Introduction
Now that you know how much you can spend and have some ideas about where you want to live, you are ready to look for that perfect property. Using the Internet you can view dozens of properties quickly and easily and, therefore, only select for personal viewing the ones that best match your criteria.
Search for an estate agent in your area by logging on to either www.ipav.ie, the website of the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers, or www.iavi.ie, the website of the Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Institute.
Both websites provide lists of qualified and registered auctioneers and estate agents.
You can also search for estate agents through the Golden Pages online at www.goldenpages.ie.
Step 4 Buying the property – surveys and solicitors
When you have found a suitable house, you will need to get the property surveyed. To find a qualified surveyor try www.scs.ie, the website of the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland, which includes a nationwide database of registered surveyors. The quick link to this list is available from the first page of the website.
Although you can do a lot of the work involved in buying a house yourself, it is not possible to fully go through the purchase of a house without appointing a solicitor to handle the conveyance (that is the legal term for processing the paperwork involved in buying or selling a property and transferring the deeds of ownership). A typical conveyance can take from 8 to 12 weeks. To find a registered solicitor try www.lawsociety.ie, the website of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
