There’s a lot to think about when you’re house-hunting – price and size probably being the main two. But what else should you bear in mind when deciding if a house is ‘the one’ for you?
We’ve put together a list of the most important things to look out for, and to remember, during a viewing to help you make the right decision.
Talk to the estate agent
Have a chat with the estate agent listing the property to see what they can tell you in advance, such as why is it being sold, and what position the buyer is in. If the agent is aware of any serious problems, they have a legal obligation to tell you. This will help you decide if you still want to arrange a viewing. The agent can also tell you how long it’s been on the market and whether any offers have been made which could put you in a stronger negotiating position.
Keep your emotions in check
We all know the feeling of seeing something you love and wanting it straight away. When this happens, all logical thinking tends to go out the window and we act on our emotions. However, when it comes to buying a house, it’s important to not become too emotionally attached as this could cause you to overlook any problems the house may have.
That said it’s unrealistic to expect a home not to have any faults at all, so if you do spot any, don’t be put off! Ask questions about what you’ve noticed and work out if this could potentially be a deal-breaker for you, as the new potential homeowner. If necessary, you can use this information to negotiate on the price.
To help detach your emotions from the house, you could try to approach the viewing as more of a building inspection. It’s not always as straightforward as that, but having a more pragmatic approach could help you make a better decision based on your head, not your heart.
Take your time
You should never feel rushed when looking around a house. It’s a big decision and you need to know you’ve taken the time to thoroughly look at everything. The average time spent on a first viewing is 20-30 minutes; which allows you time to walk around place, get a feel for the space and ask the seller any questions you may have.
If you feel you need more time than this, take it. It’s your viewing and you aren’t on a time limit. In fact, more time spent viewing the house could mean you end up paying less. Research carried out by Homeowner’s Alliance found that the longer a buyer spends viewing a house, the more likely they are to secure it for under asking price.
Check out the structure of the building
Check the inside and outside the house - be on the lookout for things like cracks in the walls, damp patches, broken guttering, or missing tiles. If you see something you’re unsure about, ask the seller what has happened and if they intend to fix it before selling.
Issues like this are likely to be spotted at the point of valuation/survey, but it’s easier and cheaper to spot and resolve them as early as possible.
Look (and smell) carefully
If the seller has had problems with issues such as damp or cracking, they may try and cover this in order to make sure their home sells. Tell-tail signs of this can include freshly painted walls or strategically placed rugs / furniture.
Damp usually gives off a distinctive musty smell which is tricky to disguise. However, if you notice any unusually strong smells like air freshener, this could be a sign that something is being covered up.
View more than once
Although the housing market is pretty fast-paced at the moment, try and arrange a second viewing if you can. The first viewing is mostly about getting an overall feel for whether it feels like it could be your home. However, if you’re caught up in this excitement, it could be easy to miss any signs of potential issues later.
Viewing more than once also means you can visit on different days / times to get a more accurate reflection of the home and surrounding area – things like parking, light, noise, and general activity could vary massively in certain hours, so it’s better to find out now so you can check you’re happy with the situation.
Ask about fixtures, fittings and boundaries
If there’s a shared drive, ask about rights of way and any current arrangements in place for parking. If there’s a wall or fence in the garden, check which of those you’d be responsible for maintaining. Ask the seller to point out any fixtures or larger items they’ll be taking with them when they move – you could be sold on the garden shed for storage, or the lavish light fixtures, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to be staying with the new owner. If there’s anything you particularly have your eye on that the seller has promised to leave, be sure to get this confirmed in writing at offer stage.
Investigate the local area
Spend a bit of time in the local area to make sure it has the kind of facilities you want and need – public transport links, shops, schools and cafes etc. ‘definitely do this more than once to see when places are open and how busy it gets during rush hour.’
Consider getting a survey
You’ll need to have a valuation survey for your lender, as a condition of them lending you the money. The valuation survey is primarily to benefit the lender and is simply an inspection to satisfy the property value and may highlight any very obvious issues, such as damp or cracks. If there are any other issues within the condition of the property (for example, faulty wiring or structural problems) these wouldn’t be checked and could create a nasty and expensive surprise after you’ve moved in.
Getting an independent survey on a potential new home may be an additional cost. However, these highlight important concerns that could help you decide whether to go ahead and buy the house or not, or whether you need to renegotiate on the cost to allow for repair works.
Expert mortgage advice before you set foot through the door
Our mortgage advisers in Nottingham have access to thousands of mortgages from over 90 lenders, so there’s plenty of opportunity to find the right one for you. They can offer guidance from the minute you decide to buy a house, until you collect the keys to your new home.
To arrange your free, initial no obligation appointment with an adviser, call us on 0115 9017146 or send an email.
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