Biggest Mistakes First Home Buyers Make And How To Avoid Them

Buy property without remorse and avoid the 8 common mistakes almost all first home buyers make with the help of Universal Buyers Agents.

First Home Buyers Urged to Look Before They Leap Onto Property Ladder

BUYING property will be the most significant spend of your life and will either have you sitting pretty on the property ladder or steer your finances towards some pain.

If it’s your first home, chances are you have little to no experience in the world of real estate so the margin for error can be even greater.

That’s where the help of an expert can help.

“A lot of the pain points for first home buyers are not knowing the process, not knowing the area they are buying in, fear of overpaying, not wanting to deal with agents and not knowing what due diligence to do,” Universal Buyers Agent property expert Darren Piper said.

“A lot of the first home buyers we deal with tick some of those boxes, if not all.

“But we’re here to streamline the process to make sure you buy well, save your time, save your money and get the right result that fits your brief and your strategy.”

Asian happy smile young couple take keys new big house from real estate agent or realtor in front of their house after signing contract agreement, concept for real estate, moving home or renting property

8 of the Most Common First Home Buyer Mistakes to Avoid:

  1. Not getting pre-approval.  It’s important to know exactly how much you have to spend, what your mortgage options look like and what your monthly repayments are likely to be before you start the buying process.
  1. Not knowing the area. Buyer’s agent can offer insight into the area you’re buying in. They will handle the heavy lifting researching, evaluating and performing due diligence on opportunities or issues in your chosen area.
  1. Only using online platforms to search for property. As much as 30% of properties are sold off the market, so you won’t find them listed online on platforms such as Realestate.com.au or Domain. Buyers’ agents have a network of off-market properties not available to the general public.
  1. Not including conditions in your offer. Homebuyers should always include conditions to their offer including subject to financial approval, building and pest inspections.
  1. Underestimating additional costs. First home buyers often fall into the trap of not factoring in costs such as conveyancing, building and pest inspections, stamp duty, lenders mortgage insurance, moving costs and solicitors. A buyer’s agent can help connect you to the right partners to make this process easier.
  1. Getting too emotional. It’s natural to fall in love with a property but don’t let your emotions get the better of you. A buyer’s agent can help to logically determine the pros and cons of your property and its long-term potential.
  1. Overpaying. It’s important to do your research or employ the help of an expert to determine the true value of a property. What have previous properties sold for in the area, what issues need to be fixed, is the asking price fair?
  1. Auction paralysis. Auctions can be daunting, especially if it’s your first time. The process is very different to a typical sale so you need to come ready to commit. A buyer’s agent can handle the bidding process so you can walk away with your dream home.

Universal Buyers Agents offers an experienced and professional buyer’s advocacy service for those looking to buy a home or property. Contact us now to find out more information.

Why a First Home Buyer Might Use a Buyer’s Agent

Eliminate the pain points of buying your first home with a buyer’s agent.  Avoid overpaying, navigate the real estate process and find the right property for you.

Why a First Home Buyer Might Use a Buyer’s Agent

Why Using A Buyers’ Agent Is Crucial

BUYING a home through a buyers’ agent used to be the preserve of the rich and famous, but first home buyers are among a growing cohort of property investors seeking the expertise of property experts to find their dream home.

Unlike real estate agents, buyer’s agents work exclusively for the buyer. They act as a buyers’ advocate to search for properties, evaluate them and negotiate with the seller (or their agent) to seal the deal at the best possible price.

“Purchasing your first property can be quite a daunting experience,” Universal Buyers Agents property expert Brad Weston said.

“But we’re here to save you time, we’re here to make sure you do pay the right price and we’re here to ensure you do all the checks you need to on the property such as flood plains, zoning and character overlay.”

Buyers agents can help with a range of different services including:

Brisbane City view

Why a buyer’s agent can help

Getting your foot in the property market can be a daunting and long drawn out process, especially if you’re new to the buying process.

