For many buyers but particularly first time buyers, making an offer on a property can be the most daunting prospect of the whole house buying process but it needn’t be. You have already gone through the whole process of thinking about what kind of property you want, looking at a number of different properties and obtaining financial advice. Therefore, whilst it may seem like the most daunting aspect, if you have done your research, you have all the information needed to make an informed decision. 

Here are a few tips to help you when you have decided to make an offer on a property.

How to make an offer

Making an offer on a property is a formal process and so we will ask you some simple questions to help us determine your position as a buyer. If you have never been through the house buying experience before, you may be unsure as to how you can actually make that offer. You can easily come into one of our offices and put your offer forward to a member of staff and they will talk you through that process. Alternatively it can be quicker and easier for you to ring us with your offer. Our telephone lines are open outside our branch opening hours and so if you wish to make an offer at 8.30pm or on a Sunday we are available to take your offer.

Information we will ask you

When you make an offer on a property we will ask you for details you may well have given before however this is a legal requirement and we must check all your details to give the vendor full information.

Obviously we must have the amount you wish to offer. We will also ask what position you are in.  So, for example, this could be that you’re a first time buyer, have a property to sell which is sold or a property to sell which is unsold. This is so we can determine what the chain involved in the house purchase will be.

Can we have your proof of funding please?

Many buyers often feel a little offended when we ask this but we simply need to find out how you intend to purchasemake sure you have the funds available to purchase a property and this is applicable wether this is a cash purchase or requires mortgage funds.

Putting yourself in a favourable position

The time of putting your offer in is also the time to sell yourself as to why the vendor should accept your offer. If it is a lower offer than you think the vendor may be prepared to accept then explain why. It may be because you feel the property needs work to meet your requirements or that you are looking for a quick completion date. When you put forward your offer speak to the negotiator about the reasons behind your offer.

It is also in your best interests to put forward as much information as possible. If your mortgage is in place and, even better, if you have your Agreement in Principle from your financial advisor, let us know this when you provide us with your offer. This will also show the vendor that you are serious in making the offer. All this information will go towards helping you secure that property.

It goes without saying that if, at any point, you have any questions we are more than happy to help. We fully understand that the whole process of house buying is probably new to you and so if you have a query ask us – no matter how obvious you think it is!

Whether you are a Landlord, Tenant or private Home Owner you do not want to find yourself with and issues with your home this winter as a result of the weather, whether it be to avoid  financial or simply inconvenient. During the winter there is a high risk that water services will freeze and cause substantial damage.

Research from Direct Line Home Insurance reveal, 40 per cent of abodes are vulnerable to issues such as frozen pipes and boiler breakdowns and preventative measures cam help with a problem before it arises.

As the last two winters have demonstrated, bad weather can cause serious damage to property as well as enormous stress to homeowners,” he stated.

Precautions such as adequate insulation to prevent pipes freezing, clearing drains and blocked guttering, checking for any missing or damaged roof tiles and having the boiler services ready for the winter months.

For any properties likely to stand vacant over the winter period, it is advisable to check your home insurance as it is likely that your insurance may be invalidated unless the water and central heating systems are completely drained and the mains turned off.  It is therefore advisable that the water systems should be completely drained and we would therefore strongly recommend that you instruct a local plumbing contractor to carry out this work on your behalf as soon as possible.

So tell us a little bit about your department?

We are based in the town centre of Halifax within a mixed sector consisting of shops as well as all the major bank branches. The office opened as a cold start at the beginning of 2006 so we are a relatively new branch of Ryder & Dutton but with the strength of marketing and quality of service we quickly grew to be one of the market leading agents in the town.

How long have you been working together?

The current team are mainly new to the branch, having had a few changes around earlier in the year. I have been at the office since we first opened and Steph who has also been here since the beginning is one of the negotiators although she is now on maternity leave, having had a new baby in July and won’t return until the middle of next year. Michaela is my senior negotiator and assistant valuer, having had a number of years estate agency experience and being with Ryder & Dutton for about 3 years, starting briefly in Halifax, she moved to the Huddersfield branch and then with Steph going on mat leave we needed someone with experience and Michaela was the ideal person to come back to Halifax. Camilla and Lewis are our newest members of staff, both having joined us in April of this year, Camilla having previously worked in TV production and Lewis has recently qualified from university, so it is his first full time work.

What sort of properties do you usually deal with?

We deal with the full range of property but are probably best associated with the middle towards upper end of the market, good sized family terraces and semi detached houses to farmhouses and executive homes over a wide area

What areas does your branch cover?

 We mainly cover the Calderdale district which runs from Todmorden in the Calder Valley and Rishworth in the Ryburn Valley, areas which link in with our Manchester area offices, through to the boundaries of Huddersfield around the M62 corridor and then we operate out towards Bradford and Keighley areas so it is a very wide field of coverage.

What is special about your town that attracts buyers?

