Was there anything you didn't notice as quite common until looking to buy?

moneyistooshorttomention

Winter_Phoenix wrote: »

One thing I shall never understand, is why so many vendors don't make the beds neatly before allowing the estate agent in to take photographs.

It's not that much of an effort, but makes such a difference to the pictures![/QUOTE

True...and I put one of the currently fashionable folded contrasting throws across the bottom of bed too when selling last house.

bouicca21

And Golden Shadow, IMHO the kindle is for light reading. For serious reading you need the real thing.

moneyistooshorttomention

bouicca21 wrote: »

And Golden Shadow, IMHO the kindle is for light reading. For serious reading you need the real thing.

To some extent...

...but Kindles are handy for odd one-off things that I'm reading. Also handy for those who are visually-challenged (as its possible to change the size of the text - unlike proper books).

alchemist.1

Shared driveway into the back garden with an open garden between the two properties. Loads of these where we are looking.

moneyistooshorttomention

alchemist.1 wrote: »

Shared driveway into the back garden with an open garden between the two properties. Loads of these where we are looking.

True. With the problems I've had/am having with my nfh - by now those type of houses where it isn't absolutely crystal clear to the nth degree exactly who owns what garden-wise are coming up and "hitting me in the face" big-time and counting as a big no-no on deciding what place to buy.

By now - I wouldn't dream of buying a place where it wasn't clear "whose was whose"....as some neighbours can be royal pain-in-asses even where it is very clear (but not quite as clear as a wall/fence going around literally every inch of the plot the house is on).

alchemist.1

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

True. With the problems I've had/am having with my nfh - by now those type of houses where it isn't absolutely crystal clear to the nth degree exactly who owns what garden-wise are coming up and "hitting me in the face" big-time and counting as a big no-no on deciding what place to buy.

By now - I wouldn't dream of buying a place where it wasn't clear "whose was whose"....as some neighbours can be royal pain-in-asses even where it is very clear (but not quite as clear as a wall/fence going around literally every inch of the plot the house is on).

Never seen them before. Are you in the Northwest or is this a countrywide thing?

moneyistooshorttomention

alchemist.1 wrote: »

Never seen them before. Are you in the Northwest or is this a countrywide thing?

I think its probably countrywide.

Previously I am wondering if all I ever noticed was gardens that had literally every inch of their boundaries clearly delineated. However, I am now spotting a mile off (think it might have been earlier on this thread for one) incidents where properties have adjacent front gardens, for instance, where you are thinking "Where exactly is that boundary line between those two properties?". Usually - it could be worked out pretty clearly where it is - but, without a fence or wall clearly indicating, then there are neighbours who will dispute where an invisible boundary clearly lies.

Hence - I now notice exactly where there should be a boundary feature and would think twice about buying a place that didn't have one (even if its 101% crystal clear where that missing boundary feature would be if there was one iyswim).

Think the most common case of this I see is where two adjacent properties just have a stretch of grass for front lawn going across in front of them and I sit there looking at the details thinking "How do they both know for sure which inch to mow and which not to mow?" and I would want a boundary feature up in place at the boundary line to indicate.

I can think of two semis near me that have paving in part of their front gardens for their cars to park and I look at those two houses every time I go past and think "Just which one of them is entitled to park right there and which one isn't?" and I haven't worked it out yet.

Elfbert

Winter_Phoenix wrote: »

One thing I shall never understand, is why so many vendors don't make the beds neatly before allowing the estate agent in to take photographs.

It's not that much of an effort, but makes such a difference to the pictures!

So many of them can't even be bothered to close the lid of the toilet - making a bed must seem like a terrible effort!

Jon_B_2

bouicca21 wrote: »

No JonB I don't think that explains it. When I was young ready meals were only just being invented (anyone remember Vesta?) and cooking from scratch was commonplace. Today lots of people can't, don't or won't cook without ready made sauces, microwave ready meals etc. What's changed (I think) is the attitude to women and the nature of family life. Mum isn't expected to slave away over the stove on her own, and produce fabulous meal for hubby and kids sitting at the table in the dining room anymore (ah that's another missing item - lots of places I looked at didn't have a dining table). It's all being together.

I completely agree. I didn't suggest it as I didn't want to be accused of bemoaning the boomer male generation who seem to still be flabbergasted that a man even dare step into the kitchen.

Brown_Eyed_Girl

I think the straight faces of some of the EA's as they've described the property has been amusing. My favourite viewing was one where I had a slot for a 'do-er up-er', which was fine if livable as at the top end of my budget, the attraction was it had a large square footage - to be honest it's the first thing I look at and then the pictures to get a sense of the size, everything else is fixable.

All was going fine, although knew it wasn't for me. However, we got down to the kitchen and i noticed the linoleum was all bubbled. The estate agent was saying "oh its just an old floor, it does that" but my gut said have a look what is underneath.

Only then did we find that everything under was completely soaking, above totally dry so all of it trapped and clearly a leak somewhere that had been going on a while. EA "oh i've never seen that before". To be fair to him, i don't think he did have a clue, in more ways than one. But it was enough to put the final nail in it.

Still he had the guts to call me on Monday to ask for my thoughts on the place....