What to keep an eye out for when viewing a property

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by: bythesea
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Word Count: 454
Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2011 Time: 9:59 PM
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Going house hunting is an exciting experience and as such it's easy to become carried away with a particular house because of good first impressions. It's important that you delve a little deeper, though, so that you have complete peace of mind that the property you're about to bid on offers exactly what you think it does.

Be sure to return for at least a second viewing after the initial, intoxicating visit so that you can approach things with more of a level head than before. First and foremost, be on the lookout for any obvious disrepair. You may be getting what looks like a steal for the asking price, but if there's a lot of work to be done before you would feel completely comfortable living there then you should factor that into your decision.

Has furniture been moved to hide imperfections in the way the building's interiors have been finished? Look out for telltale signs such as indentations in the carpet where the sofa or cabinet was previously kept. You don't want to buy a property that looks like it needs no work doing to it only to find an iron mark on the living room carpet where the armchair was or a great big hold in the wall that was previously hidden by a wardrobe.

Also be wary of fresh coats of paint, which you may be able to smell if they were added recently. While many sellers will give their home a fresh lick of paint before putting it on the market, if it seems like the decoration has been carried out shortly before the viewing then it's worth questioning why. Are the sellers attempting to cover up poor plastering or a damp patch, for instance?

As well as the factors that you can determine on your own, it's also important to ask the seller for relevant information that could influence your decision. Sit down and draw up a list of questions that you would like the answers to in advance of your viewing. Is the parking situation important to you? Would you like to know if the neighbours have ever caused any problems? How about the ongoing costs of owning the property, such as council tax or house insurance?

Only when you're completely happy that the property is the right one for you should you consider putting a bid in - and if there are areas of the house that you feel will need improvement once you own it, factor the price of that work into your offer. If you're clear and honest with the buyer why your offer is below their asking price then they're more likely to be willing to strike a deal that works for everyone.

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