If you’ve been thinking about selling your home, say in Doncaster, then you would have first had to clean your property, stage the interiors, get a professional to take good quality pictures, list your property online, hire estate agents in Doncaster and have multiple potential buyers walk in and out of your home during showings. Phew, the process of selling a house can be pretty exhausting! So, what if there was an easier way to sell your home; a way that is quicker and much easier. That is essentially what iBuyer brings to sellers and buyers! If you’ve been wondering what iBuyer is all about, here is everything that you need to know about the concept of iBuyer in the real estate world. 

What is iBuyer?

iBuyer is a real estate technology company that purchases homes from sellers and homeowners directly and digitally. That’s right; the whole concept of buying a home is done digitally, using advanced technology and local market data. In simple words, iBuyer is a digital concept of buying and selling property that has completely revolutionised the real estate market, in the world! And if you’ve been wondering, the ‘I’ in iBuyer stands for instant, because the offers that are made on homes are instant! 

How does iBuyer work?

iBuyer makes the process of buying and selling a house very easy. First, you need to fill up a simple form on the platform. Then, the iBuyer company will contact you to ask you a few questions regarding your property. Usually, the company will contact you via email or maybe even give you a call. You will be asked questions about the conditions of the house as well as the amenities and features of the property. How old is the house? What is the condition of the roof? Has the property undergone any renovations recently? Is there a swimming pool? What is the kitchen like? How old is the air condition system? What is the condition of the plumbing system? 

Based on your answers, and the data that the iBuyer platform gathers from the local market, using an AI algorithm, you will get an instant all-cash offer. Usually, this offer is sent within 24 hours to 48 hours, hence the ‘I’ for ‘instant’. After that, an iBuyer inspector will come by the property to check the property in person – so be sure to be absolutely truthful when you fill out the form.

Once the iBuyer inspector has approved, you will get a final offer on your house. The offer price varies from platform to platform, but usually, iBuyer companies offer a price that is very close to the market price. There is also a service charge as well as a fixed closing fee which is mentioned in the final offer. All the closing paperwork is signed digitally and the sale of your home is complete. It’s just that simple! 

So, what’s the catch?

Honestly, there is no catch. iBuyers are here to stay; iBuyers are the future of the real estate industry. There is no catch. The only thing to keep in mind, per se, is that an iBuyer platform will charge a service fee. Essentially, think of this as the fee you would pay to the estate agent or any other professional that you might hire to provide some service. 

iBuyers work on a simple model of low margins and high volumes. They prefer to make good offers that are very close to the market value of the property, and they are able to do so because of the high transactional value. Unlike a real estate investor who might invest in five to ten properties in a year, iBuyers invest in higher volumes. 

What makes iBuyer better than conventional buying or selling?

For one, iBuyer is totally digital, so you do not have to go through the hassle of staging your home, listing it on the market, finding estate agents or prepping your home for open houses and showings. Also, an iBuyer company will make an offer that is much closer to the current market value, so you do not have to deal with never-ending negotiations and low offers. 

As per the data, iBuyers tend to offer a very fair price which is usually 1 to 3 per cent below the market value. While this might not be suitable for certain homeowners and sellers, it is fairly acceptable for sellers who are looking to make a quick sale or a hassle-free sale.

When should I use iBuyer?

Say, you are moving from one city to another because of a change in job or job location. You probably have two weeks to make the move, and you certainly have no time to waste. In that case, getting a good offer without the hassle of hiring estate agents and staging your property seems like a pretty good deal, especially since the offer value is rather close to the market rate! 

Another situation where iBuyer is ideal is when you might have inherited a property or maybe when you are thinking about getting rid of an old rental property. Instead of going through the hassle of sprucing up the place, redoing the interior, repainting the walls, changing the upholstery and spending money on repairs, you could just sell the property quickly and easily through iBuyer. Not only will you not have to worry about the selling process, but you will get an offer within days, an all-cash offer that too! 

Image if you’re having twins in a few months. You’re going to need more rooms and a whole lot more space. Now, instead of going through the conventional process of putting your home on sale while you look at potential new properties, all while deciding on a budget and applying for a pre mortgage approval, would it not be easier to get an all-cash offer on iBuyer? That too without setting up your home for showing, attending open houses to find your new home all while struggling to get a good mortgage rate. iBuyer makes the process quick and easy, and you can always use the all-cash payment to make the downpayment for your new home!

Looking at potential new homes while attempting to sell your current home can be pretty daunting, and rather exhausting. From staging your home to attending open houses, from hiring estate agents to applying for a pre mortgage approval, there is so much to do! If only there was a housing selling guide coupled with a house buying guide to make the process of buying and selling seamless. Well, here are 7 tips and guides to buy and sell your house at the same without any hassle. 

1 Plan everything in advance

In order to seamlessly sell your current house and buy your new house, all at the same time, you need to be very organised and systematic. To do that, you need to start planning well in advance. For one, you need to keep some money aside for the down payment of your new property, just in case you do not manage to sell your house in time. Also, you need to apply for a pre mortgage approval or you need to transfer your alter your existing mortgage, depending on the status of your mortgage repayment. Also, you need to keep some money aside for repairs, cleaning, inspections, surveys and so on. Essentially, you need to do all your paperwork in advance and have a fair idea of how you want to go about the process of buying and selling to make sure everything is systematic and easy.

