When viewing a house for sale,What should I look out for?

Question

What sort of things should be I be wary of?

Answer 1

Always always get a survey done. Never make an offer that isn't subject to survey as you leave yourself no recourse if something transpires within the property (such as damp, loose tiles on the roof etc) that would cost to put right.

And check the age of the boiler - boilers are expensive (especially if you get a reliable one such as a Worcester) and you should factor in the cost of replacement into your offer.

Take a tape measure so that you can measure the REAL stats of the rooms. Often your measurements will not necessarily match those of the estate agents. This is useful for figuring out whether furniture would fit or not.

Check out what Council Tax Band the property is in and make sure it's in the right one, or you could end up paying too much.

Find out if there are any planning issues.

And lastly, if you really like somewhere, go back for a 2nd viewing as you'll often find a place seems smaller than you remembered.

Happy house hunting!

Answer 2

The biggest thing is can you live in it? Does it suit your lifestyle. Once you put in an offer that is accepted then get a building INSPECTION. The people here recommend a survey. That is wrong. A survey just describes the land boundaries. You need an inspection. Your Buyer Agent will recommend three for you to choose from. The inspector will look at the roof, plumbing, electric etc. Make sure the offer has a building inspection contingency in it. This is where your Buyer Agent comes in. They work to protect you and represent you. They are paid at closing from the seller's agent. The listing agent doesn't owe you anything.
Go to REBAC.com and jackosullivan.net for more info on Buyer Agents.
Good Luck

Answer 3

Unless you are in construction, it will be difficult to notice many of the things you need to see. Hire an home inspector and make the purchase contingent on the inspector's results or get permission to do the inspection before entering into a purchase agreement. Never buy a house without the inspection. Some states laws vary concerning termite inspections. Always be sure there is a current letter of inspection from a certified pest control specialist and the report is negative. It is best to hire a professional of your choosing so that you get an impartial inspection.

Answer 4

The roof - stand back at take a long, hard look - is it dipping in the middle?
Check timbers for wood-worm ( are there any small holes with pale sawdust? Yes, the woodworm is active). Can be fixed. Cost? You'll need a specialist survey. Have work done before you move in.
Are there are any bulges or cracks in the walls?
ASK if there has ever been any structural damage or movement? Present law is if you ask they have to give an honest answer or they can be sued. Don't ask- that's your problem.
Check the line of window-sills & frames & door frames - are they straight?
Does it need repointing? (Are there gaps in the cement?)
When you go into a room, stand in the middle and sort of jump up and down - does the floor go with you? (That's a bad sign).
Has it been plaster-boarded to hide damp? (Damp behind plasterboard does not register on a damp meter).
Look for black mould & shiney, crusty white patches.
Does it need new windows (are existing frames OK?)
When was it last re-wired? Look at the sockets & light switches - are they modern?)
Is that under guarantee?
Look at the ceilings - sagging, cracked, need re-plastering?
Go to the property at different times of the day to check out the area for noise, hooligans, drunks, bad neighbours - knock on their door to ask questions if their houses look OK.
Do you like the lay-out? Is it the right size?
Can you fit your furniture & stuff in?
Good storage?
ASK - Do the appliances work?
ASK - What is included in the price?
Write down what you're told & keep that record.
Surveyors don't look under carpets- so you have to try to do that.
Nor can they see behind wall-paper so you can try to ascertain the state of walls under - look for uneven bulges, soft bits, discolouration.
Ask if you can use the loo - check the water pressure.

Answer 5

First and foremost, check out your neighbors! I'd advise against looking to purchase during the winter (if you're in an inclimate area because people tend to stay inside), but as soon as it starts warming up, drive thru the neighborhood in the evening and on the weekend to see what kind of people you'll be living around-loud, lots of kids, etc. Check out the surrounding property upkeep.
Freshly painted ceilings or wallpapering may be hiding water stains or cracks. Look for stains on the basement floors and walls too will indicate that there is a water seepage or even flooding problem.
Number of outlets, size & number of closets. Look at the water heater and furnace. There should be a tag indicating when these were installed. Are there water stains on or around the heater unit? Type of windows installed. Check out the gas and electric billing (you can do this by calling the gas/electric company), they can give you an average rate of billing so you have an indication of what you'll be paying. You can do this with the property taxes too. Go online to the County Auditor's office, they should have the property listed (can check by property lot #, last name of owner, or address) so you can see if what the tax rates are, and if the homeowner is delinquent. This last bit of info is more for delays in transferring property to you.
Also walk across the room...are the floors listing/tilting? Are there "soft spots"? This indicates excessive settling and/or that there may be a problem with the foundation. Is there central air. Check out the unit, again look for water or water spots, rusting, etc. Turn on the furnace, hot water, and air conditioning to make sure these units are functioning properly. Flush the toilets and turn on the faucets to check pressure, especially if there are bathrooms upstairs.
Is there an attic? Check for damage to ceiling, spaces in eaves. If house is frame, look for wood damage-indicates termite infestation, if not at present, it was there at one time.
Look for other signs of vermin infestion-mice, bat droppings, chewed woodwork, etc.

