It’s easy to get carried away when viewing a property, and letting your heart take over from your head. Therefore make sure you look carefully at the property and have a checklist of things to look out for and questions to ask.
Exterior:
- Is the property in good condition? The Home Report should tell you what structural work needs done but it’s worth checking for any signs of damage or damp both inside and outside
- Can you see any loose or damaged roof tiles?
- Do the drains, gutters and fascias look in good condition?
- Check for proximity of any large trees to the building that could cause problems later down the line and cause you issues in obtaining insurance cover.
Interior:
- Firstly, does the property have everything you really need in terms of number of rooms, garden, and parking / garage?
- Is the kitchen modern or does it need upgraded?
- What storage space is there?
- How big are the rooms?
- What is the ceiling height? If you are tall then this is very important!
- How old is the boiler? If other appliances are included in the sale, then again check how old they are and what is their condition.
- Is the bathroom modern and to your taste?
- Are there any cracks in the walls or ceiling?
- Turn on the taps – not only to check that they are working, but to see how long it takes for the hot water to come through
- What is the condition of the window frames and are there any signs of condensation?
- Check each room, and the outdoor spaces, to see how overlooked you are by neighbouring properties.
- Is there loft access and if so, how big is it? Is there potential for conversion?
- What is the scope for an overall extension to the property? If you are looking to add value to the property it is worth asking the current owners if they have looked into this and if they have any drawings or planning permission.
- What fixtures and fittings are to be left behind?
- Are the mobile phone reception and Wifi strong?
Outside space and surrounding area:
- What direction does the house face? As the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, a south facing garden will see the most hours of sunlight during the day.
- Is the garden overlooked?
- How mature is the garden and how much maintenance is it going to need?
- Is there a garage and decent street parking?
- What is the location like? It is worth visiting the property at different times of the day and different days of the week to see what traffic and parking is like.
- Is the property close to good public transport links? If you are commuting to work / school in the mornings try and do a test drive to see how busy the traffic can be.
You may have accounted for refurbishments and upgrades in your budget but it is still important to work out what work needs done imminently and what can wait until further down the line. It can also be very informative to chat to the owners if possible and find out how long they have been there and why they are looking to move. Have they outgrown the house or are there deeper problems? What are the neighbours like?
Your home is probably the largest investment you will ever make, so do the figures and think practically when looking at properties.