Buyers agents can help demystify the process and provide up to date expert advice:

  1. Up to date advice: Universal Buyers Agents stay on top of market trends, challenges and opportunities so you’re not following out of date tips.
  2. Time poor: they can take the pain out of endless open homes and relentless online searches and connect you to on and off market opportunities which fit your brief and budget.
  3. Off market listings: UBA has a huge network of properties which are not listed online, giving you access to exclusive properties and deals.
  4. Different markets: if you’re looking for properties outside your market, perhaps interstate or in regional parts of the state, UBA has local knowledge you need to find the right property and price.
  5. Negotiation confidence: one of the most daunting parts of the buying process for first home buyers is how to make an offer and for how much. A buyers’ agent can handle the process for you so you don’t end up overpaying.
  6. Emotional detachment: avoid getting too emotionally attached and use an expert who can stop you from overlooking issues or pay more than you should.

Universal Buyers Agents offers an experienced and professional buyer’s advocacy service for those looking to buy a home or property. Contact us now to find out more information.

How to Buy In Queensland From Interstate

Avoid hidden traps and buy with confidence from interstate. Local experts Universal Buyers Agents are on your side when buying a home or property in Qld.      

Why a Buyer’s Agent Can Help 

BUYING a property can be as stressful and emotional as it gets, but it can be all the more challenging if you’re relocating or investing from interstate.

That’s why it can help to have a local expert in your corner to make the right purchase.

Universal Buyers Agents are the local property experts for Queensland’s property market and represent a large number of interstate and international buyers.

“Interstate buyers make up a big part of you we take care of so we’ve introduced a lot of processes to help make the experience as pain-free and comfortable as possible,” founding director Darren Piper said.

“We deal with clients from right around the country, but see the most buyers from Melbourne and Sydney.”

Buyer’s-Agent-consulting-clients-office

Mr Piper said there are plenty of ways buyers can fall into hidden traps without local knowledge so it can help to have someone in your corner throughout the buying process.

“One of the biggest reasons interstate buyers engage us is the expertise you get from having a local professional on the ground, someone who can access off market property and has the right contacts in place and to streamline the process,” he said.

“There are countless stories of buyers who have made a misstep by not understanding the local market and the areas well enough.

“It can be as simple as overpaying, right through to ending up in the wrong area because they didn’t understand the distances between landmarks.

“We’ve heard stories of buyers who didn’t understand the traffic between Brisbane and the Gold Coast who came to us only months later to find a new property because they got fed up with the commute.

“Or clients who ended up in suburbs with few public transport connections or lacked the lifestyle they want only to regret it down the track.”

Universal Buyers Agents puts extra steps in place to help interstate buyers and can help source and arrange properties to inspect or even FaceTime inspections for interstate clients.

“For us its about providing the right service to make clients feel as comfortable as possible,” he said.

“Whether it’s someone relocating or someone looking for an investment in South-East Queensland we can work closely with clients to make the buying process as seamless as possible.”

Universal Buyers Agents has the largest network of off-market listings in Queensland so buyers can get access to more properties unavailable to the general public.

Universal Buyers Agents offers an experienced and professional buyer’s advocacy service for those looking to buy a home or property. Contact us now to find out more information.

Why Universal Buyers Agents: Our Point of Difference

Universal Buyers Agents world-class one-on-one service for prospective buyers

AT UNIVERSAL Buyers Agents, we live and breathe property. It’s everything we do. And it comes across in our unique way of putting our clients first.

We recognise buying a property is one of the biggest and most important purchases you’ll make and want you to know we take the privilege of finding your dream property very seriously.

“One of the points of difference Universal Buyers Agents has compared to our competitors, is each buyer’s agent who works for us has a cap of how many clients they can take on,” founding director Darren Piper said.

“We choose to do that so we can provide world-class service to our clients as opposed to being too busy and doing you a disservice.

“We want to take the time to show you we care and make sure you get the right property, at the right price, every time”

Mr Piper said one of the biggest challenges in real estate – in both buying and selling – are clients who feel neglected because their agent has too much happening.

“We’re about quality, not quantity,” Mr Piper said.

“We have a tried and tested method of finding, evaluating and managing the buying process to make it as rewarding as possible for you, the buyer.

“We work closely with our clients and offer a diverse range of services so you know we’re in your corner to get the best possible outcome for you.”

Universal Buyers Agents also has access to the largest database of off-market properties in Queensland.

Surfers Paradise Beach, Queensland, Australia

Their off-market database has properties with a combined value of more than $100 million for every budget and brief buyers won’t find anywhere else.

“As many as one in three sales take place off market,” he said.

“The difference between you getting your dream property and settling for second best could be getting in first and gaining access to properties before everyone else.

“That’s where our team can help give you a leg up on the competition.

