The World Wide Web - Truly Global
Ancient History
Is this page out of date? Probably. New property-related websites hit the internet daily. Some vanish, others merge and use a new name (so the old URL may no longer work). The sites on this page were alive and well as of February 2010.
A Sitting Start
The most efficient property searches begin with a computer and comfortable chair.
Internet property sites provide quick and comprehensive area overviews—how many properties are available, what they look like, actual previous sale prices (since 2000), and much more, including crime reports, school performance and other neighbourhood data.
House price data is now available in various flavours, such as actual sold prices for the specific property and actual sold prices for the specific road and adjacent roads. You can also see how a specific post code compares with the national average.
PWP TIP: If you know the full postcode of a property, you can learn its previous sale prices back to the year 2000.
Property websites
We are spoiled for choice: Find a Property, Prime Location, Property Finder/zoopla, Right Move, email4property, nestoria, globrix, The Move Channel and a few other sites have extensive listings of properties in the UK. Many of these also list properties in foreign countries as well. As its name suggests, smartnewhomes specialises in the new-build market.
Many of these websites also provide neighbourhood information and financial and other data including names and contact details for local estate agents.
The financial data can tell you average prices in certain areas (or on certain roads) and provide actual recent selling prices and current approximate valuations (the PWP Valuation section discusses house prices and virtual valuations).
Overviews (literally)
Many sites provide aerial photographs as well as Google's StreetView. Each is useful in its own way. With the aerial shots, you can pan out and see, for example, where the area's parks, rubbish tips, cemeteries and retail parks are located. An aerial view may show you that the houses on the far end of the road you are viewing have larger (or smaller) gardens.
The google-map website provides a street-atlas-like view and also has a link to Google's StreetView, with actual photos from street level.
Actual Prices Paid
A plan or register for specific properties can be downloaded from the Land Registry website (landregistry.gov.uk) at £3 per property. The plan includes the previous price and details concerning the land included with the property.
Buy or Sell Without Estate Agents (or their fees)
Try House Ladder.
Buy a Bargain?
PropertySnake bills itself as the opposite of 'property ladder' and lists flats and houses with reduced asking prices.
Compare Estate Agencies
That is what this new (2009) site does: www.estateagencyfeesdirect.com
Swap Your Way to a New Home?
Several websites are dedicated to swapping:
Condition Reports (for Owners as well as Buyers)
Subsidence? Contaminated land? Flood risk? Homecheck provides (for a fee) reports which detail risk of flooding, land contamination, evidence of subsidence and information on planning applications. In addition to environmental information, visitors to the site can access the 'Areaview' report containing schools league tables, specific amenities, crime rates other useful content on demographics and the local neighbourhood.
Online Auctions
On www.discountpropertyauction.co.uk, sellers pay a £50 listing fee (no commission on the sale price; at traditional auctions, sellers pay commission on the final price), and buyers pay £9.99 per month to access the listings. As with e-Bay, each auction is for a limited time, and a countdown accompanies every property.
Money, Mortgages, Solicitors and More
Various money and mortgage sites provide calculators and other financial information. The property - and money - sections of many newspapers and magazine websites are also valuable resources. You can find and instruct a conveyancer on the Internet, and you can check the progress of the conveyance electronically.
emailmortgages.com launched in January 2009 and says it will find and arrange a mortgage for clients free of charge. They receive commission from the lender, but emailmortgages says that they locate the best mortgage for the client across the entire market.
An Internet Miscellany
Want a bird's-eye view of a property? Aerial photography from sources such as Google Earth and Microsoft Virtual Earth are available on websites such as mouseprice.co.uk. If you zoom out, you can see the surrounding area.
Room for Rent? Income is usually taxable. However, the Rent-a-Room scheme allows a certain amount (currently £4,250) to be free of tax.
House and Room Shares and Lets - Looking for a room or property to rent or share either as landlord, tenant or lodger? Try gumtree.co.uk or, for flat- or housemates, spareroom.co.uk or easyroommate.co.uk.
Want to let a room weekdays only? MondaytoFriday.com is for you.
House for Holiday Rent? You can get a listing as well as an abundance of information and advice on holidaylettings.co.uk. Another rental site is www.holiday-rentals.co.uk
Tradespeople, Gardeners and Handymen - RatedPeople.com provides customer ratings for work already done. egenie.co.uk is an online auction and price and service comparison site. The Competent Person.co.uk site is currently restricted to electrical safety but intends to expand. Related sites include www.findabuilder.co.uk; www.homeimprovementadvice.co.uk; www.trustmark.org.uk.
Need info on planning permission? Try the government's planning portal.gov.uk site.
Sticky Wicket 1
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) reviewed the websites of 77 financial firms and found a mixed bag: three-quarters met the required standards but " a significant minority failed to present information in a fair, clear and not misleading way." These failing sites "were difficult for consumers to navigate and failed to sign-post key information." This FSA press release spills the beans.
Sticky Wicket 2
Beware clones. Beware websites that are not all they seem - or who you think they are. For example, if you want the Financial Services Authority (FSA) website and you key www.fsa.org.uk into your browser, you will get an official-looking financial site, but not that of the FSA. The real FSA's correct URLs (website address) are:
http://www.fsa.gov.uk (general) (opens in new window)http://www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk (for consumers) (opens in new window)
Google and other search engines and sources can help you find correct or official website addresses for specific organisations.
Virtual v Real
The Internet is literally speed-of-light fast, but it can also be clunky. Ask it (that is, email your e-conveyancer) a question and you will get an emailed reply. If you want more information, send another email, and get—and wait for—another reply. You can enjoy a huge number of such exchanges, but they will not be truly interactive. The process is flat question-answer.
By contrast, actual conversation with your conveyancer (even over the telephone) has the virtue of being interactive and, consequently, more informative.
Buying Abroad?
Some online conveyancing sites provide the name of English-speaking solicitors in foreign countries.
But an English-speaking solicitor is not the same as an English solicitor, practicing and registered - and covered by indemnity insurance - in England.
Buying or selling property in a foreign country is not something to be done lightly, or quickly.
Many UK property websites list properties in foreign locations - the usual suspects such as Spain and France and Italy, but also newcomers, such as the Ukraine, whose second city, Lviv, boasts an attractive city centre and opera house.
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