2 Make sure your current home is ready to sell

If you’re planning on buying a new house while selling your existing house, you need to make sure that your current house is ready to sell. That means you need to clean the property, repaint the interiors and the exteriors, stage the interiors, hire professionals to take good quality photographs, hire an estate agent and make the required repairs. Once everything is in order, you can easily list your home on the property market while you look at potential new properties. That way, as soon as you find a potential new buyer who is offering you a good price, you can close the deal. The sooner you start getting your home ready to sell, the better.

3 Start decluttering

The process of decluttering can take days, if not weeks. And then, to actually pack up all your personal items and shift houses will take its own sweet time. So, in order to quicken the process and to make the move easy, consider decluttering. Get rid of utensils that you do not use, give away old clothes and toys, get rid of broken furniture and throw away anything that you no longer require. Once you have decluttered your home, it becomes much easier to pack up your remaining things and move them into your new home. If you end up selling your home before you find a new place, you can always move your things to a storage unit until you are ready to shift into your new home. 

4 Always factor in the cost of your new home

If you are selling your current home for £270,000 and your new home will cost around £290,000, you only need to cover a few thousand pounds. But, what if your current home doesn’t sell for more than £250,000 and the property you love is priced at £300,000. That can be a game-changer. So, always make sure you factor in the cost of buying your new home. Otherwise, you might be stuck buying a house you cannot afford! 

5 Timing is everything

To seamlessly sell your current house and buy your new home, you need to get the timing right. It is always a good idea to sit down with your estate agent, financial expert and legal advisor to figure out when you should sell and when you should buy. For instance, once your home is ready to sell, you should start looking at potential new properties. Once you have found a property that you like, hire a property inspector and a property surveyor to thoroughly check the property. After that, you need to make a good offer so that the odds of your offer getting accepted are higher. Once the negotiations are complete, you need to decide on a date of purchase. Meanwhile, ask your estate agent to sell your current house by that time period. That way, you can literally sell your new house in the morning and purchase your new home in the evening. 

6 Get ready to buy your new home   

First and foremost, you need to make sure that your finances are in order. Will you be using the money from the sale of your home to make the down payment or will you keep some money aside to make the payment? Get in touch with multiple banks and lenders and figure out the best mortgage options for you. If you are still paying the mortgage on your current home, then you might want to figure out your finances before you apply for a pre mortgage approval. Meet multiple estate agents and shortlist the ones that are right for you. You do not have to use the same estate agents to buy and sell, but you need to figure out what works best as per your circumstances. That way, once you find a property that you are ready to call your new home, all you need to do is make a good offer.

7 Look at short term rentals

Image, you manage to sell your home within one month of putting it on the market but you have not found any property that you like. Now, you need to move out as the deal is done, but you do not have a place to move into. Staying in a hotel isn’t always an option. Well, life isn’t perfect and sometimes things do not go according to plan. In that case, you need to have yourself covered. So, while you are putting your home on the market and you are looking at new properties, make sure that you also look at some short term rentals. In case your home sells but you are unable to find a new home, you can always move into a short term rental for a few weeks or months. 

Authentic, durable, and easy to clean and maintain, it’s no surprise that artificial grass has grown in popularity over the past few years. Aside from retaining that neat look of a freshly mowed lawn in your outdoor space, it also frees up time that would have been spent on cutting and upkeep, allowing those who make the switch to spend more time enjoying their garden in the first place.

It’s not just individual homes and apartments that are making use of artificial turf, however, and there are an increasing number of commercial ventures making the most of its benefits over traditional grass.

Interested to learn more about the potential commercial uses and benefits of artificial grass? Here’s a quick look at three different examples of how it might be used.

Exhibition Spaces

Businesses looking to add a unique and memorable twist to their exhibition space set up (at corporate events, fairs, shopping centres etc.) often opt for artificial grass ranges where relevant.

Not only can premium ranges handle the high traffic and footfall seen at these sorts of events, but they’re easy to roll out and install in a pinch, making them a great choice for those needing to set up their area in a short space of time. Pet-friendly artificial grass ranges also mean that businesses don’t need to worry about pets running around damaging their installation.

Rooftop Bars and Event Areas

You might have already seen this use in popular bars and restaurants across city centres, and it can be a great way to enhance a theme for corporate event hire, too. Provided that you select the right style, grass is comfortable and bounces back into shape, making for an excellent finishing touch when trying to impress in a luxury mezzanine or balcony area.

Worried about adverse weather conditions causing trouble to your businesses’ rooftop area? Built-in UV protection guarantees with good quality artificial grass products (from suppliers such as Grass Warehouse) mean that they will keep their vibrant colour long term and can be easily dried following rain – or wiped-clean in the event of food and drink spillages.

Modern Office Renovation

Different styles and thicknesses of fake grass often make for popular feature pieces and elements in new offices. The materials are also quite adaptable, meaning you can get creative if wanting to make a statement with your office’s interior. Wall art installations and indoor walkways are just some of the things you can do with this modern solution.

For something even more exotic and exciting, coloured artificial grass styles are also available, allowing brands to make a specific statement while maintaining durability and comfort during day-to-day activity.

Letting out a rental property to tenants? Opting for an artificial lawn can be a great way to minimise regular maintenance, and a way to impress potential tenants that you’re looking to attract. In the long term, you can also potentially save money on pesticides and chemicals you would have previously used in the garden. Again, opting for a higher-end range will ensure that you achieve a premium level of comfort.