Start with your purpose and total budget

A family home, retirement base, rental property and development plot require different searches. Decide what matters for daily life or the intended business: location, usable space, access, services and the cost of making the property ready.

Include legal work, surveys, applicable taxes, registration, repairs and a contingency in the budget. A low asking price can conceal expensive access, drainage or utility work.

Already found something?

You can ask for help with a property advertised by another agent or developer, or offered directly by an owner. Send the location or advert link and explain the stage reached. If the question is legal, the scope and fees are agreed separately with the lawyer.

Compare evidence as well as appearance

• Request the asking price and currency, location, dimensions and current photographs.
• Identify the owner, negotiator and anyone authorised to sign or collect money.
• Arrange an appropriate inspection of the property and a check of boundaries and access.
• Have the legal interest, documents, restrictions and competing claims investigated.
• Confirm occupation, included items, utility arrangements and any work still to be completed.

Make the offer conditional on the right checks

Discuss how an offer or reservation should deal with satisfactory enquiries, finance where relevant, agreed documents and completion timing. Get the conditions in writing. Do not assume that a verbal promise to refund a deposit will resolve a later disagreement.

Complete with a record you can use

Agree which documents, keys and possession arrangements you will receive. Ask who is responsible for each outstanding step after payment. Keep copies of the transaction record and know how to contact each appointed professional.

If buying from abroad, decide who can inspect, sign and receive documents, and how you will approve decisions. A relative’s help can be valuable, but the responsibilities still need to be clear.