I am hoping to move to Sheffield by the summer so time is running out for me, I'm beginning to get a little concerned. Have spent many weekends looking for houses. I hope to buy and rent out a couple of rooms. Was so disappointed this morning when despite offering nearly 20k over the 'supposed' asking price was still out bid for a terrrace in hillsbourough. Is there any hope? Is this normal? Should I just be looking for houses way under my budget? I almost feel like giving up before i have started.

Also does anyone know anywhere really cheap that i can stay in sheffield whilst house hunting as have been spending loads on hotels?

Thanks!

Yes, you'll see from various threads on the forum that this is just the "Sheffield way" of house-buying. It's not a recent thing, but if I were you I'd certainly start looking at the lower end of the market.

Also, try looking in neighbouring areas (S5, Deepcar, Stocksbridge, etc) too, I think Hillsborough houses are very hard to come by!

Good luck.

Dont rush into buying here.

We moved here last year.

We rented for a year.
Rent here is cheap.
Id recommend you rent to take the heat off buying.

Also the market here is not as rabid as it was despite what you hear both here and from agents.
There is no need to pay over the asking price.
However you will need to bide your time and perhaps think imaginitively about what you want :)

We paid 10% under asking.
The place had been on the market for months but with a duff agent who didnt market it properly.

Dont panic.
And dont rush into anything.
Prices are currently NOT going up as they did last summer.
you have the luxury of a bit of time to decide.

d

I thought things had calmed down a bit but the problem with houses that are at the lower end if the market is that they are popular. whats your budget?

This has been the way of doing things in SHeffield for at least 20 or 30 years - when we bought here we managed to get away without the 'bidding' system because the owners' kids had measles and they wanted it done and dusted quickly.

It is also the way that things are currently done (from my experience) in Leeds.

It's the last hoorah of the get rich quick from property spell, I think. However, I don't expect the situation to calm down that quickly in Sheffield because it hasn't really been over-cooked here, compared to other similar cities.

Joe

When we bought a house in1972 it was very difficult. There were loads of people after every property and we always seemed to get to a viewing too late. We were even promised a house by an estate agent who then sold it to someone else for a slightly higher price just before my husband arrived to talk it over with him. In the end we had to buy out of sheffieldand we only just got that house. Other viewers were knocking on the door while we were viewing and offering more unseen! Luckily the vendor stuck with us (no chain, 1st time buyer).

I wonder if it was at that time that the bidding system became a norm in sheffield because buyers were urging sellers to accept a higher offer to secure the property. Ever since we have had to bid well above asking for subsequent houses.