2017 is set to be an interesting year for anyone looking to buy a property. With the joint influences of changes to stamp duty law and the Brexit referendum, forecasters are not in agreement as to whether property prices will rise or fall. As ever for the keen property purchaser, this means competition will be stiff and keeping a close eye on the market will be paramount. We have listed the top 10 best property apps to help you choose the right property, in the right area and at the right price:
Knocker’s property app offers a refreshing approach to home buying. It uses GPS and location technology to give you a breakdown of property prices in your current location. How often have you visited an area and wondered if you could afford to live there? Knocker takes the guesswork out of this and gives you both filterable price and property information within a given distance.
When viewing a property it can be helpful to think about future possible design changes before making your decision. The Mark on Call interior design app allows you to do just that with tools that draw out room plans and insert furniture into those rooms. You can even take photos of your own furniture and insert them into the room plans, giving you a clear idea of what any proposed property might look like if you should move in.
iPhone, iPad, iPod touch – £2.99
Sun Seeker is an augmented reality app that shows you which way a property is facing and where the sun will shine at given times of the day and year. Whether you are a keen gardener or just enjoy soaking up the rays, this is one of those property apps you will wish you had downloaded before you started your property search.
Android, iPhone, iPad – £9.99 (also available in Sun Seeker Lite)
For many of us, mobile phone coverage is a daily requirement but there are still areas of the UK that have limited or no network access. The Cell Phone Coverage Map app offers a simple way to test both call performance and mobile data speeds via an interactive map. Both wide and local searches can be made giving you either an overview of an area or a result for specific property.
Houzz allows you to browse and collect design ideas for your new home. To help you to formulate plans, it has a large database of design collections and ideas, plus the facility to discuss and share your design thoughts with others. Another advantage of Houzz is its catalogue of design professionals, enabling you to get immediate design quotes before purchasing your property.
When you are buying a property there is lots of information to take in, especially if you are new to an area. One of the most important and often neglected investigations is into crime rates in and around your proposed new street. Crime Map England and Wales makes this easy for you by listing a variety of issues including vehicle damage and anti-social behaviour from two months after they occurred.
Android, iPhone, iPad, iOS, – Free
The AroundMe app gives the sort of information about an area that you would usually get from asking a local. Find out about schools, hospitals, petrol stations and more in a fraction of the time it used to take you.
Android, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, – Free (upgrade £2.99)
OS Maps gives exactly the sort of high quality mapping data you would expect from Ordnance Survey. With free standard level mapping for the whole UK and the opportunity to download full quality 1:25,000 or 1:50,000 map tiles as required. This isn’t a specific property app but would be very useful for an overview of the area in which you are intending to buy, as it gives access to interesting information such as waterways, rail routes and nearby recreation facilities.
Android, iPhone, iPad, – Free standard level (whole UK quality mapping £3.99 per month)
Finding your perfect property is one thing, but before you make an offer it is important to check that you are going to be able to obtain and pay a mortgage on it. The UK version of Mortgage Brain is a one-stop shop for quick mortgage calculations and searches for either brokers or specific mortgages. As well as basic mortgage calculations, Mortgage Brain offers the opportunity for more in-depth investigation such as the impact of interest rate changes and the cost implications of stamp duty.
Android, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch – Free
If you want to check out the prices of similar properties in your chosen area, Zoopla is the best property app for you. Zoopla has a wide database of properties and will allow you to make a quick postcode check on size, price, nearby rental properties and the number of homes for sale. Zoopla also offers average asking and selling price information for a given area as well as allowing you to create lists for future reference.
Searching for property can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. We all want to make exactly the right decision but we sometimes need to make it really quickly. Having the type of useful information that these top 10 best property apps give you may well mean the difference between a successful and a disappointing property purchase experience.
Arlington Residentials offer personalised and professional property purchase advice. We are an independent company with a history of satisfied long-term clients and premium London property experience.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team about how we can help you with your property sales, rentals or investments please call on +44 20 7722 3322 we look forward to hearing from you.
“The Information on this site is provided for information purposes only. The Information is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice or any other advice.”
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