When buying a new property, most people spend a tremendous amount of time, thought, effort and emotion in choosing the right property. It can take many hours of scrutinising the internet portals for suitable properties, carrying out viewings and deliberating before finally making a decision as to which property would make the perfect home. After the excitement of having an offer accepted comes that anxious period of uncertainty before contracts are exchanged and the knowledge that the purchase is a definite reality.

Once a sale has been agreed it seems everything goes quiet whilst the legal conveyancing process is undertaken. It usually takes around five or six weeks to get to the point when contracts are exchanged. In this digital age one would have thought it ought to be done more quickly but house sales in some areas actually take considerably longer due to delays in one of the key steps involved in a house purchase; the local authority searches.

A search is normally instigated by the buyer’s solicitor and its purpose is to check whether there are any issues that might adversely affect the property or its immediate surroundings such as planning applications, road schemes, statutory controls, environmental hazards. The length of time it takes for a search to be returned is something of a lottery and depends on which council area the property is located in.

The variation in response times of different authorities is extraordinary. For example Wiltshire County Council (South) are currently taking a staggering 42 days before a search application is actioned. It is little better in West Wiltshire, however if one heads over the county border into North Dorset or Hampshire’s New Forest, the picture is very contrasting where search results are returned after only five days.

The problem is not down to the quality of the staff dealing with search requests, indeed they are often very helpful and dedicated people, but that there are simply not enough of them at a time when council leaders are slashing budgets.

How can the problem of search delays be mitigated? Here are some ideas:-

– A seller might chose to put searches in hand ahead of a sale being agreed. They cost circa £125 but have a limited shelf life of up to six months before they need to be renewed.

– If a buyer requires a search, they should pay their solicitor the necessary fee and instruct them to apply for the searches without delay.

– Some solicitors appoint third party agencies to carry out searches, check if this is the case because they can sometimes take longer.

– Subject to the approval of a mortgage lender, a buyer might consider taking out insurance (about £50) before the searches come back to allow contracts to be exchanged.

– Communicate. Make sure at the outset that everyone involved in a sale, including those up and down a chain are aware that there may be a delay in matters progressing so that there is a realistic expectation of timing.

The long waiting time for property searches can have a serious impact on the progress of a sale, jeopardising whether it reaches a conclusion and affecting the ability of home owners to move when they need to. This does not help the stress levels of buyers and sellers but also affects the fluidity of the local property market and the local economy.

We’ve had a good run so far this year and while we have a record number of buyers on our books there simply isn’t the supply of properties that we would expect.

The traditional complaint heard from those looking to buy good quality village and rural property in South Wiltshire and North Dorset is that there is nothing around. This is why our books are normally crammed with ready and often desperate buyers who will jump at the first sign of an attractive period house. This year it is even worse though and there is no rhyme or reason for it.

We would have expected the decisive Election result to pave the way for greater confidence and while it has done so in terms of buyer sentiment, people just aren’t putting their properties on the market. Whether it is an anomaly and the Autumn market will produce greater volume, one doesn’t know.

One reason is often that owners want to find something to move to before doing so, but this leads to a classic catch 22 because if there is nothing to market then there is nothing to view. Their concern may be that they will be put under pressure to move, but the owner of a good house should always be in the driving seat in a strong market. They may also not want to have scores of viewers disrupting their lives until absolutely necessary, which is understandable, but a simple solution is for an agent to market quietly to a select number of able and flexible buyers.

The property market is a funny beast and because it is regionalised it is never an easy one to call. There are no local concerns to influence decisions and no wider economic problems to rock the boat (although Europe is bubbling), so what is happening at the moment is mystifying. We can only hope that once the holidays are over there will be some fresh impetus and demand can be satisfied…as much as it ever is.

