1)Try not to see the house as a home (until you move in)
It’s not always easy, but on an initial viewing try to see the house simply as a building that needs inspecting. Don’t get too attached early on or your heart might rule your head and cause you to overlook any problems.
At the same time, if you do spot faults, you shouldn’t necessarily be put off buying – you could use what you’ve discovered to negotiate on the price, depending on how big the issue is and how much it will cost. You can find out more about making an offer on a property to see how to place a sensible bid that takes into account any problems.
2) View the property multiple times
Even in a fast-moving market, it’s a bad idea to buy without looking at a property more than once – the more times you view a house, the more likely you are to spot potential problems. Our research has found that 26% of people viewed their current home once before buying it, 43% twice, 21% three times and 11% four or more times.
We’d recommend viewing the property two to three times, at different times of day, to find out how the light, traffic and surrounding noises change. You might just discover that the quiet, idyllic street you saw at 11am is a busy main commuter route at 6pm.
3) Take your time
Make sure you spend a good chunk of time viewing a house – 20 to 30 minutes at least – so you can really get a feel for the place.
Our research has found that the longer a buyer spends viewing a property, the more likely they are to secure it for under the asking price. Over half (52%) of buyers who spent under 10 minutes viewing the property paid the asking price or more, while 71% of buyers who spent over 90 minutes on viewings paid below the asking price.
4) Investigate the neighbourhood
Spend at least half an hour walking around the general area to see how close the things that matter to you, such as cafes, schools, transport links or local shops, are. Also revisit at rush hour and when the pubs close, and on weekends and weekdays.
5) Look at the structure of the building
Make sure you walk around the house to check the exterior. Look for damp and hairline cracks in the walls – 68% of people in our survey said they did this – and missing or loose tiles on the roof or broken guttering (65%). If you find signs of a problem, ask questions to find out what the cause is and whether it will be fixed.
6) Use your nose as well as your eyes
Be wary of unusual smells. Damp, which 70% of people check for, can give off a musty smell even if you don’t see physical signs.
7) Check the taps and light switches
Only 28% of people check the taps and water pressure, while 35% check that the light switches work – but you’ll only know about problems if you check things yourself. Also, try opening and closing the windows to check they’re in good working condition.
8) Move furniture around
The seller doesn’t have to tell you about problems – in fact they may try to hide them. Common cover-ups include painting over damp and hiding wall cracks or floor problems with furniture or rugs.
9) Confirm what land comes with the property
If there’s any uncertainty over who owns a garden or parking space, make sure you find out the answer and get it confirmed in writing.
10) Arrange a house survey
People may think they’ve had a proper survey when actually they’ve just had a mortgage valuation. It’s a good idea to get a survey done to uncover any hidden issues with the house you’re buying.
Article originally by Which?
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