Property Superstore have a few methods of creating property diescription depending on if you are a private individual with only 1 or 2 (FSBO) properties to advertise or if you are a company or organisation with numerous properties that change on a regular basis (Agent)

Private individual

All you need to do is register on the site and once you have done so it is is simple matter of 'adding a property' by clicking on the 'Add Property' icon and completing the description fields.

This is totally free.

Company or agency

There are 3 methods of adding your property portfolio to www.property-superstore.com

The first is is the same as it is for a private individual - register and create each property manually.

The second applies if you would like to import properties to the site via an .xml file created by your own software.

To do this, register on the site, then  contact us via email, using the email address you used to register with, explaining you want to import via xml.

You must attach a sample of your xml file to the email so that we can ensure it contains all the information we require to automatically create a property listing.

You must have the ability to upload a compressed (.zip)  version of your xml file. This zip file must also contain any images you want to use. The image file name must be captured in tha associated xml file.

When all the conditions are correct we will provide you with an FTP account for you to upload the zip files to our server and then our scripts will do the rest.

There is a one off set up charge of £100 for this service. Once set up you can add as many properties as you wish. 

The third and last method is the most popular for agents.

Use our partner company Portal Manager.

This service allows you to create individual properties in a very similar way to Property Superstore. The difference then is that you able to export the property deatils to numerous websites at once, some of which are free. This gives you maximum exposure at minimal cost.

All properties imported to Property supertsore via Portal Manager are done so without cost. All we ask in return is that your website contains a link to Property Supertstore, advertising the fact your properties can be found on our site.

You should create an account on Property Superstore using the same email as the one for Portal Manager. Edit your Property Superstore account/profile to include details of your companies details, logo and website - this will be displayed on all your properties on Property Supertsore.

Is Property Superstore really Free ?

Yes.

You can advertise your property house, flat or any other property totally free of any charge.
Creation of an account and then creation property listing is totally free.

Is advertising my property all that's available ?

No.
We offer more than simply advertising your property for sale or rent
Property Superstore offers additional - 'paid for' services.
These are completely optional and include 

I intend to use an estate agent - Can I advertise here also ?

Is it OK to buy from a private seller? 
Yes it's fine to buy from someone selling privately, you just need to make sure they have priced their property fairly and both of you have independent and good solicitors. Check too that the seller gives you a copy of their Home Information Pack. The only time they won't need one is if they haven't advertised the property at all and are a friend/neighbour who happened to be chatting about buying/selling.

There are lots of differences about buying a new build property. Firstly they are built to the latest construction, plumbing and electric rules and regulations so they are likely to be quite safe. They would also be much more energy efficient than buying a ‘second hand home' so this means your utility bills should be lower. However they can be more expensive to purchase than other properties, are often on ‘estates' with lots of other properties and the room sizes and any gardens tend to be smaller. They also often have less sound insulation between the rooms, although the floors and ceilings of new build flats now have to have extra sound insulation. Be careful to ensure you always buy a new build subject to a ‘snagging survey' and use your OWN independent solicitor - not one recommended by the developer, even if they offer it to you for free!

How do I know how much to offer for a property?
A property is only really worth what you are willing to pay for it and what the vendor is willing to accept. You need to work out if the property is worth what they are asking by comparing against other similar sized and located properties that are under offer, or have just sold. You then have to consider, do you really want this property? Are you going to stay for a few years or for many years? Are you in a cash buyer's position so can offer subject to moving quickly? Is the vendor desperate to sell or just wants the best price? Ideally offer the price that you are happy to pay for the property - as long as it's fair compared to others that have sold recently.

How do I work out an offer price? 
If you want to find a ‘scientific' method, then you need to work out the square footage (or meterage) of the property you want to buy, and then find three other properties that have sold within the last few months and are similar in size and location. Find out what price they sold for and work out their square footage/meter age and compare them to the property you are offering on. If they are £220 per square foot and your property is 1,000 square feet, then considering offering around 1,000 x  £220 = £220,000. If the asking price is £235,000 and there are no other features such as a larger garden or a garage etc then this would seem to be a fair price to offer.

Should I make an offer to the agent or to the owner? 
Ideally you should make an offer to the agent, unless the property is being sold privately by the owner. If you do make the offer to the agent, they are legally required to put your offer in writing to the owner. There is nothing to stop you from making sure this has happened by putting a note through the vendors door, or giving them a call. It is worth swapping numbers so that if there are any problems and the agent doesn't seem to be able to get any answers, it's worth talking to the vendor's directly.

How do I know the agent has passed on an offer? 
Legally an agent must pass on any offer in writing to a vendor, so to check this ask for a copy of the letter and contact the vendor after a few days if you haven't heard anything to check they know you are serious and have made an offer.

