Questions to ask during a house viewing

Bronnie

On a first viewing, I don't tend to talk too much! Take your time and try to not to be too uncomfortable that you're ' invading their space'. Be pleasant, smiley and friendly, but don't be afraid of silences and don't feel the need to tell them too much about yourselves at first viewing.

Use the first viewing to get a feel for the house, its general condition and the neighbourhood. Have a good look out of the upstairs windows at the surrounding properties. Use your eyes, rather than getting bogged down in conversations about minor details.

Certainly question the vendors about their motives for moving . Chatting in a roundabout way is often better than bombing direct questions, you may find you elicit more information when they're off guard, rather than the stock replies they may have prepared for your specific questions. When the viewing is over, make a few notes if you're viewing lots of properties as they tend to all merge into one when you get home!

Second viewings, when you have shortlisted your properties, are the time to look more closely at the smaller details and ask the more detailed questions. (Sound like Kirsty now!!!!!!!)

The first viewing is an overview really.

There should be bigger factors at play in this current market that will influence your ultimate decision, than minor details about the property.

bryanb

AdrianW2 wrote: »

If you do ask these questions remember that sometimes vendors lie. I asked only to find out that the wiring had been replaced, but as a DIY job and not to IEE standards (came up in the survey) and that the boiler hadn't been serviced (found buried in the legal correspondence the day before exchange).

These questions are specially relevant as there is no obligation to have a boiler serviced (in private home) Also DIY wiring may have been done before regulations were changed. Also thing like old double glazed windows don't have to comply with recent regs.
Basically you buy "as seen" or perhaps as seen by your surveyor, who will naturally cover his back by reporting that he was unable to check many things. Take a torch to check loft, binoculars to check roof, could save a survey fee if you can spot big problems.

charliee_3

yes, frst viewing ask only the realy pertinent questions, the ones for which you would decide to buy or not...
but other questions could be (some covered already):
what are the neighbours like
why are you moving
when are you looking to move
have you got a house in mind
what is the council tax band
how much are your heating/ electricty costs
how old is the boiler and when was it serviced
are you leaving curtains/ blinds/ applicances etc
is it a sunny garden (if its not sunny at the time)
what is the water pressure like (dribbling showers are the worst)
have you ever had any problems with floods/ subsidence etc
(if you are new to the area) what is there locally, what is the local pub like, the schools, public transport, etc

if you can i'd also take someone who is not emotionally involved on the second viewing and get them to make a note of any flaws they see and be critical as i know when i looked round the house we are buying i was so dewy eyed i missed loads of stuff like the gutters are blocked and need replacing, cracks in the walls, flat roof problems, etc etc

also there are lots of questions to ask yourself.. in the current climate you need somewhere that you can afford to stay put in for quite a few years to ride out the storm, is there room for you to live there, could you improve on it or extend or convert the loft if you needed more space in the future and the market wasnt favourable for moving?

good luck.. I'm a FTB too and we are in the process of buying our house.. eeek!!!