Universal Buyers Agents have experts across the Sunshine State and provide a range of services to help with finding, evaluating, auction bidding or property management.

Universal Buyers Agents offers an experienced and professional buyer’s advocacy service for those looking to buy a home or property. Contact us now to find out more information.

What Makes a Good Investment Property?

Tips for property investors from expert buyer’s agents. Talk to Universal Buyers Agents on investment opportunities in Queensland.

Tips for investors from expert buyer’s agents

INVESTING in Queensland’s property market can be a lucrative way of building equity and wealth for the future.

But Universal Buyers Agents property expert Darren Piper said it’s important to select the right real estate to suit your strategy and achieve your ideal financial return.

“What makes a good investment is a common question we’re asked,” Mr Piper said.

“But it really comes down your strategy as a buyer.

“There are some fundamentals to think about; what are the property’s vacancy rates, rental returns, average days on market, right through to what infrastructure projects are in the pipeline in the surrounding area.”

Mr Piper said one of the common traps many property investors fall into is focusing on only one feature such as rental return which may not present the best long-term value.

“Do you want to make a profit through rental return or do you want to reap the tax benefits of keeping it negatively geared?

“Are you focused on short term wins or the long term growth potential of an investment?

“Our team can sit down with you to determine which strategy might be best if you’re an entry level investor, or how additional investments might fit in with the rest of your portfolio.”

property expert

Mr Piper said one of the biggest tips he offers investors is to do their homework on projects, both government and private, which could add value to a property.

“It could be anything from transport projects, schools, hospitals, shopping centres which could elevate the value of your investment,” he said.

“It can be easy to get caught up in things like high rental returns, but it’s really about the whole picture and what your terms are to make a sound investment.”

Universal Buyers Agents has a network of local experts who track the growth and yield potential of Queensland’s property market.

Despite doomsday predictions of a downturn during COVID-19, Queensland has maintained buoyancy with property values holding steady month on month.

Queensland’s property market grew 3.77% across the board in the year to July 31, 2020 with the highest growth seen in the housing market.

“Queensland is one of the greatest locations to invest on the East Coast,” Mr Piper said.

“Where Sydney and Melbourne’s markets have priced out most investors, places such as Brisbane and the Gold Coast still have a lot of growth potential and the state is continuing to invest in infrastructure projects which continue to drive up the value of investments.”

Universal Buyers Agents offers an experienced and professional buyer’s advocacy service for those looking to buy a home or property. Contact us now to find out more information.

How To Find Properties Which Aren’t “On The Market”

The secret to finding properties before anyone else. Universal Buyers Agents three tips to finding “off market” properties.

Three tips from property experts to find your ideal property

PROSPECTIVE buyers will be all too familiar with trawling pages of realestate.com.au or Domain to find their dream property, only to be disappointed because it sold outside their budget or was snapped up quickly.

But Universal Buyers Agents founding director Darren Piper said buyers can give themselves an edge by looking outside mainstream listings.

“We always get asked how else can I source a property without relying on websites like Domain or realestate.com.au,” Mr Piper said.

“We often hear of buyers who have become burnt out in their search because they are competing with everyone else.

“But there are three ways you can get a leg up on the competition and find homes not available to the general public.”

Three tips on finding properties before anyone else with Darren Piper:

Off-market:

This is where a vendor wants to sell but may not want to commit to the marketing spend to go through the process of advertising online, or they may be extremely private and want to keep the details of the sale discreet.

Most buyers won’t have access to off-market listings, but our buyer’s agents have access to our UBA database, the largest source of off-market listings in Queensland.

Pre-market:

Pre-market opportunities can be found by contacting local real estate agents directly, one by one or to engage a buyer’s agent who can connect you to opportunities in their network.

This is when the vendor is planning on going to the market by there may be a week or two window where they are preparing photography or floor plans which you can take advantage of and view first.

View of skyscrapers Brisbane QLD, Australia

Expired or withdrawn listings:

This is when the property has hit the market, often in the last two years, but hasn’t sold. It could have been for a variety of reasons; the agent may not have been the right person for the job, the seller’s circumstances may have changed or they put a tenant in the property. The good thing is you know they have intent to sell and a buyer’s agent can track the seller down and negotiate a sale.

Universal Buyers Agents offers an experienced and professional buyer’s advocacy service for those looking to buy a home or property. Contact us now to find out more information.