The Top Things You Should Remember when Viewing a House

Whether you’re looking for a house or a flat or whether you’re planning to rent or to buy, it’s important to inspect the building carefully to ensure you won’t have any major issues to deal with in the future. Most people, when viewing a possible future home, do indeed take the time to have a careful look around, but it’s often with the eye of an amateur, and usually more with the location of furniture in mind.

Inspecting a house or flat isn’t all that hard, but there are certain important steps to follow. Are you planning on moving soon? Here are the top things you should remember when viewing a house or flat.

Have a partner

Four eyes are better than two when it comes to viewing. Even if you are planning to live alone, find someone who can accompany you to the viewing session. It’s very likely that you will be met by the owner or agent who will try to thrill you with all the positive elements of the property – having someone with you to point out the negatives will encourage a more balanced view.

Check it outside, too

It’s easy to get carried away with checking the inside, but the outside is just as important. Inspect the walls and the water pipes. If there are any cracks or other signs of deterioration, it may be expensive to fix.

Take your time

It’s possible that your real estate agent will give you a quick run-through; perhaps there’s another viewing, or perhaps the agent has another appointment. Don’t be satisfied with this, and make it clear you want another appointment if you can’t be allowed to take your time. Careful inspection can’t be done in a rush, as a good building surveyor will always tell you.

Think like a businessman

It’s often difficult in the midst of the excitement, but it’s necessary; try to leave your emotions and biases outside of it. Pretend you’ll have to resell the property after a few years. Is it a good investment?

What to watch out for

Aside from the obvious (electricity, cracks in the walls, plumbing, heating, etc.), look under rugs and carpets, behind furniture, and so on. Use your nose: do you smell mould?

Two more things need to be mentioned. First of all, book multiple viewing sessions. Viewing sessions are often staged (especially if an agency is in charge of selling), and there might have been certain issues you missed the first time. Secondly, don’t forget to check the neighbourhood carefully. You might not want to live next to a nightclub or to discover that certain areas aren’t that safe. When viewing, bring your personal checklist. Take your time and go through the process carefully.

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