Answer 6

First of all take another pair of eyes as you may miss something and the other person may see something. Dampness in mould, how much sun you get in the rooms, check that all major work done on the house is in the LIM Report and is passed by the council, (report on the house), if you have children(young) fencing. You can get a building inspector to do a thorough check and he will tell you if the house is sound or not. Good luck

Answer 7

Check the loft - water tanks and pipes!
Check rooms for signs of damp
Check double glazed units - seals and around frames externally
Check guttering and rooms where guttering is closely situated for signs of damp at ceiling edges
Check the boiler - ask if it is serviced and how old it is - anything older than 10 years and you will soon be looking at replacing at huge cost
look for STORAGE space - you'll be surprised at how many people don't notice the lack of storage space!

Check there are enough power points (plug sockets) - again you'll be surprised how many people don't notice a lack of these essentials, especially in kitchens.

Be wary of freshly decorated houses - it may be (not always) hiding something - previous flood damage for instance or damp!

Just a few tips for you

Answer 8

Well, from our experience, once you get serious about making an offer for a particular house, you should make a point of going by and taking some time to get to know the neighborhood and what it's like AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF DAY. And also take into consideration seasonal issues.

We bought our house in July. Yes, we did see the big junior high school at the end of the block, but because we had no children ourselves we didn't give it a lot of thought.

Fast forward to September, after we bought the house, and discovered that our block is like a freeway for the moms and dads driving their kids to school to drop them off, and for the kids walking from the bus-stop at one end of the block to the school. And this happens at the precise time of day when we're trying to back out of our driveway to go to work. It can take ten minutes or longer sometimes to back out of the driveway and get to the end of the block, and the driving is crazy with people pulling out without looking and kids crossing the street slooooooowly in front of us.

And then this is repeated when school lets out at the end of the day.

...But if you saw our street on a weekend, or during hours after school is in session and the madness is over, you'd think it's a very quiet residential area. Which it is, except twice a day during the week when it's a madhouse.

So check things out at different times of day, and be conscious that seasonal things might affect your area. Maybe that nice street floods during the rainy season; Maybe those beautiful trees drop a ton of leaves you'll have to rake during the fall. Maybe the lot that looked so nice and sunny during the winter is gloomy in summer because of the trees. Maybe the neighborhood that's quiet most of the time turns into a crazy place during a sports season because of proximity to a sports venue. Maybe that nice peaceful church at the end of the block is so popular that on Sundays you can't get your car out of your driveway because cars are parked on both sides of the narrow street all day. Maybe the place is peaceful during the day but spillover from a night club a block away means you get drunks coming around sometimes after dark.

Also, if you happened to look at the house on days that are cloudy or when the weather is bad, ask the real estate agent if your home is located under the flight pattern for a nearby airport. On days when the weather is bad, people won't be flying, but if the weather is good, you may have small planes coming over your home all day long.

Just don't make the visit to the home with the realtor the only time you go to the house to check it out. Take some time to get to know the area.

Answer 9

The neighborhood and location. Look in the basement and look for foundation flaws, black mold, indications of sewer back up or flooding.
Your best bet ( if you love the home and want to buy it) is to hire an independent house inspector, it's worth the money and you'll have peace of mind.

Answer 10

Your neighbors!!! This is very important...We moved into a neiborhood where the children roam the streets everyday after school and when we came home they purposely stood out in the middle of the street...Young kids!!! Parents let them hang with other kids all the time...Be sure your street is pleasant and your inspection of the home will tell you the rest!