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Once New Year hangovers have passed, only buyers who have a clear idea of what they want and act fast to get it are likely to have much luck in an overheating market.
That's the prediction of James Greenwood at Stacks Property Search and Acquisitions, one of the specialist "househunters" which searches out suitable properties for bidders too busy to look for themselves.
Says Greenwood: "Even if supply increases dramatically, there still won't be enough homes to meet demand. With so many City bonuses about, you may find yourself having to compete quite hard."
Greenwood offers these guidelines to buyers:
Be aggressive - act swiftly and decisively, and don't get sidelined.
Ignore scare stories about a crash, provided you intend to retain the property for at least three years.
Don't allow yourself to be bid up unwillingly in the frenzy of the moment. Stay in your comfort zone, and pull out if you're being stretched financially.
Do your homework on values, so your bids are sensible.
Don't expect vendors or other buyers to abide by gentleman's rules.
A rival househunting agency, County Homesearch, says West Wales (the area west of Swansea including Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and South Cardiganshire) will be a new property hot-spot in 2007, not least because its coastal areas resemble Cornwall of 30 years ago.
Other hot tips from Jonathan Haward, County Homesearch director, include Georgian period properties - and working farms, attractive to families trying to reduce the impact of Inheritance Tax.
Mr Haward reckons prices, overall, will rise 7.5 per cent in 2007.
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