Purchasing a property is often the single largest investment a person or family will make, but it can be a bewildering experience if you don't really know what's going on.
Having just bought my first home, I was left wishing I could find a course on "how to buy a house", instead of having to learn by experience and blunder through with little understanding.
Some things might seem self explanatory or obvious to people who already own property, but I found there was a lot of contradictory information out there.
Here are some things I wish I knew before I started looking to buy a home.
What the expert says: Ms Higgins said buyers needed to make use of the vast volume of information online to gauge prices, and sift through all the mixed messages.
"I think we can understand the shape of the neighbourhood so much more easily, so again it's about doing your research," she said.
"If you're interested in a house you can get to know that real estate agent's properties, what they've told people and then what they sell for, and how closely they are aligned, or how far off they are.
"It is a lot of work, and it can be a really great fun project, but it does take time and lots of research.
"Ask lots of questions and really invest in the process."
Comments