Have you spent the last few weeks or months scouring the Internet for that ultimate equestrian property? I put in over eighteen months searching before I found mine! I know you may possibly lose hope when it seems like there is nothing new coming on to the market - but don't fret, I am going to share my personal experience with you and with a little luck help you on your way...

1. Consider what is most important!

For most horse lovers the outdoors tends to be the area of most importance. You need to ensure that your beloved horses are going to be happy and comfy and that looking after them will be easy, since it is a day after day task. The actual property has a tendency to come second, but be certain your family feels comfortable with the selection as well - your partner might not be pleased with a small cooking area no matter how wonderful the stables are!

2. Decide on minimum and maximum expectations - but don't be too narrow in your searches.

There aren't many equestrian properties for sale in the United kingdom at the moment - for a number of reasons, the primary one being right now there simply aren't that many around! And the majority of them tend to be extremely expensive so the market is not quite suitable for the owners to sell up. So when you are doing your searches and you're asked just how many acres you will need, or the number of bedrooms you would like, then have a good think about the absolute maximum and minimum which would work for you and your family. It will be just as bad to have a lot of acres as owning not enough - do not forget there's a lot of work involved in keeping the paddocks looking good. Keep an open mind and visit as many premises as you possibly can - what appears to be half decent online may just be ideal when you see it for your self! That is exactly what happened in my experience, I'd pretty much written this property off, based mostly on the images however , when we saw it, it was perfect for what we required.

3. Choosing a location, location, location

Do you already live in an area that you would like to stay in or are you hoping to relocate? Mainly because of the small amount of houses available, you may have to wait some time before something becomes available inside the exact location you want. If you are willing to move however, your options will of course be significantly better. When I was looking for equestrian properties for sale, all I required was a travelling time to London under 1 hour - which meant we could look at several different locations though the prices would be higher than by way of example Lincolnshire or north Cambridgeshire. Make absolutely certain you check out the location before deciding - I am certain you would want to ensure the location is right for your family before you make this kind of important decision.

4. Getting the price right

My oh my - this is the tough part! Ensuring you get everything that you need and need without paying way too much for it. Make sure that you search all estate agents before you make an offer. Our property had been on the market with two different agents for different prices! And once you find the right one - keep in mind its a buyers market place and negotiate!

Best of luck!