First time viewing a house today.

[FinglisHobbit]

Hi folks.

Well today we are going to view a house for the first time. We have had an eye on it for a while and Im looking forward to seeing it.

Ive googled some basics to check for, like cracks, wiring, plumbing, damp etc.

Was just wondering if there is any tips or advice anyone can personally give as we go down this route of viewing our first potential home

 

[Kimi]

Good luck, nothing major but check it you can get Virgin or Sky, first house i bought couldn't get either even tho the houses on the other side of the road could get both! annoying

 

[FinglisHobbit]

Ive used an online checker to see about Virgin/Sky situation and it is all available. Which is a bonus because Id also be annoyed if I couldnt

Its an end terrace which worries me as I have visions of the gable end cracking and half my house falling down lol.

 

[noj]

Hi folks.

Well today we are going to view a house for the first time. We have had an eye on it for a while and Im looking forward to seeing it.

Ive googled some basics to check for, like cracks, wiring, plumbing, damp etc.

Was just wondering if there is any tips or advice anyone can personally give as we go down this route of viewing our first potential home

Try and be objective. Don't overlook problems because you really want it to be the house you want.

Don't be put off by other peoples clutter and their nasty taste in décor

Don't be rushed round by the EA either, yes you can go back for more viewings but take time to look round if you want to.

Finally, be honest with your thoughts. Once you're on your own talk to the other half and see what you both really think of it.

Have fun!

 

[Firestar_3x]

First look round should be to spot anything obvious, see if the house will work for you, how the house feels.

Leave the second look round to pick the less obvious faults.

Not sure i'd want an End Terrace though, but that depends on the area.

 

[FinglisHobbit]

First look round should be to spot anything obvious, see if the house will work for you, how the house feels.

Leave the second look round to pick the less obvious faults.

Not sure i'd want an End Terrace though, but that depends on the area.

Regarding it being end Terrace, it ends, then it has its side path, the neighbours side path then houses continue from there.

Its not like the very end of the street where you might get people loitering about the place.

Its an old victorianesque place with large rooms, bay windows and high ceilings. Which is my kind of thing. I love character in a place. However I wont let this blind me to the potential issues.

 

[FinglisHobbit]

Well it was interesting !

The house is my ideal kind of home. POTENTIALLY. Although there is an undeniable amount of work needing done to this place, the results could be fantastic.

It has a huge basement that opens back onto the garden. The garden is vast but massively overgrown and needs a LOT of work. This isnt a simple garden to renovate as it has mature trees and varied huge shrubs to deal with.

I did kinda love the place though. Annoyingly lol. It probably needs about 20k throwing at it to make it perfect. However its perfectly liveable as it is. Im gonna look into viewing some more soon. However I did really like it.

 

[McB]

Going through the same process on the other side at the moment, I'd agree with Firestar. First look is really to get a feel, could you see yourself living there and it meeting your requirements. We tend to leave viewers to it rather than to rush people round and a few have said that has helped them, and you can tell when they have stalled a little somewhere to go and answer questions. Second viewing is for the details and utilities.

We've got several interested in ours at the moment although they've all not sold their own place / not it on the market yet which is annoying.

 

[FinglisHobbit]

This place was previously up for 160k a few months back. I remember seeing it. Then its come down to 150k. The estate agent said that it had been sold but the woman who bought it failed to get a mortgage.

I didnt really question much about it.

I can see from my experience it could do with a rewire and new central heating. But as it is, its perfectly liveable. The kitchen is new and the bathroom is recent. All the walls in the house are skimmed and painted white. Its a pretty blank canvas.

The basement is where you can see all the heating pipes and cables running about the place. Makes replumbing the downstairs relatively painless.

 

[Mr.Stu]

Here is a list I created/used when we were house hunting last year.

Financials

• How long has the property been on the market? http://property-bee.com/
  
• Check previous selling prices of property, and dates http://www.zoopla.co.uk/
  
• Check selling prices of neighbours, and dates http://www.zoopla.co.uk/
• Have they just moved in? Is that why they are selling?
  
