“Haggling is a must”: the expert names the mistakes Russians make when buying a dacha

“Never look at a house in warm, dry weather.”

Since the start of the pandemic, suburban real estate has become increasingly in demand. The annual increase in demand ranges from 7% to 10%. The interest in plots, dachas and cottages is especially noticeable in the spring. Elena Mishchenko, an expert at the NDV Supermarket Real Estate company, spoke about how to choose the right country property this season, check the property and the owner’s documents, and conduct a transaction safely.

It is best to start searching for a suitable property with the location and determining such parameters as the distance from the city and the nearest public transport station, the quality of social and commercial infrastructure, the presence of a nearby forest, river, lake, beach or other places for walking and recreation.

The choice of characteristics is purely individual and must correspond to the specific goals of the buyer. To do this, it is important to understand what maximum amount of time you plan to devote to getting home, and if you plan to move out of town, you should pay attention to whether there are shops or at least delivery points nearby, and whether schools and kindergartens have been built. There is no point in hoping that the long journey to the dacha can be endured or that all the necessary infrastructure will be built in a year or two.

Real estate in the most developed areas with good transport accessibility is indeed more expensive, but there is still no need to limit yourself to basic amenities in pursuit of a lower price. If a suitable location seems too expensive, it is better to compromise and sacrifice parameters that will have minimal impact on your standard of living in the long run. For example, you can refuse a good renovation and later do it yourself, or choose an area a little smaller than originally planned.

If a suitable house or plot has already been found, it is important to correctly determine the time for viewing. One of the most common mistakes buyers make is visiting a property in dry, warm weather.

On the one hand, going for a viewing on a fine day is much more comfortable, but in this case it will not be possible to inspect the property as efficiently as possible.

In damp, cool weather, during periods of melting and floods, all the nuances appear on the surface at once: the condition of the roof, basement, heating, moisture resistance of the house, you can find out whether the site is flooded, what the terrain of the territory looks like, whether the road to the house is washed out, etc.

The second popular mistake buyers make is not bargaining with the owner. The vast majority of sellers include a possible discount in the price of the property. It’s usually between 2% and 3%, but the discount can vary depending on the condition of the home.

For example, a buyer noticed that the roof of a house was leaking, but did not want to give up the property, since in other respects it fully met all expectations. In this situation, you can calculate the cost of repairs and offer the owner to give up this amount. With polite and reasoned bargaining, sellers agree to a discount in almost 100% of cases.

The cornerstone of transactions with the secondary market, including country real estate, is checking the owner’s documents. You should never rely on luck when it comes to documents.

– Of course, most buyers carefully study the issue of collecting documents before a transaction: they read information on the Internet, consult with friends, check the list of necessary certificates and statements on official portals. But, unfortunately, when checking on your own, there is always a risk of encountering unpleasant consequences: the deal may not go through, or along with the house, the new owner will receive encumbrances as a gift that could not be detected in advance, says Elena Mishchenko.