One of the key factors is the central location being between the two major north of England cities of Leeds and Manchester , with good commuter access to a wide range of commercial centres in between, couples with  the fact that we have fantastic open countryside and moorland surrounding the town providing some of the best walking country in the county. Halifax is the birthplace of what was the Halifax Building Society, now part of the Lloyds Banking Group and as such is still a major employer in the town as well as other national and international companies in the area. The Town is also going through a period of regeneration particularly with the large development at the Broad Street Plaza which will house shops, restaurants and leisure facilities to the edge of the town centre. There are also ambitious plans for the Piece Hall, deemed to be the second most important building in Yorkshire, with recently announced plans for a £16m scheme to create Halifax’s very own Covent Garden.

How do you think Ryder and Dutton stands out from its competitors?

 Ryder & Dutton are regarded as one of the quality estate agents in the area, providing professional and friendly customer service and advice backed by excellent marketing with high profile newspaper advertising and internet presence. Being the largest independent agent in the area, we are the only agency able to promote and market properties across West Yorkshire and East Lancashire, covering the important M62 corridor which is a very popular area for house hunters wanting regional access as well as good local facilities. Our Centro facility is also a unique offering, backing up the excellent service provided by the branch teams by dealing with enquiries up to 8.30pmweekday evenings and across the weekends, ensuring we are available to buyers and sellers and are minimizing the number of missed calls.

What do you think the strongest quality of your team is?

We have instilled a good team work ethic in the Halifax branch with everyone enthusiastic and keen to succeed as individuals and collectively in respect of sales targets and in providing the quality of service and communication with vendor clients as well as buyers looking in the area who we register and continue to contact up to the point of them finding a suitable property.

So tell us a little bit about your department?

We are a residential sales department comprising of a team of three experienced women. Helen provides our welcoming face to the front of the office, she deals with reception duties and builds great relationships with our vendors whilst we find them a buyer. Sue is our longest serving team member who deals with all the negotiating between sellers and buyers, always striving to assist our clients with a smooth and stress free sale or purchase.  Amy is our office Manager and Valuer, she deals with the general office running as well as Valuing throughout the week and providing helpful information on selling your home in what can appear to be a slightly daunting process.

How long have you been working together?

As a team we have worked together within Ryder & Dutton for over 8 years, however Sue holds a very admirable record of 18 years service at this office.

What sort of properties do you usually deal with?

Every type.  Ranging from apartments to large detached homes to listed cottages. Predominantly we offer a great variety of 1950′s semi-detached and terraced homes circa 1900 which is the main type of property which was built in this area.

What areas does your branch cover?

We cover South Chadderton and North East Manchester which includes: New Moston, Moston, Failsworth, Newton Heath, Clayton Bridge and Clayton.

What is special about your town that attracts buyers?

It has excellent transport links and proximity to both M60 &M62 Motorway networks. Manchester City Centre is also within easy reach via numerous bus routes and will have added convenience once the metrolink extension has completed it’s construction. A variety of local primary and secondary schools also offer an ideal location for families to raise their children.

How do you think Ryder and Dutton stands out from its competitors?

We are a long established company with knowledgeable, long serving staff members, long opening hours, closely networked offices, pro-active marketing strategies, advance technological advertising and excellent customer service.

What do you think the strongest quality of your team is?

Team work and communication.

We all know that various personalities form the team there – how would you describe each team member?

Helen – very organised, conscientious, professional and tolerant.

Sue- Friendly, understanding, loyal and logical

Amy- Calm, helpful, knowledgeable and competitive.

For many buyers it is that sense of ownership and a pride in your own home that drives us to buy and this sense of pride cannot be mirrored to the same extent through renting. Within your own home you can express your own unique style and be as traditional or as creative as you like which in turn gives you space to be incredibly proud of, and a space that you personally have created. This is really where the fun is to be found!

 When any outstanding mortgage is paid off the intention would eventually be to own your home outright which also makes home ownership a cheaper long-term investment. Rent would have to be paid throughout the whole of your occupation of the property however once you complete the term of your mortgage you are done! Not to mention that some mortgage payments are actually cheaper then rents are initially. There is certainly an aspect of mortgage borrowing which gives you more control over your finances in that you can negotiate with the lender on your payment schedules, meaning you can pay off more when you can afford it or reduce the payments when times are feeling a little tougher.

 Once a home is owned outright, you then have the equity available to assist you perhaps at a retirement stage of life when the house can be sold in order to downsize, once the birds have flown the nest of course. Having downsized, you might then have a lump sum of equity available to make your new property your own or to spend on fulfilling those dreams that you just didn’t have the capacity to follow through on when there were mortgage payments to be met.

Property values in any part of the country will fluctuate periodically however over an extended period of time property has the potential to appreciate in value for a long term investment and security for home owners. 

There are some other benefits which may not seem as obvious, including building up a credit rating in order to apply for other loans in the future and also not being at the mercy of a landlord who might decide your long term home is now ripe to be sold on, forcing you to move home when it might not be best for you and your family.

