Hello everyone,
First of all: Yes, I know this is a home construction forum, but since I haven’t found a suitable forum about home buying (if one exists, please let me know), I’m simply asking here:
My girlfriend and I are planning to buy an existing property within the next 3 to 5 years. The key criteria are pretty clear:
- Semi-detached house or end-of-terrace house built from 1995 onwards
- 100–150 sqm (1,076–1,615 sq ft)
- At least 4 rooms
- Basement
- Plot size not too big, but not too small (roughly 300–500 sqm (3,229–5,382 sq ft))
- In good overall condition
- Budget up to about 200,000 euros
- Location: Magdeburg or the surrounding area
Due to the low interest rates, the market seems to be very quickly bought up. At least, that’s what my search alerts on the major portals (immobilienscout24, immonet, immowelt) and banks show me.
Does anyone have experience with how to find suitable properties that are not listed on the big portals? I get the impression, or suspect, that the really good and fitting houses never make it onto the portals, and what is listed is basically just what nobody wants.
Of course, we are aiming to find a property without agent fees, which seems even more difficult. Would it make sense, maybe even now, to contact an estate agent who could propose suitable houses as soon as they become available, or does that not make much sense?
Thanks in advance for your support.
First of all: Yes, I know this is a home construction forum, but since I haven’t found a suitable forum about home buying (if one exists, please let me know), I’m simply asking here:
My girlfriend and I are planning to buy an existing property within the next 3 to 5 years. The key criteria are pretty clear:
- Semi-detached house or end-of-terrace house built from 1995 onwards
- 100–150 sqm (1,076–1,615 sq ft)
- At least 4 rooms
- Basement
- Plot size not too big, but not too small (roughly 300–500 sqm (3,229–5,382 sq ft))
- In good overall condition
- Budget up to about 200,000 euros
- Location: Magdeburg or the surrounding area
Due to the low interest rates, the market seems to be very quickly bought up. At least, that’s what my search alerts on the major portals (immobilienscout24, immonet, immowelt) and banks show me.
Does anyone have experience with how to find suitable properties that are not listed on the big portals? I get the impression, or suspect, that the really good and fitting houses never make it onto the portals, and what is listed is basically just what nobody wants.
Of course, we are aiming to find a property without agent fees, which seems even more difficult. Would it make sense, maybe even now, to contact an estate agent who could propose suitable houses as soon as they become available, or does that not make much sense?
Thanks in advance for your support.
It probably depends on the situation in Magdeburg.
In Leipzig, it doesn’t make sense to "hire" a real estate agent.
What agents get, they just post on the listing portals, and then it’s sold within a week. No one makes the effort to send you anything beforehand.
There are exceptions if you’re on the email distribution list of different agents, so you might see something 1–2 days before it appears on the portals. But that’s about it.
In Leipzig, it doesn’t make sense to "hire" a real estate agent.
What agents get, they just post on the listing portals, and then it’s sold within a week. No one makes the effort to send you anything beforehand.
There are exceptions if you’re on the email distribution list of different agents, so you might see something 1–2 days before it appears on the portals. But that’s about it.
We searched for one year, and interestingly, "our" house was already listed right at the beginning. We thought it was too perfect and assumed there must be a catch. After fourteen disappointing viewings, we finally found a small bungalow and still decided to visit "our" house, thinking it couldn’t hurt. After that, the bungalow was off the table, and we bought the house. Since it had been listed for a year, we were able to negotiate an even lower price. This was all done without a real estate agent.
So, you might search for a few days or two years—it’s really a matter of luck. But: if you’re not in a hurry, I would definitely recommend skipping the agent! Why throw away thousands of euros when it’s possible without one? It might take longer, but if time isn’t critical, it’s worth it.
So, you might search for a few days or two years—it’s really a matter of luck. But: if you’re not in a hurry, I would definitely recommend skipping the agent! Why throw away thousands of euros when it’s possible without one? It might take longer, but if time isn’t critical, it’s worth it.
You can register your interest with real estate agents. With agents linked to savings banks or cooperative banks, you usually receive the property brochure before it is publicly listed. If the property suits you, that’s great.
This also works with dedicated private agents. However, there are agents—as I have experienced—who show little interest in actively searching. They say things like, “Please check our website, and if you find something suitable, give me a call,” and then charge several thousand dollars in commission. These are agents whose business runs so well that they only list properties and wait for buyers. And it seems to work out well for them. Sad, but true.
This also works with dedicated private agents. However, there are agents—as I have experienced—who show little interest in actively searching. They say things like, “Please check our website, and if you find something suitable, give me a call,” and then charge several thousand dollars in commission. These are agents whose business runs so well that they only list properties and wait for buyers. And it seems to work out well for them. Sad, but true.
A few weeks ago, we sold our current house – by chance, on the very day we published the listing, an acquaintance asked if we already had a buyer. She said she had a friend who was looking for something like this. Two days later, we promised the house to them, and they went for it. So sometimes personal contacts and asking around can really pay off.
B
Bieber081531 Aug 2015 21:08instigater schrieb:
Does anyone have experience with how to find suitable offers that are not listed on the major portals? Through personal contacts, which don’t have to be your own. If you widely announce that you’re looking for a house and then your mother tells her hairdresser, they might know someone... It sounds silly, but it sometimes works.
It also doesn’t hurt to subscribe to a daily newspaper (but make sure to read it first thing in the morning!). That’s where you’re most likely to find private house offers.
Good luck!
PS: If you don’t want to pay a commission, you should avoid contacting real estate agents. I can understand that.