What is gazumping? 
This is where a buyer and a seller have agreed a price, say £150,000 for a property and then another buyer comes in and offers more - say £155,000 - which the seller then accepts. The first buyer is termed as ‘having been gazumped'. 

Can I avoid getting gazumped?
Unfortunately, until you have exchanged contracts any buyer or seller can pull out of a deal prior to this time. To help, you can agree your offer to be exchanged by a certain period of time, say six weeks, and as a buyer, ask for the property to be taken off the market subject to the buyer having a survey. This should at least stop other buyers visiting the property.

 What is gazundering? 
This is where a buyer and seller have agreed a price, say £150,000 for a property and then typically, just before exchanging contracts, the buyer drops the price, to say £145,000 in the hope that the seller will accept it so they can proceed with their purchase. This isn't a very nice practice, and ideally it's worth putting the property back on the market to see if there is another buyer that will offer the £150,000 even if it's just for a week or two.

Can I avoid gazundering?
Again, it's difficult to avoid before you exchange contracts. You can however keep your property on the market until time of exchange, or at least until the buyer has had their survey done to ensure that you line up potentially more than one buyer just in case they try to lower their offer prior to exchanging.

What if an agent doesn't send me details of a property I wanted to buy? 
This does happen, often due to regular staff changes within the agency. If you do find a property for sale that you would have wanted to view, then raise this politely with the agent. Find out why they didn't send it to you. Was it just that they made a mistake (it happens!) or is there something in the property description that meant you didn't get it. For example have you asked for three double bedrooms, and this property was two doubles and a single? Have you specified a garage and this property hadn't got one? Was it outside your price range? If so make sure you re-adjust your property request details accordingly.

How do I get agents on my side if I'm a buyer? 
Believe it or not by being honest - and friendly! Many people treat estate agents badly. Chastising them for not finding a property to view that they want within their price range (when there probably isn't one) or for not valuing their property for sale at as higher price as the vendor wants (when it's not worth that much)!  As a buyer, make sure you show them a mortgage agreement in principle to prove you have the funds to buy and ideally a legal company that you are going to use (although they may try to sell you their package!) . Also ALWAYS turn up to viewings and ring the agent with your feedback. Be fair with offers too and if accepted, get your survey done quickly.

What should I look out for when viewing a property for the first time? 
Check the property has the rooms that you need and anything else such as a garage or garden if you have specified one. Make a note of anything that needs work doing to it - check the roof tiles, the chimney has flashing, the windows and doors fit properly and whether they need replacing. Check things like the boiler - is it serviced every year? And ask if they have an electrical safety certificate. Find out if any changes have been made and if they have the relevant paperwork eg planning permission, building regulations, guarantees for timber and damp etc.

What's a sealed bid? 
This is where two or more buyers put in an offer ‘in a sealed envelope' to be opened at the same time. Typically the buyer that is picked offers the best price and/or is in the best position to move.

Does it make any difference which legal company I choose? 
Yes it really does! A good legal company will be proactive about your purchase/sale. A bad one will only ever worry about what is completing this week and then exchanging the next. Bad legal companies also only ever send letters asking for information - and if they don't get a response, just send another, rather than ringing and making sure they get your case. Ideally go for a ‘no sale, no fee' and ‘fixed fee conveyancing' package as they have an incentive to get through your case quickly or they won't get paid! You also don't pay the solicitors fee if your sale falls through and you won't have any nasty surprises with the bill as you know the costs upfront.

Information source : Designs on Property Ltd

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How do I find property to rent? 
You can find rented property on-line on property portals, such as at a local letting agent as well as in the local property paper and in places like the post office and supermarket advertisements.

What are the responsibilities of the tenant? 
These will be specified in the contract, but typically the tenant is responsible for paying the rent at the agreed rate on the agreed day and by a specified method, for example, direct debit. The tenant must also not disturb neighbours, must keep the place tidy as well as let the landlord/letting agent know if they have any problems with the property (eg a leak or fire). When the tenant leaves the property, they need to leave it in the same condition (bar fair wear and tear) as they moved in.

Do I need to pay for an inventory or can I do it myself? 
With the Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme in place it's advisable to have an inventory done by a third party as if there is a dispute, the Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme company or a judge is likely to look more favourably on an independent inventory. If you do carry one out yourself make sure there are lots of photographs and even a video recording in case of a dispute. Inventories however don't cost that much versus the time they take, so doing it yourself (unless you really enjoy it) can be a false economy.

