Purchasing a house is a huge deal and deciding which house to go for can feel like a minefield. How often do we read about people who have bought a property only to find that it is not at all what they wanted in reality, or that they have had to spend a fortune on repairs that they weren’t aware of? If this sounds exactly like the sort of thing that you are trying to avoid, and is making your fret about choosing the right house, read on to find out how you can do your best to ensure that you choose the right house for you…
The first thing to do, before you even make an appointment to view the property with the agent is to have a drive past it and see for yourself what the area and the exterior of the house is like. This is a good way to check whether this is the right area for you or if you can see yourself living here. You can also use Google maps to do this, but it won’t be quite the same as actually experiencing the area.
Once you have decided you want to see more of the house, make an appointment with the estate agent to view it and make a list of things to ask in advance. It can be easy to forget when you are in the property, so this will ensure that you have everything written down that you want to know. It is also a good idea to take someone with you if you are buying the property alone, as another pair of eyes can be a real help, and you also have a second opinion on the property then.
Remember to have a good look at the outside of the property as well as the inside. Of course, if you do decide to proceed with the purchase, you will be able to get a building survey Birmingham based company like Sam Con to have an in depth look at the property and carry out a survey, but it is a good idea to see if you can spot any problems yourself before you start to go down the route of buying it.
Look out for cracks in the walls, damage to the roof and signs of damp – these can all be very costly problems to put right, and they may also point to some larger underlying problems, particularly if it is an older property. Should you wish to have your property renovated and you are only residing in Washington DC, there is a great masonry tuckpointing in Washington DC that will not only make your exterior look good but also sturdy and resistant to wear and tear for a long time.
It is also good at this point to find out what the seller is including – for example, are they leaving fixtures and fittings behind? What about carpets, or white goods? It is a good idea to get clarity on this now as it could save potential confusion further down the line. This applies to things in the garden as well as inside the house, as many people may want to take things like summerhouses and plants with them when they move but some will not.