• Check value estimate? http://www.zoopla.co.uk/
  
• Confirm the property is freehold- check with vendor/EA
  
• Have they refused any offers, what were they?
  
• If any offers have falling through, why? (Most offers fall through due to issues spotted on a survey)
  
• Check SSTC house prices via rightmove

Vendor

• Why are they selling?
  Job?
  Family?
  Up/down sizing?
  
• How long have they been in the property?
  
• Do they actually live at the property, check electoral role online
  http://www.192.com/
  
• Social investigation
  Get full name, full street address, get your Google on
  

Neighbours

• Do they know them well, can they name them?
  
• Actually speak to them! Knock on the door
  How long have they lived there?
  Are they planning on moving any time soon?
  Are they planning on extending there house? (link detached especially important)
  
• Check the garden, is it well kept?
  
• Dont just speak to adjoining neighbors

Local Area

• Drive around at different times of day
  Day night
  Weekend weekday
  Commuting times, school run
  
• Walk around
  
• Local shops
  
• Check crime rates
  Enter postcode at http://www.police.uk/ and ensure to check back previous months
  
• Council planning website ..neighbors and retail etc, call them!
  
• Who is your local council?
  https://www.gov.uk/find-your-local-council
  
• Flood plains
  http://www.homecheck.co.uk/EnvSummary.do
  
• Street view > check map date > what has changed?
  
• Bing - birdseye view
  
• http://magic.defra.gov.uk/
  
• http://www.bgs.ac.uk/

Making an offer This may no longer be relavent, when we were initlaly looking we had the luxury of taking our time, lining up second viewings, nowadays its a bit more dog eat dog.

• Stress your situation, FTB, no chain
  
• The national average between asking price and agreed selling price is 7%, if they won’t budget to this ask yourself why they justify being above average?
  
• Ensure you have AIP
  
• Ensure you have solicitors
  
• Put it in writing, ideally via email and CC the vendor. EA often dont articulate your offer how you expect
  
• Dont fall in love, there will be another property

Utlities

• What council tax bracket, what amount per month?
  
• Average gas/electric
  
• Water rates + rated or not
  Who is responsible for the gutters and/or drainage
  
• Broadband
  
• Phone reception
  
• Bins - right of way
  
• Boiler service
  
• Wiring, last renewed?
  
• Extensions, building regs? Planning permission? Loft
  
• Damp proof course
  
• Check shower
  
• Check water pressure
  
• Check cracking of walls inside/outside, ceiling etc
  
• Parking
  actually fit 2 cars?
  onroad - check at peak time
  dropped curb? council, price

 

[FinglisHobbit]

Great post there . Thanks for that!

 

[HangTime]

^Good post. Only practical thing I would add is to think about how you would use the rooms i.e. take a tape measure and the measurements of any furniture you want to bring such as beds, sofas, tables etc (probably more for 2nd viewing). Also think about whether the current layout works for you by picturing yourself there at different times of day:
-If you have kids, where would they play during the day? Would it be safe / in view or could they e.g. access dangerous things directly from there?
-Loft access?
-Where are the toilets/bathrooms located and how practical is that for visitors, children, going to the loo at night etc?
-If you plan to use room X/Y as a bedroom/living room, what would it be like at different times of day (noise, light etc)?

I'll throw in a couple of 'softer' things to consider:
-As this is your first house, don't be swayed by that fact i.e. you may be desperate to move in with a partner / to the area or whatever and convince yourself to buy the first thing you like the look of. Make sure you try to view at least a dozen properties to get some perspective (assuming there is enough on the market in your chosen location), even if it feels like this is going through the motions a bit. In hindsight, we kinda regret our first house purchase and should have held out for something better.
-Don't be rushed/bullied by the agent, no doubt they will explain how prospective buyers are literally queuing up round the block to view the house chequebooks in hand, likewise every house they have on their books is going for at or above asking price at the moment. Go at your own pace/budget and if that means you miss out on a good house, so be it. There is more than one house in the country that will suit you.