What charges will letting agents make? 
Lettings agents make a variety of charges including some or all of the following. Make sure that you understand all the charges upfront and know when to repay them. Costs include a deposit (returnable)equivalent of 4-6 weeks rent and EITHER a reservation fee for the property which can cost from £30 to several hundred pounds OR an administration fee which can be £100 plus, then you need to have tenant referencing to prove you have a good credit rating which could be included in the fee or additional fee of £30. Sometimes there is an agreement fee to pay which could be around £25 but one of the most important things to pay for - even if the agent/landlord won't pay insist on an inventory of the property that will cost from £50-£100. If you want to re-sign an agreement to rent the property for longer than agreed be aware you may also have to pay a renewal fee which could be around £25.

 Is it OK to pay cash for rent? 
There is no reason why you can't pay cash for rent if the letting agent/landlord are agreeable, however it is better to pay via a bank as each payment can then be independently tracked in case of a dispute. If you pay your rent weekly, cash or otherwise, make sure you have an independent record via a rent book which records your payments.

When do I need a rent book? 
You should have a rent book if you are paying cash for rent, or are paying rent on a weekly basis.

What is in a rental contract? 
This is a contract that sets out the agreement between a landlord and a tenant to rent part or all of a property. There are different types of agreement. The two most likely ones are an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement (AST) or a Rent a Room Licence agreement. The AST gives you more protection than the licence agreement as you have more rights to remain in the property versus renting a room where there is a live in landlord.

What shouldn't be in a rental contract? 
Basically no clauses should be in the contract which are perceived as ‘unreasonable'. This could be not having friends to visit at anytime, or allowing the landlord access to the property whenever they want. Or clauses that expect you to cover costs such as fair wear and tear. A good tip is to read the contract thoroughly, especially if you are renting directly from a landlord and if it doesn't make sense, isn't easy to read or mentions a letting agent at anytime, then the agreement is likely to be outdated or invalid. Take a contract to the Citizens Advice Bureau or to a letting legal specialist and ask them to check it out for you.

Is it OK to sign a rental contract straightaway? 
No and anyone that insists or pushes you to do so, even if they threaten that you will lose the property, then it's worth walking away. You should have at least one if not two working days to read and check out the contract. Never sign it immediately and get independent advice from Citizens Advice Bureau or a lettings legal expert.  

How can I get a rental contract checked? How much will it cost? 
You should check your letting contract with an independent person such as a legal lettings specialist or a support service such as Citizens Advice Bureau. To get a legal contract checked with a legal lettings specialist, would cost from £50-£75 and would certainly be worthwhile as it could save you a lot of problems trying to get your deposit back or end your agreement etc.

 How long can I stay in a rental property? 
On average, most rental contracts which are Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreements and are for six months to a year, usually with a six month break clause and you can then extend them on a monthly basis, if the landlord agrees or sign up to another six months. Some contracts however are for shorter periods of times, such as three months, but these are usually for very expensive short term lets.

What household bills do I have to pay? 
This depends on what you have agreed with the landlord/letting agent and is usually explained in the contract. If you are renting a room in a property, then all standard bills such as utilities and council tax are normally included, bar the telephone bill. If you are renting a whole property, then you are likely to have to pay all the bills, such as council tax, utilities, TV licence etc.

What paperwork do I need to rent a property
You will need to show the landlord/letting agent that you are who you say you are, so some form of identity such as a passport/driving licence. Other requirements are official paperwork that proves you live where you currently live, which might be a recent (within months) utility bill. If you are renting for the first time, you may need a guarantor for the rent - and they must be someone that can afford to pay if you default on the rent, such as a parent. Other paperwork you may need will be a reference from the bank to state that you have enough money to pay to rent and your bank details so that you can pay the rent by direct debit.

How long will it take to rent a property
It can take from as little as a few days to a few months, depending on the type of property you are looking for. If it's just you and you have no children and/or pets, then it's a lot easier to find a property, but it is worth giving yourself a month to six weeks to find somewhere so you don't put yourself under pressure. If you have pets or children or are on social security benefits, then you should leave yourself three months at least to find the right property as many private landlords either can't (due to lender's restrictions) or won't rent to people with pets, children etc.

What do I do if my landlord keeps disturbing me/entering the property? 
The first thing you need to do is to check your contract to see what rights of access your landlord has to the property. If you are renting a room, then your room is private and there should be agreed access. This might be once a month, while you are there, for example, to check your room is tidy. If you are renting the whole property, then the landlord should give at least 24 to 48 hours notice - depending on what is in your rental agreement. If your landlord is entering your room/home without any notice, then speak to the letting agent or write to the landlord and request that they give notice, referring to the terms of the contract. If this doesn't work, seek help from the Citizens Advice Bureau and/or from a letting legals specialist.

 Information source : Designs on Property Ltd

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