So how did you find your perfect property - I'm fed up of missing the boat

[IwouldntSayNoToNickKnowles]

I live in a village which seems to have been largely unaffected by the property downturn (lucky me...well sort of). Basically good properties seem to go on and off the market without so much as a board going up. It's farking annoying! I've just missed another brilliant property because of this (advertisement in paper Thursday, I rang Friday and it was already under offer )
I thought about doing a round robin letter to estate agents saying I'm looking for a property in 'my village' but expect they will just send me any crap within a 5 mile radius and then stop after a month or so.

We basically don't NEED to move so dh will NOT put the house on the market but if something brilliant came up he would be interested. Of course no-one will take us seriously though as our house isn't on the market/under offer I just don't know what to do!

I would put a round robin to the houses themselves rather than or as well as the estate agents. That way, people can come to you directly before they even go to the estate agents.

BTW, your name made me lol, as my friend didn't say no to Nick Knowles IYKWIM...

Try word of mouth too. I live in a village, nearly everyone here knows everyone else's business. (village life!). So someone may know someone who is considering moving and would love not to have EA fees.

OOOOoooooooh ERrrrrrrrrrrrrm. He'd have to clean his teeth first for me. He looks like a dirty smoker

I've thought about the letter to houses thing but the two particular houses I really want are both occupied by pensioners who are on their own. I'm worried that a letter could be miscontrued as 'haven't you died yet and when you do, I want your house'

Word of mouth definitely a no, no. Firstly, evil bodenators would swoop in and steal house from under my nose and secondly I HATE everyone knowing my business...goodness knows why I move here

moved

moved

Get on first name basis with your estate agents. Phone them at least once a week (I was phoning mine daily) and make sure they know you are interested.

However, bear in mind that as you have pointed out unless your house is on the market people probably won't take you seriously.

I'd still nag them on the phone though.....

It would be just my luck to put house on market, sell it and then have nowhere to go It is the wrong time to move I know UNLESS you are going to stay wherever you are moving for a long time which is what we want to do.

I heard that, allegedly he was more concerned with looking at himself in the mirror than, anything else.

LOL! He does seem very fond of himself

Bump. Any other tactics that worked out there?