Whether you’re getting off the relentless rental merry-go-round for the first time, upsizing, downsizing, or moving to a new area, buying a house is an exciting if stressful experience.
But just because you’re good for the cash and eager to move doesn’t mean you should make any compromises. In a new survey of UK homebuyers for Which? one in 10 people admitted to viewing just one property before taking the plunge, with 72% viewing fewer than 10.
Instances pushing people to view multiple properties included noticing “naive attempts at concealing damp”, “water supply coming through a hose from a well in the garden” and, in one instance, the fact someone was actually in the bath.
Which? has pulled together a checklist of the top things to look for when first viewing a property.
1) View at different times of the day.
“It’s important to view a property more than once, so you can get a feel for it at different times of day and in different light. The same goes for the neighbourhood,” Which? says.
2) Always ask about insulation.
A well-insulated house can save a lot of money on heating.
3) Check for cracks in the walls.
Large cracks and bowed walls can suggest there are structural problems with the house that could cause hefty structural costs, it says.
4) Check that doors and windows shut.
Open and close the windows and doors to check whether any of them don’t fit their frames or present issues around safety or privacy.
Which? also recommends checking for mould and exposed wires in every room as well as looking out for the position of plug sockets, how much storage the property has, and whether or not the garden is well-maintained or overlooked.