Storini

Any tips on buying houses in Oz? After the horror stories of renters being ripped off by estate agents or landlords or both, it would be interesting to hear how people got on when buying property.

The particular thing that interests me is the "For Sale By Negotiation" thing which is quite common in a quiet market as appears to be the case now. (Auctions are more common in a boom market).

If you approach an agent to find out the negotiating price range and they hear a Pom accent, does the price suddenly shoot up? Similarly, when you do the viewing do they quiz you a lot about your circumstances?

Equally, if the seller knows its a Pom (first-time) buyer they may think "aha a mug with lots of £££" and be difficult to deal with.

I was thinking of getting an Oz mate to make first enquiries, but don't want to waste their time.

Views?