Private Sale in Scotland

[frank2011]

Someone has contacted us after we put a house hunting leaflet through their door! It is our dream house - not sure if we can actually afford it but will push ourself if we can.
Has anyone bought a house as a private sale? Is the process harder? Do we view the house the same way we would if estate agent had it on the market.
Not sure who is responsible for survey (in Scotland the vendor normally pays). The homeowner will not have even though about this- said spouse died recently so thinking of downsizing.
Properties like this come up once a generation so don't want to get it wrong.

I am currently selling my house privately in Scotland. I paid for a survey to determine value (didn't had to but was advised), buyer needs to do their own for mortgage purposes. There is no legal requirement for a home report for a private sale. Process is fairly similar, conveyancing is a bit more expensive though.

Thanks Helen - so will I need to pay for a survey even if vendor does one?

Depends. If the vendor gets a home report then some of them (not all) include a mortgage valuation which you can use. They are under no obligation to provide a home report though as the house isn't going on the open market and they are much more expensive than a valuation survey.

Thanks Helen. Would prefer he didn't as he has given us a rough idea of what he wants but I think he has underestimated its value although we haven't been through the door- it might be in a state!

Exactly the reason my solicitor told me to get one done myself. Good luck, hope all goes well.

When we were first married we couldn't find a house we liked to buy, so we advertised in the local paper and found one just about to be put on the market by people we knew f in the small town where we lived. it was much smoother than using estate agents as we just talked to each other. They were buying somewhere with land to keep sheep. They had renovated the house we bought, which was listed, and although we had to have the usual searches done it was really useful to have the vendor talk through everything he had done and why.