Property Resources
Thanks to the internet there are now a wide variety of resources available to help you find out more about the area you are buying in as well as places to find the right people to help. Please note this is not a link exchange but genuinely useful sites!
A website full of freely available statistics from crime to rubbish collections to socio-economic profiles. All searchable by postcode.
Houseladder
Register here and find the actual price of properties that have sold (and completed) in your area recently as well as other facts and figures.
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency will tell you if the home you plan to buy is in an area at risk of flooding.
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
A well respected institute which reports how optomistic their members are feeling which, along with other measures, is a useful way to look at the housing market.
Hometracker
Hometracker reports what agents are telling them via monthly surveys. Although this is very subjective, especially in areas where they have few members to question, it does give some barometer of the market in individual locations long before they are reported by land registry.
Land Registry
Reports on average property prices across the UK dating back a decade. Note Land Registry report quarterly and are slow in collating their data so using it to decide if the market is rising or falling can be misleading.
Propertyfinder
The largest property portal in the South East of Britain.
Rightmove
The largest portal in the UK, but note this property
Google Maps
A great way to see properties from the air. Check how close busy roads and rail tracks are and how much green space there is in the area you are considering.
Experian - Credit Scores
For a small fee you can check your current credit rating and sort out any problems now, rather than when you try and apply for a mortgage.
Home Information Packs
The government website explaining what Home Information Packs (HIPs) are and who should have them.