Student Seeking Advice on reputable Estate agencies

[deargdoom 10]

Hello,

I am in the process of trying to find a 4 bedroom house for me and my comrades. What are the best estate agents of Sheffield?

 

Also being a foreigner to these shores, what are the best/worst areas of the town to live in? We're quite a grumpy old men bunch so we hate people coming home at 4am and serenading the street kind of student living.

[Eckolad 10]

I would use gumtree and go direct avoiding fees.

 

Best area would be Tinsley/manor and mosborough

[deargdoom 10]

I appreciate the reply. However, is the use of gumtree safe when you're parting with large sums of money such as this? I am with a private landlord currently and it is a most unsavoury experience. He has done virtual nothing in terms of maintaining the property. That's why I was quite keen to go with an estate agents this year because it appears (correct me if this is merely an assumption) to be a more secure option.

 

Thanks for the area recommendation, haven't even heard of those and I've lived here a year and a half!

[Eckolad 10]

Gumtree is fine as lomg as u check the places out first Hand and check the landlord owns the place etc etc

 

The agent makes no difference to the landlord u will end up with. So sorry your assumption is wrong.

 

Can't believe u haven't heard of those places, u need to explore your city lots more

Edited February 26, 2013 by Eckolad

[Gleadly 11]

You might be able to find an estate agent who also manages the property.

That might be better than one who simply finds you a tenancy.

[gravity426 10]

I appreciate the reply. However, is the use of gumtree safe when you're parting with large sums of money such as this? I am with a private landlord currently and it is a most unsavoury experience. He has done virtual nothing in terms of maintaining the property. That's why I was quite keen to go with an estate agents this year because it appears (correct me if this is merely an assumption) to be a more secure option.

 

Thanks for the area recommendation, haven't even heard of those and I've lived here a year and a half!

 

estate agents/lettings agents are much alike. Use rightmove, search for properties, contact lettings agents like 'shefflets' (used them in the past, they were fine). It is true that most agents only represent private land lords so the risk is still there.

 

You might consider renting from a company that also own property such as Derwent Living, they have a couple of apartment blocks in the city, charge reasonable rates and rent to mainly working types.

 

As for areas, I could list many, but it might be easier to search this forum as there have been many threads on this topic. Although the three suggested by the previous posters are not considered to be the best areas, especially for students, I'm not sure if eckolad is having you on there.

 

You get what you pay for. Using street view to check out a street or area is also a good idea....

[ISinvest 10]

My advice would be start your search on somewhere like rightmove/zoopla.

 

Book in to have a look at the houses. If the house is maintained well this is a sign of the landlords looking after the place. Even better if the house is currently tenanted have a quick word with the tenants about how good the agent and landlord are!

[what-dot 10]

Bigger letting agent will have higher fees and usually not attract landlords with poor houses or landlords that don't look after their properties, try Blundells, Belvoir.

 

Reason you haven't heard of tinsley/manor is because Eckolad is joking I believe.

The obvious ones are s10/s11 just need to find a quite road on there.