Great 'What I wish I’d known before I bought my first home' Hunt

harryhound · 28 January 2010 at 3:34PM

oramgepekoe wrote: »

Whatever way the garden faces check out what is around it. Surrounding buildings and large trees may block out the sun at different times of the day.

Remember, the height of the sun in winter is very low.

I bought a place backing onto a low office block (nice & quiet at weekends) quite a long way away (say 200 meters) BUT in nov/dec/jan the sun rose and shone into the garden for 1/2 an hour at 10:00 and then was just below the sloping roof line of the office building until it emerged for another 20 minutes at about 15:30.

The upstairs back bedroom was in lovely sun shine all day!

I now live in a detached bungalow with a rear corner facing SSE so the rear terrace faces WSW. The bedrooms get early morning sun and the living rooms enjoy magnificent sunsets. (Saves 2 months of heating over the previous place).

harryhound · 28 January 2010 at 3:50PM

marcg wrote: »

Oh, and artex is made of asbestos.

Some early "Artex" included traces of white asbestos.

(how dangerous it would be if left painted and washed down with water is a matter of conjecture.)

http://www.asbestoswatchdog.co.uk/residential/documents/FactSheet-TexturedDecorativeCoatings_000.pdf

or

http://www.lkaz.demon.co.uk/ban61.htm

Take your pick.

dombat · 28 January 2010 at 4:22PM

This has been said a couple of times already, but read the HIP.

Despite what we're led to believe by the Daily Mail and all the doom mongers, it is free to buyers and tells you quite a lot.

I found a sewage works that I didn't know existed for one property.
A house that had no loft insulation at all (makes you think where else they have skimped as loft insulation is cheap and saves loads of money).
Incorrect boundary on another property.

Don't moan about them, use them, while they still exist!

Also, if the garage is seperate from the main property, ensure it is part of the purchase (same applies to annexes).

harryhound · 28 January 2010 at 4:28PM

Nine out of 10 sets of estate agents information will prove to be a waste of road fuel.

So do the research and save everyone's time energy and carbon footprint.

Here is my guide to what the Land Registry can tell you:

Land Registry on Line:
Getting a bit off topic but, I would recommend, especially in the present climate, accessing the Land Registry BEFORE going to view a potential purchase. For 3 GBP you get a plan showing the extent of the property and for another 3 GBP the register entries: A Property - B Proprietorship - C Charges. A confirms what you can already see in the plan BUT legally it is the writing not the plan that is more powerful. B tells you who really owns it. C tells you about their freedom of action over what they own. The dates against each piece of information help you understand the age of the property and how long the sellers have owned it (If nothing else alarm bells ring if the sellers appear to disagree with the Land Registry;))

So in the doctored example below:
1. The people who sold the land for building have put some restrictions ("burdens") on the proprietors' freedom (you sometimes have to pay a few more 3 GBP's to find the details - it can be anything, but something saying they can restrict further construction on the land is significant.)
2. The developer has added some more restrictions, possibly for the benefit of the estate as a whole.
3&4. The (well known) Plc, which provided the original mortgage, won't let the land be sold until it gets its money back.
5&6. The (notorious, according to Google, USA based) Ltd subsidiary, which provided the second mortgage, won't let the land be sold until it gets its money back.

So you now know that Mr & Mrs seller paid xxxxx GBP to buy the place in 2003 and used Plc, the well known UK mortgage provider, to finance their purchase, though you don't know their Loan to Value.
BUT
Three years later here they are getting a further mortgage. WHY are they getting it from Ltd and not from Plc.; are they over 100% LTV, stupid or desperate? Probably all three?

Mr & Mrs seller have set themselves up for "gazundering" in a falling market.

C: Charges Register
This register contains any charges and other matters
that affect the land.
1 The parts of the land affected thereby are subject to the rights
granted by a Deed dated...............said Deed also contains restrictive covenants.
NOTE: Copy filed under XXXXXXXX.
2 A Transfer of the land in this title dated ...............made between
(1) ................... Limited and (2) ........... and .............
................ contains restrictive covenants.

3 (dd.10.2003) REGISTERED CHARGE dated dd mmmmm 2003 to secure the moneys including the further advances therein mentioned.
4 (dd.mm.yyyy) Proprietor: aaaaaaa PLC (Co. Regn. No. 99999999) of ...........................................

5 (dd.07.2006) REGISTERED CHARGE dated dd mmmmm 2006.
6 (dd.07.2006) Proprietor: bbbbbbbbbbbbbb LIMITED (Co. Regn.
No. 8888888) of .........................................

End of register
Title number xxxxxxxx

Update:
You should be able to save the first 6 GBP because copies of the plan & register should be in the HIP. Ask for it!

Last edited by harryhound; 11-05-2008 at 3:00 PM..

Update Bought in 2003 now sold in 2009. Change in price 190K -> 205K
(Someone I know was thinking of it as good value at 240K in Summer 2007.)

Comparative prices from:
http://www.zoopla.co.uk/

On going property monitoring from firefox
http://www.property-bee.com/

mlz1413 · 28 January 2010 at 5:10PM

If I could have my first time buying days again I would give me more confidence to ask questions when I didn't understand something rather then just feeling I must be stupid for not knowing.

Hopejack · 28 January 2010 at 5:19PM

Going back to the asbestos in artex issue - I was shocked when I read it (had no idea!) but have googled (and googled some more) and it appears if your artex is newer - mid to late 80s at least, then it will not contain asbestos. My house was built 1999.

Thought I'd mention that in case anyone is currently having a heart attack having read it, like me (I'm about to put the house up for sale and the last thing I want is an absestos issue!).

PS - Give me smooth skimmed ceilings any day!

ETA - just read absestos wasn't completely banned in products until 1999 - so who knows? Think I might start a new thread on this one....

lethal0r · 28 January 2010 at 5:21PM

find out which mortgage lenders dont use brokers and go and see what deal they can offer you.

i beat the best deal an IFA could offer me HANDS DOWN by going direct to a bank.

will2208_2 · 28 January 2010 at 5:37PM

Solicitors work at their own pace. Regular phone calls can help them to process your purchase a bit quicker but you must be patient. They're a law unto themselves, pardon the pun ;-D

yorkshire_lass_3 · 28 January 2010 at 7:47PM

When you put your offer in to buy a property, ask for the carpets to be included in the asking price if they are in a reasonable condition, as you can get new ones as & when you can afford to and won't be left with bare floorboards on the day you move in. Some vendors try to negotiate payment for carpets but who would go to the bother of removing them.........oh yes, I remember, the first house we bought, the vendor did that and left bare concrete! And they left bare wires hanging from the ceiling where they had taken a light fitting and bulb, not sure if this is correct but I don't think they are allowed to leave bare wires?
Also, if there is a possibility of the patter of tiny feet, always buy in the best possible catchment area for good primary and post primary school you can afford, as previous posters have said .... even a smaller house in a better area. If you have teenagers, make sure you're on a bus route or you'll end up being the taxi driver every weekend.

olly300 · 28 January 2010 at 11:27PM

The only thing I can add is to stress that parking is very important.

Regardless of the fact that you may have a drive, garage or allocated parking space or even don't drive at all make sure you can:
1. Park with ease within a 0.5 mile radius of your property
2. Delivery drivers can park and unload without any problems

You will have occasions where you will have more than one visitor who needs to park, or you will have workmen who will need to park in your space and you will need to move your car.

Also if delivery drivers can't park with ease then some of them will make up excuses so they won't deliver to your property.

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Great 'What I wish I’d known before I bought my first home' Hunt

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