Getting a Home Report in Scotland

[Underthemountain]

Is it possible to get a Home Report without going through an estate agent? I would quite like to move house but am worried about the HR bringing up unforseen problems therefore I wondered if it would be possible to get the HR done without deciding for sure to sell? Does that make sense? So if the HR was terrible I would give up on selling and stay put to get the problems fixed.
I know the HR is quite pricey though...............

[CoffeeMummy]

Watching with interest. We're toying with the idea of selling but want to be absolutely sure the time is right and we've got somewhere to move to because the cost of the HR is so high - you can't simply go on the market then come off again without losing money.

I discovered these recently - www.surveyscotland.com and www.homereportscotland.co.uk/ which seem to offer much cheaper home reports, but I'm not sure how legit they are iykwim??

Ok, while googling those I just found this propertybuyers-scotland.co.uk/for-cheaper-home-reports-shop-around and this www.reallymoving.com/cat/7/Scottish-Home-Reports.aspx

which seem to be offering some good advice. HTH, think I'll be reading up later myself!

[CoffeeMummy]

Sorry those links are crap - I'll try again

www.surveyscotland.com
www.homereportscotland.co.uk

propertybuyers-scotland.co.uk/for-cheaper-home-reports-shop-around
www.reallymoving.com/cat/7/Scottish-Home-Reports.aspx

[Underthemountain]

Thanks for the links CoffeMummy. I'm confused that the homereportscotland site claims estate agents can place a big mark up on the cost of the home report-the prices they quote for buying one direct seem about the same as the one the estate agent quoted last year.

What I want to do is make an offer on a property right NOW! Then sort out the sale of our house. The risk is too great though isn't it. So the alternative is to get the ball rolling by getting the home report. I was thinking about maybe doing things though one of the online selling agents. I don't know if you also need a separate solicitor with those? Oh God the stress!!

[Underthemountain]

Right-think we have agreed to fork out for the HR and go from there. Will cross my fingers nothing nasty shows up....

[CoffeeMummy]

I know - it's really hard to know the best process isn't it?! Have you seen a place you want to offer on? We're in a simlar position in that we've got a very small search area, so don't want to launch ourselves onto the market without being pretty sure we're going to get a house we really want. But vendors won't take you seriously unless you're at least on the market. It's a toughie! All the best with it, hope the HR is a good one!

[Underthemountain]

Thanks-am a pessimist by nature I think so it's hard for me to be objective about the many faults I can find with our house! Like you there is little to buy here-we've seen one we like but if it gets sold soon we'll have no other choices!
Good luck to you too.

[homereport]

You must watch out, I got stung by buying a cheap home report online and had to get another one! So pee'ed off!!! I spoke to //www.scottishhomereportinfo.co.uk these guys via email (on a whim) who work with offical RICS survayors directly, really helpful www.rics.org/uk.

[Scottielass]

Hi, I got stung by Homesaleonline and their sister company surveyscotland.co.uk
They are perfectly correct and legal in saying that you don't need a mortgage valuation as part of your survey, that is in terms of legal requirements yes. But in practicality, we had a buyer for our house, they had to pay £350 for a Survey instructed by their lender for our home. Their valuation survey came in at 40 thousand pounds less than the survey market valuation that was on my home report from surveyscotland.com . As a result my buyers pulled out and we lost the sale. Now I am not sure what to do...maybe even pay for another more accurate home report. My solicitor is of the opinion that my home report from surveyscotland is not worth the paper it is written on. I tend to agree. We were stung. They have various webpages, and the info on these is true, they are not completely misleading you...www.singlehomereport.com/myths.php you are not legally required to have a MVR, but believe me, if you don't it can cause you a big lot of hassle, so please beware and don't get stung.