Guide: What to look for when viewing a house
On the face of it, viewing a house should be relatively straightforward: find one in the right area, and if you like it – and there’s enough space for you, your family and your belongings – then you can make an offer.
But if you’ve watched even one episode of Location, Location, Location, you’ll know that it’s never quite that easy. There can be any number of little things that make a potential home more or less desirable, and often it’s something you can’t put your finger on – it may or may not just feel right.
Remember that while first impressions can be important, always try to avoid making snap decisions – whether positive or negative – because when you take the time to look closer, you might see more than was obvious at first view.
So what should you be looking for when you do view a property? We’ll assume at this point that you’ll be able to work out whether it has enough rooms of enough size for your needs, parking, or a garden. Instead, we’ll try to point you to things that may be less obvious but no less important when deciding whether the house you’re viewing could or should be your next home.
Ten things to look for when viewing a house
Potential
If you’re happy to take on a ‘project’ – and we’re talking anything from full redecoration to knocking down a connecting wall to create an open plan space or even building an extension – then trying to see the potential of a house, rather than just what’s in front of your eyes, is a great move. If you’re looking to the long term, you might even be able to add extra value to the house that might enable you to move further up the property ladder at a later date.
Neighbourhood
Just because the house itself seems to meet all your needs, it doesn’t mean it’s necessarily going to be a nice place to live. If you don’t know the area, it’s always worth checking out the neighbourhood – preferably at different times of the day and on different days of the week – to get an idea of whether it’s busy, noisy, friendly and safe.
Positive signs include seeing front gardens kept in order, cars parked neatly on drives rather than on lawns and on the road, and convenient nearby parks and public transport facilities. It’s also worth having a look to see what homes of a similar size in the same area have sold for recently and whether the trend is up or down.
Damp
When checking for damp, the best places to cast an eye over are areas around the ceiling and skirting boards, which are where you’re most likely to see it. Things to look out for include mould, peeling paint or wallpaper and a damp or musty smell. It’s also worth taking a closer look at any rooms that look like they might have been recently decorated in an attempt to cover up signs of damp.
Cracks
Potentially even more of a problem than signs of damp, large cracks in the plaster or brickwork could well be a sign of structural issues. Your homebuyers’ survey should pick up on anything that needs closer inspection – including whether the house is in a former mining area that is causing subsidence – but if the price of the house is already at the top of your budget, it might be a sign that you need to move on and look elsewhere.
Privacy
If you value your privacy, then take a look to see if any parts of the house – including the garden – are overlooked by neighbouring properties.
Boiler/heating system
A house may well feel warm and cosy on a nice day, but will it feel the same in the middle of winter? Check the condition of the heating system and take a close look at the windows, because you might need to factor in the cost of a new boiler and new double glazing.
Storage
It’s easy to get caught up with how lovely a house is without giving thought to the practical aspects of living there. One important thing you might easily forget to consider is storage. If there are no cupboards or built-in wardrobes, no loft space or basement and no garage or shed, will there be somewhere to put all those things you don’t want to leave lying about in open view?
Aspect
Which way the house faces is another thing worth thinking about – and this can be more about having a south facing garden so you can catch some rays on a sunny afternoon. Noting when and where the sun shines directly into a house will indicate when different rooms enjoy natural light and which rooms will be warmer than others.
The roof
It’s easy to forget to look up, but even a quick glance at the roof will give you a reasonable idea of its condition. Compare it to neighbouring properties to see if other houses in the area of a similar type have newer roofs. A new roof could add quite a bit to the price of your new home, so again you need to bear this in mind from the outset if the roof of the property looks like it will need replacing sooner rather than later.
The right feel
We said earlier that you shouldn’t make snap decisions, but if you’re picturing yourself living there while you’re looking round, or you’re already thinking of what you could do to the layout or decor to make it better for you, you should definitely treat it as a positive sign!
Here at Robert Ellis Estate Agents, we always have a great range of houses, flats and apartments available, from those in need of some TLC from a DIY expert to ones that are ready to move into PDQ. We can talk through what you’re looking for, what you want from your new home and what you really don’t, so that we can direct you towards those that best meet your hopes and dreams.
So, wherever you want to live in the Nottingham area, why not pop into one of our branches or take a look at our properties to buy online to see what’s available?
