Any tips or pointers at a house viewing?

pioneer22

Hey,

We bought a new build as our first home but now we're looking to move.

I just wondered in all your experience if there were any questions or things we need to look out for at our viewing?

Thanks!

[Deleted User]

Always try go round with an estate agent. That way you can have a more honest discussion.
Take a notepad and write down absolutely everything you would do to that house to make it the one you want to live in.
Take photos of the rooms that show how the people live in it, not how an estate agent presented it by hiding everything in cupboards for a photo
Look for odd things and try work out if they will annoy you. An example is in my kitchen there was no where to put a bin where it wasnt blocking access to something else. Would it have stopped me from buying a house? Probably not but 3 years later it still annoys me seeing that bin in a different place each time a child has moved it to get in to a cupboard.
Directly ask the legally binding questions in writing. Has there been any disputes with neighbours? Is there any japanese knotweed? Any history of subsidence?
Try either do a dummy run for a commute if its in a different area or ask local opinion on a facebook group or something. I live in a place thats about 20 miles from cambridge but the commute for a 9am start takes well over an hour. People coming new to the area just dont think about it until i tell them.


Do a 2nd viewing before offering and leave the emotional buyer at the door. Estate agents will pounce on an emotional buyer. I offer on behalf of a lot of my clients as I am detached from the emotion of it and its harder for an estate agent to play against that.

dimbo61

This is such an open ended question.
You have a budget ! It could be £80,000 or £80,000,000
You have an area you want to live in or close by.
Location, location, location Good name to a property show.
Your requirements, 2/3/4 bedrooms, parking, garage, swimming pool !
How many people will live in the property or could live in the property ( kids or elderly parents)
What you must have in this next house ? 2 bathrooms, downstairs shower room, big kitchen dinner ?
Storage can be very poor in New builds, and small rooms, garden (big or small)
One thing you will find is that every single property in the UK is going to be different from all the others.
A builder could build 10 identical houses but one would be at the end of the street and have a space at the side, the others will be further away from the busy main road etc
Everyone wants to put there own stamp in a home.
Work out your own list of wants and needs

London_Town

I would also add, as a very important tip, speak to the neighbours, whether it's a flat, terrace, semi or detached. Try and speak to both sides.

Put it this way, anyone decent is going to respond positively to that sort of enquiry. All I've ever said is "hello, I'm thinking of putting an offer in on next door. It seems really nice round here, is it?". You'll get all you need to know from their response, believe me.

I know it divides opinion, but given the opportunity I'd choose to be shown round by the vendor, or at least get to meet them. In my experience, estate agents know very little about the properties they're selling, where as the owner (or a tenant) will know everything.

Personally, I have always asked the vendor why they're moving if I get the chance. I just said each time "may I ask why you're moving on?". Once again, you'll pick up all you need to know in their reaction. 99% of people have nothing to hide and should be happy to explain. I remember giving this advice on a similar thread years ago and one poster was most offended, stating that they'd tell any potential buyer that it's none of their business. Even in that bizarre and extreme reaction, you'd know enough. Anyone that's defensive or aggressive over such a reasonable and politely put question either has something to hide, or is potentially so difficult, you wouldn't want to deal with them during a 3 month property purchase.

Smodlet

If you like the house enough for a second viewing, take a builder with you or, at the very least, a parent or someone you know who has bought and sold a house at least a few times. They will be more honest, unbiased and will probably spot a whole host of things less experienced eyes miss.

pioneer22

Thanks everyone very good tips!

Sibz

You can look for certain signs;
1. Are the windows constantly open? (could be trying to get rid of lingering smells, or worse, hide damp).
2. Don't be afraid to open cupboards, cheap facings can easily hide an absolute woodworm eaten mess.
3. Check your phone signal in each room (minor thing, but it'll let you know if you're likely to have issues with phone/wifi signal).
4. How long does water take to heat up when u put a tap on?
5. If there's a green carpet leave immediately

Murphybear

We always check for electric points in every room.

googler

Sibz wrote: »

Check your phone signal in each room (minor thing, but it'll let you know if you're likely to have issues with phone/wifi signal).

The WiFi thing is totally irrelevant, surely, since any new owner will get a WiFi router from their telecoms provider to replace the one used by the previous owner? This will/may perform differently to the current one.

googler

Sibz wrote: »

4. How long does water take to heat up when u put a tap on?

In our house, a good while. Because the combi boiler is on the ground floor, the bathrooms on the second.

Simple physics dictates the water will flow at the maximum rate allowed by the pipes, and that it won't be instant, given the distance between boiler and tap.

Won't really tell the OP anything without considering the layout of the individual house.

warby68

Without a clue what you're moving from and to and why and what you want, its a bit difficult!

First visit is to suss out the area and get a feel for whether its a house you would like to live in. If it is arrange a second and prepare your questions.

If you like it be enthusiastic but not gushing and try to sound like you know what you want and what your budget is. Be friendly to vendors if they're doing viewings - it really helps if both parties take to each other. If the agent shows it, unlike another poster, I'd take everything with a huge pinch of salt, that's if they know anything anyway.

Do not discuss every alteration you would make or item you would rip out in front of vendors if its obviously a well loved home not a doer upper.

Once you're there most of the obvious questions tend to jump out anyway.

Above all, check the location out first - its more important than the house for almost everyone I think.

Don't take photos without asking permission - its rude