of narrowing down the list of properties you want to visit in person. If you simply can’t travel to view in person but want to make an offer, our team – who are all working remotely themselves – will process these in the normal way, making sure you’re kept informed on the progress of the sale via phone and email.
Visit with confidence
Here at Harding Laity, we have a thorough safety policy in place to keep buyers, sellers, and our team safe during home visits. You can read the details here. Before any home visits your agent will brief you on hygiene, access and movement around the property you are visiting to minimise risk.Â
We work with sellers in the same way, briefing them on things like leaving doors open within the property and maximising air flow, so you can be rest-assured that we are doing everything we can to create safe environments.
As always, our team are working closely with prospective buyers at this time to help them find the perfect property. So why not get in touch and let us know the scope of your house search? We’d love to help you buy a house safely in the wake of Covid-19!
