I have lived for years as a tenant in Edinburgh. Finally, I decided to buy a house, and Everything Changed

 Is renting in Edinburgh for several years enough to prepare yourself to purchase a property there? Honestly? Definitely not.

I believed it would. I sincerely believed that the experience of renting, going through multiple viewings, and dealing with various estate agents, prepared me for buying a property in Edinburgh. In reality? There wasn't much experience, and I just felt overly confident about my decisions.

The realization was fairly simple, and so were the thoughts behind it. I was tired of paying off someone else's mortgage. 

However, spending a couple of years in the city, moving to various locations in Edinburgh from Leith to Marchmont, including a rather unpleasant stay in a flat above a very passionate drummer in Dalry, made me consider purchasing a flat.

And so, I did exactly what everyone should do. I turned on Rightmove at 11 pm, chose three expensive flats I liked, and decided to start looking for a property of my own.

Here is something no one will tell you: the renting game in Edinburgh and the buying game in Edinburgh are two entirely separate affairs. 

They have their own set of rules, timetables, and jargon. When renting, you act quickly, the letting agent convinces you, and you hand over the keys. With buying comes legal matters, closing dates, solicitors, Home Reports, and even experts that aren’t completely explained to you before getting started.

The first time that my Edinburgh estate agent threw around the word "closing date," I politely nodded as if I knew what she was talking about, only to immediately look it up online. There are multiple offers, a deadline… something I had not quite comprehended in four years living in the city.

Here's another aspect of finding an Edinburgh estate agent. There are many options, and they do not operate at the same pace. Some of them are speedy, some less so. Some will give you a prompt phone call, while others will simply never contact you again.

The first few encounters I had were… okay. Respectful. Transactional. Asking questions got me shallow answers, and I often left viewings more confused than I arrived. One agent was surprised that I didn't want to place an offer on a flat until I understood the content of its Home Report. Another agent consistently suggested flats that were well beyond my price range with that certain kind of optimism that only benefits one party in the discussion.

A few experiences like these made me start to focus less on the flats and more on the agents selling them. Are they truly listening to me? Is the information they give me detailed, but doesn't make me feel like a waste of their time? Am I getting anything out of the viewing beyond the flat itself?

Even before I got to the stage of buying a property, the agent's experience in Edinburgh was very painful. From ghosting, to pressure techniques, to viewing flats which had nothing to do with their photos...I have experienced all. 

However, there was one experience with Umega Lettings that left a lasting impression. 

No drama, no lies. Just a smooth transaction resulting in finally renting a flat I liked.

The lack of drama from the previous experience made me set a standard of what interacting with a good agent should be like.

And, thus, when I entered the sphere of buying and came across Edinburgh estate agents, I had a very specific idea of what I was looking for. I quickly recognised signs of a not-so-good agent.

While some of the agents seemed to be quite professional and good at giving tours, they did poorly at follow-ups. Another one insisted on selling flats exceeding my budget while maintaining a smile, suggesting only profit on his mind. There is one whose reaction to seeing me read a Home Report could not have been less positive.

Some things I should've known going in:

The Home Report is your new best friend. Learn to love it. Understand it. It means more than a new paint job in the hallway.

There's no guarantee on the closing date. Sometimes they accept an offer even before it lands on their desk. Check in frequently with your agent.

An effective agent explains; a dodgy one deflects. Any unanswered question is a lesson.

Get your solicitor sorted before you buy the flat. Not afterwards. Edinburgh moves quickly.

Buying in Edinburgh is exciting. Seriously, it is. There's really a home here for everyone, and when you finally manage to put a stake in the ground here after years of renting, it feels good. But it takes patience, it takes the right team, and most importantly, it takes curiosity.

The rental market gave me patience. The buying market educated me.

But if you, too, are taking that jump into the realm of the buyers and estate agents…trust me. Just do it.