FT Buyer Going Viewing - what to ask / check out?

ShriekingSheet

Hi all,

I appreciate this is a hefty, and possibly frequent question, but anyone with a few useful bullet points, or a link to a helpful guide would be most appreciated.

I expect to make my first bid in Nov/Dec, so going to view some properties I have found online this week. Some places are neatly finished, others require some work (old, as opposed to new and unfinished).

For an initial viewing, are there any key questions I should be asking?

If in certain types of development, I will of course ask about management fees. Which way a place faces also. I know the area very well, so no need for queries about the general location.

I'm sure l am missing a load of stuff here. Any steer would be welcome.

Gambas

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

know the area very well, so no need for queries about the general location.

In that case make sure you ask about the general location. Will give you a guide to how much bs you are being spun by the EA.

Ask about the title and ownership, who lives there, who lives next door, or upstairs, why are they selling etc... Don't all have to be direct questions, but try and get a feel for anything that the EA doesn't really want to go into.

Ask about the BER rating, how it is heated, and ask to see the boiler house/whatever.

Learpholl

There's a fairly useful guide on myhome.ie here:

http://advice.myhome.ie/2004/02/viewing-checklist-for-buyers/

froger

Open and close all internal doors, check behind the doors, estate agents can sometimes try and position doors to hide problems if they can.

Check the water pressure in taps, flush toilets, check if shower is working, who wants a house with bad plumbing. Is it mains/septic tank.

Check around the site to see of there are signs of any quick fix jobs on the water system due to freezing last year - you would be amazed at what you could find.

What type of heating, where is boiler, when was it last service, are the rads in good positions are there enough of them.

Turn on and off all lights in the house, check if there are enough power sockets, where are phone points how many etc, it is expensive to do wiring in a house make sure it is good and suits your needs. Look at the fuse box to see if it looks neatly finished.

Open/close all windows to make sure they are in order.

Keep an eye out for any damp/stains on the walls/floor/ceilings, ask about anything that concerns you.

If you are serious about a house stalk it out drive past it in the morning/day/night/weekday/weekend, to give you an idea of would you like to live there.

Most of all don't rush or be rushed into anything the market for house buying is very slow at the moment so you should have plenty of time to decide.

ShriekingSheet

Thanks a mil for that guys. Will be using that info as a cheat sheet before viewings.

Grolschevik

froger wrote: »

Open and close all internal doors, check behind the doors, estate agents can sometimes try and position doors to hide problems if they can.

Check the water pressure in taps, flush toilets, check if shower is working, who wants a house with bad plumbing. Is it mains/septic tank.

Check around the site to see of there are signs of any quick fix jobs on the water system due to freezing last year - you would be amazed at what you could find.

What type of heating, where is boiler, when was it last service, are the rads in good positions are there enough of them.

Turn on and off all lights in the house, check if there are enough power sockets, where are phone points how many etc, it is expensive to do wiring in a house make sure it is good and suits your needs. Look at the fuse box to see if it looks neatly finished.

Open/close all windows to make sure they are in order.

Keep an eye out for any damp/stains on the walls/floor/ceilings, ask about anything that concerns you.

If you are serious about a house stalk it out drive past it in the morning/day/night/weekday/weekend, to give you an idea of would you like to live there.

Most of all don't rush or be rushed into anything the market for house buying is very slow at the moment so you should have plenty of time to decide.

This is a very good post that should be required reading for potential renters too.

Victor

How soon will it be available?

Don't make and offer without it being subject to contract / mortgage / survey.

Do not pay a booking deposit, unless it is refundable and you have it writing on what grounds it is refundable.

Do not pay anything until you speak to your solicitor.

daltonmd

Some great advice here. I would also recommend that you visit sites like neigbours.ie to see if your chosen area is there if it's not then join and add it to find out more about it.

Pay attention to the local parks and playgrounds as these are usually used by teenagers at night - do you have to walk by/through these areas to get to your house for example?


Best of luck.

daltonmd

mikemac

Have a look around the area, goes without saying

But look for certain things you'd easily miss.
Is the wall beside your house a shortcut through the area so young people will be jumping it at all hours.
We all love a shortcut but maybe not right beside us

And come back for a little while on a Saturday night or so and have a look around.
Kids knacker drinking in the waste ground beside you?
People hanging around the off-licence up the road?

Just small things like this you won't see during the day

Idbatterim

personally Id wait till after the budget if I were you OP!

antoinolachtnai

Those are all good suggestions. I would like to suggest a slightly more contemplative approach to looking at houses.

If you are looking at a house for the first time, and particularly if it is quite different from properties you've looked at before, don't get into all the details of sinks, heating, etc.

First, bring a compass, or use the Mr Sun app for the iPhone to figure out what way the sun shines at different times of the day and year. At the same time, think about whether the house is sheltered or in the open. What will it be like in the summer or in the depths of winter?

When you go into the house, be aware about your first impression. First impressions are important but they can be deceiving. If you don't like the house right away, think about what you don't like.

When you are in the house, go into each room, stand in one of the corners, take a deep breath and take a bit of time. Think about whether you like the room and why. Look at the shape and where the windows are and how the light is. Also look at how it is furnished and what the colors are. Remember, some things can easily be changed (like furniture and colors). Other things can't. (This is also an opportunity to spot things like mold, damp, etc.)

Go to the bottom of the garden and take two minutes to look at the house. Just take your time. Look at the walls, the pipes, the windows, the roof, the chimneys, the garden. It's hard to tell you exactly what to look for. You really need experience for that. But the first thing is to look. Look at the neighboring properties too, while you are there. You can actually tell a lot about a house by looking at it front and back, if you have the experience.

When you come out of the house, look at the local area. Is it a nice place to be? What is there to do? Where can you get a bottle of milk and so on? Is the parking and public transport practical? Really, you have to think about your own life and how this house would fit into it.

After looking at the house, think about it and what the agent is looking for. What gives the house its value? What have other similar houses in the area sold for? What is it worth to you?

ShriekingSheet

Really helpful stuff there guys, thanks.

Did my first viewing. Enjoyed it, I must say. My first impression was mediocre, and then slowly I figured out it wasn't for me.

As much as an AE would hate to hear it, I wont be shy about booking another few viewings. Not planning on wasting anyone's time, but most definitely think a few more viewings will help me recognise what I'm looking for when I find it.

antoinolachtnai

That is the right thing, you really have to look at a lot of property. Estate Agents (good ones at least) do not mind this. If you can find someone more experienced to pull along with you, so much the better.