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Irish Times

In a bidding war for your first home? This expert shares insider tips that could help you win

It's arguably never been harder to get on the property ladder in Ireland. Even if you manage to save a deposit and get mortgage -approved, you're up against cash buyers, institutional investors and the State itself; all vying for properties at a time of chronic undersupply. And if you manage to overcome the aforementioned barriers, you still have the traditionally daunting task of dealing with auctioneers, banks, surveyors and solicitors. Notwithstanding all of the above, it's worth arming yourself with knowledge of the process in readiness for any opportunities that may present themselves. READ MORE Enter buyers' agent Miriam Finn. Where estate agents represent the vendor in a property deal, Finn takes buyers under her wing and helps them through the process. 'We assist them all the way from starting their search for the property, negotiating on the property, taking them through that complicated sale agreed process, right up until closing.' Her job is common in other countries but relatively novel in Ireland. She struck out on her own after thirty years in the property business, twenty of which were with Sherry FitzGerald . Many people had approached Finn looking for help and advice at a time when she was constrained by acting in the interests of the seller. For first time buyers especially, the property process can be a confusing one. Bank or broker? Fixed or variable mortgage interest rate? What about mortgage protection, home insurance... ? How to persuade a bank to lend to you, finding a property, dealing with bidding wars, solicitors fees and on it goes. In this episode of Better With Money , Finn lays out the entire process in chronological order sharing everything she knows about lending approval, bidding, negotiating and closing. You can listen to this illuminating and engrossing conversation on the player above, or search for Better With Money wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Produced by Declan Conlon and Aideen Finnegan. Resources mentioned in this episode: Help to Buy scheme First Home scheme More information on various state help and grants CCPC mortgage money tool Price comparison web sites like Bonkers and Switcher analyse the best value mortgage loans on the market Check if a prospective property is on a flood plain