North Dorset State Primary Schools

All Saints CE VC Primary School, Bishops Caundle

Archbishop Wake CE Primary School, Blandford Forum

Blandford St Mary CE VA Primary School, Blandford St Mary

Cranborne CE VA First School, Cranborne

Downlands Community Primary School, Blandford Camp

Durweston CE Primary School, Durweston

Gillingham Primary School, Gillingham, Dorset

Milldown CE VC Primary School, Blandford Forum

Milton-On-Stour CE VA Primary School, Milton on Stour, Gillingham

Motcombe Primary School, Motcombe

Okeford Fitzpaine CE VA School, Okeford Fitzpaine

Pimperne CE VC Primary School, Pimperne

Shaftesbury CE VC Primary School, Shaftesbury

Sherborne Abbey CE VC Primary School, Sherborne

Sherborne Primary School, Sherborne

Shillingstone CE VA Primary School, Shillingstone

Sixpenny Handley First School, Sixpenny Handley

Southill Primary School, Weymouth

Spetisbury Hall & Sloper’s CE VA Primary School, Spetisbury

St Andrew’s CE VA Primary School, Fontmell Magna

St Georges CE VA School, Bourton

St Gregory’s CE Primary School, Marnhull

St Mary The Virgin CE VA School, Gillingham

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Marnhull

St Nicholas CE VA Primary School, Child Okeford

Stalbridge CE Primary School, Stalbridge

Stower Provost Community School, Stour Provost

The Abbey CE VA Primary School,Shaftesbury

Thornford CE VA Primary School, Thornford

William Barnes Primary School, Sturminster Newton

Wyke Primary School, Gillingham

North Dorset State Secondary Schools

The Blandford School, Blandford Forum

Gillingham School, Gillingham

The Gryphon School, Sherborne

Shaftesbury School, Shaftesbury

Sturminster Newton High School, Sturminster Newton

North Dorset Special School

Yewstock School, Sturminster Newton

North Dorset Independent Schools

Bryanston School, Bryanston (ages 13-18)

Clayesmore Preparatory School, Iwerne Minster (ages 3-13)

Clayesmore School, Iwerne Minster (ages 13-19)

Hanford School, Child Okeford (ages 7-13)

Hollyfields School, Gillingham (ages 4-9)

International College, Sherborne School Sherborne (ages 11-17)

Knighton House School, Durweston (ages 3-13)

Leweston School, Sherborne (ages 3-19)

Milton Abbey School, Milton Abbas (ages 13-19)

Port Regis Preparatory School, Motcombe (ages 3-14)

Sherborne Preparatory School, Sherborne (ages 2-13)

Sherborne School, Sherborne (ages 12-18)

Sherborne Girls, Sherborne (ages 11-19)

St Mary’s School, Shaftesbury (ages 9-19)

One of the main questions about property viewings is who should carry it out? It is an intrusive business having strangers wandering round your home and it can be unsettling or feel very personal hearing them comment on its negatives. It can also be awkward for the people who are doing the intruding and so certainly for a first viewing when most prospective buyers are really just getting an initial feel of the property, I would recommend leaving it to the agent to conduct the show rounds, it is after all a basic part of their job and buyers are often more candid with them than you as the owner.

It is essential that the person doing the viewing knows the property in advance. Some agents employ part time viewing staff who are adept at handling objections or dealing with questions but this is not always the case and some can create a negative impression through their inexperience or lack of knowledge about the specific house, the locality or the market in general. At Rural View, the directors themselves show their clients’ homes as buyers tend to prefer dealing with a senior member of staff who has a high level of expertise in the property profession.

When the agent is doing the viewing, it is best to leave them to it or go out, but do avoid joining in the tour as this can create a crowd effect and be distracting to both the buyer and agent. How a good agent carries out a viewing will often come down to his experience and ability to ‘read’ the applicant and judge just how much or little information they might require. He will use the time to find out more about the buyer and tailor his approach accordingly.

There may be times when the agent simply cannot accompany a viewing at the time requested and it is perhaps better to have a viewing with the owner doing it rather than no viewing at all. If this is the case, avoid a hard sell. Give the prospective buyers a brief guided tour of the house and gardens, commenting on any particularly attractive features or attributes and why you have enjoyed living there so much. It is not necessary to point out where every single socket is or provide a detailed history of absolutely everything that has been done to it, just an overview will suffice. Afterwards and if you are comfortable to do so, allow them the opportunity to wander around on their own and invite them to ask any questions that they might have.

One of the most common complaints I hear about estate agents in general is their failure to follow up viewings and provide feedback. Make sure that you employ an agent that does their job properly and informs you of what buyers actually think of your home whether it’s good or bad criticism. There may some things like the railway at the bottom of the garden that you can’t do much about but there may be practical things you can do based on the feedback you get like adjusting the price or painting Suzie’s bedroom (see part One)!