Clearly it should be said that purchasing a home may not always be the right decision for everyone and it’s not a decision to take lightly. Your financial ability to purchase should be one of the main factors to take into consideration as well as any deposit required and your overall security but, with the decline house prices have seen over the last couple of years, there are some incredible opportunities within this market. With the stamp duty set to change in March 2012 and with a host of properties we have for sale currently offering a discount for purchase before the end of February perhaps those thinking about buying next year should think about starting the house hunt early!

Ian Potter, operations manager at ARLA, said “Our members are seeing an unprecedented level of demand for homes, with prospective buyers turning to rented property as a more flexible option than buying”.

“However, although the rental market is highly competitive, it is still possible to find that ideal home – if the search is carried out in a thorough, well-informed and realistic manner”.

It is certainly true that lettings has seen a steady increase in demand over the last few years with the last 18 months being particularly buoyant, however it is possible to put yourself in the best position to find a home to let.

* Register with us to find out what homes are becoming available to rent in your area. This is a service we offer via e-mail.

* All our rental properties are also listed on our own website www.ryder-dutton.co.uk and also on rightmove

* As soon as you see a property which you feel may be of interest to rent then it is advisable to arrange a viewing at your earliest convenience. Landlord often set criteria for tenants such as no pets or no housing benefit tenants. We understand this can sometimes can be frustrating but it is better to find out sooner rather than later before you view or even apply for a house which we are unable to offer you.

*If you arrange to view a rental property that you are keen to pursue then it is advisable to get the rental application forms prior to viewing so that if you want to proceed with the application after viewing then there is no delay in you being able to complete the forms and return them to us.

* You can collect application forms from any branch of Ryder and Dutton or alternatively we can e-mail them out to you.

* If you think you might not be eligible for a property to rent then just ask! We can advise you what you can apply for and if you are worried about credit ratings then we can advise you on applying with a guarantor.

So tell us about your department?

We are the Holmfirth office and we are situated in central Holmfirth on Huddersfield Road with a large showroom. Our team consists of Jonathan, Nichola, Caroline and Fiona.

What sort of properties do you usually deal with?

The type of properties that we deal with varies hugely and we see some really interesting and sometimes unusual homes.  This adds to the variety  and the enjoyment of our working lives.

What area does the branch cover? 

We cover all of HD9 postcodes and some of HD8,  which encompasses all of Holmfirth including Meltham, also as far as Clayton West, Crow Edge and Honley.

What is special about your town that attracts buyers?

 There is a real village feel with smaller villages also within Holmfirth. There is an abundance of character with a busy nightlife. Being within commuting distance of Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds means that Holmfirth is particularly attractive being a predominantly rural setting.

How do you think Ryder and Dutton stands out from its competitors?

 Proactivity and leading the way in terms of modern marketing using up to date technology.

What do you think the strongest quality of your team is?

 Local knowledge and a commitment to providing unrivalled customer service.

Are these really the best houses in the world? Some would take a Euro-Millions win to be affordable. Or does too much money corrupt taste and are these the naffest houses available.

We will leave you to decide.

Different world though!!

Le Parc at Park Shore
Naples Florida United States

Overjoy
Windermere, Orlando Florida United States

Castle Hirschberg
Seefeld Germany

Castello Canavese
Napoli Italy

Legendary Round Hill Greenwich Connecticut United States

The Stanford White Mansion on Fifth Avenue 
New York United States

The last one is priced at $49,000,000!!

At this time of year there is often some urgency to achieve a sale for a variety of reasons. We offered our clients the opportunity to take part in a Winter Initiative last year and we are sure that around 50 extra sales were achieved as a result to the mutual benefit of both buyers and sellers.

We have therefore decided to repeat this initiative again this year.

Ryder & Dutton have found sellers willing to consider quite substantial reductions in order to get sales in a restricted timescale. All clients have been contacted and many have agreed to reductions of 10%, others 7.5% or 5% for sales which complete before 28 February 2012. This means that there are some excellent opportunities out there for the committed buyer.

These are all shown on our website which can be accessed at www.ryder-dutton.co.uk

Alternatively contact our team on 0161 925 3255 for further details.

We now have over 35 lots in total in our sale on 6th December. Entries for this sale have now closed. There is a wide variety of lots including some good investment opportunities one of which is a rarely available Ground Rent Portfolio.

 We are now in the process of finalising our catalogue for the sale which will be held as a split sale on two separate sites.

The principle applied by Auction House is that properties sell more successfully if offered for sale locally. Our area is divided by the Pennines and therefore in the interests of convenience and hopefully success we have decided to split our sale between two venues on the same day, one in West Yorkshire in the afternoon and the other in Greater Manchester in the early evening.

We would ask you to ensure that if you are interested in any of our lots and wish to bid please ensure you are at the right venue.

As ever we welcome everyone to our sales, particularly if you are not familiar with the Auction process and want to see what happens before you make any  decision about if to offer a property for sale in this way.

Follow this link to our Auction Website where advance details of the lots available can be found together with open viewing dates and also a whole host of other information about the Auction process, Auction House Ryder & Dutton and Auction House UK.