My OperaUseful tips for flat buyers
Thursday, July 21, 2011 2:46:58 PM
Buying a flat of a condo or house is a 
very serious thing. Many of us do not know how to buy flats, so no wonder we often become victims of real estate frauds. Here are some tips that will help you to avoid scams and buy a flat of your dream.
1. Do not apply to the agent who represents flat seller. This agent will be attentive to seller’s interests, and will not take care of yours. Buyer has to have his own agent, and it’s better if he is from another real estate agency.
2. When signing a contract ask your agent about what services the agency provides and how much they cost. Also, find out what additional expenses you will have to face with. Ask the agent to provide you with the pricelist where all services and prices are indicated.
3. Find a flat that meets all your requirements, and come to terms in the question of its price. If the ad says that the flat is being sold at low price, do not be hurry to accept this offer. There is free cheese only in a mouse trap. Advertisement about a low-priced flat can be a bait for naïve customer. Moreover, in most cases low priced flats are sold quickly, so buyer will not have enough time to check all the documents. Usually, sellers of low priced flats require down payment as a condition of not selling the flat to another customer. In case if the deal is invalid, customer will have serious financial problems. Nobody will indemnify you for loss. Doesn’t seem like a low priced flat, does it? Selling flat with fake documents is one of the most dangerous kinds of fraud, so be careful.
4. Do not go to look at the flat alone. Provide your friends or relatives with address of the place you are going to visit.
5. If you are offered to look at flats for money, never agree! Such offer can be made only by fraud who promises to find the most appropriate apartment for you. In reality, owner of the flat (man of straw) is a fraud’s accomplice.
6. Make sure a seller is not registered in narcological or neurological dispensary. Also, find out if the person registered in the flat was in imprisonment.
7. Here are some things about flat seller you should find out:
- his marital status;
- his family members’ rights for this flat;
- if a flat owner has under age children;
8. Make sure the flat doesn’t have any hidden defects. Sometimes it’s not easy to do that at once. If the flat is old in summer, the fact that it has poor heating can be found out only in winter. It’s better to have an independent expert with you when visiting the flat. He will show you all the disadvantages of apartment. Do not be lazy to visit the flat more than once. Pay attention to a condition of the building, pipes and presence of cracks in walls and ceiling. If you are going to buy a flat on the last floor, pay attention to the roof condition, make sure it doesn’t leak.
9. Do not give money to the agent without receipt.
10. Check if there are any arrears for electricity, heating, etc.
very serious thing. Many of us do not know how to buy flats, so no wonder we often become victims of real estate frauds. Here are some tips that will help you to avoid scams and buy a flat of your dream.1. Do not apply to the agent who represents flat seller. This agent will be attentive to seller’s interests, and will not take care of yours. Buyer has to have his own agent, and it’s better if he is from another real estate agency.
2. When signing a contract ask your agent about what services the agency provides and how much they cost. Also, find out what additional expenses you will have to face with. Ask the agent to provide you with the pricelist where all services and prices are indicated.
3. Find a flat that meets all your requirements, and come to terms in the question of its price. If the ad says that the flat is being sold at low price, do not be hurry to accept this offer. There is free cheese only in a mouse trap. Advertisement about a low-priced flat can be a bait for naïve customer. Moreover, in most cases low priced flats are sold quickly, so buyer will not have enough time to check all the documents. Usually, sellers of low priced flats require down payment as a condition of not selling the flat to another customer. In case if the deal is invalid, customer will have serious financial problems. Nobody will indemnify you for loss. Doesn’t seem like a low priced flat, does it? Selling flat with fake documents is one of the most dangerous kinds of fraud, so be careful.
4. Do not go to look at the flat alone. Provide your friends or relatives with address of the place you are going to visit.
5. If you are offered to look at flats for money, never agree! Such offer can be made only by fraud who promises to find the most appropriate apartment for you. In reality, owner of the flat (man of straw) is a fraud’s accomplice.6. Make sure a seller is not registered in narcological or neurological dispensary. Also, find out if the person registered in the flat was in imprisonment.
7. Here are some things about flat seller you should find out:
- his marital status;
- his family members’ rights for this flat;
- if a flat owner has under age children;
8. Make sure the flat doesn’t have any hidden defects. Sometimes it’s not easy to do that at once. If the flat is old in summer, the fact that it has poor heating can be found out only in winter. It’s better to have an independent expert with you when visiting the flat. He will show you all the disadvantages of apartment. Do not be lazy to visit the flat more than once. Pay attention to a condition of the building, pipes and presence of cracks in walls and ceiling. If you are going to buy a flat on the last floor, pay attention to the roof condition, make sure it doesn’t leak.
9. Do not give money to the agent without receipt.
10. Check if there are any arrears for electricity, heating, etc.
Unregistered user # Sunday, September 4, 2011 5:04:12 AM