Things To Look Out For When Viewing A Property
Would you spend only a couple of minutes inspecting a residential property to buy – either virtually or physically – where you are going to live for many years?
If you think so – then you will live with regret.
But, don’t worry we have put together our best tips to spend the required time on the residential property during a site visit with a checklist for what to look for. So, let’s start…
Do not visit alone
The more eyeballs you are taking with you, the better you will inspect the property. If you visit alone, you will likely be influenced by the property agent who does their best to emphasize the positive side of the property and not give you the opportunity to inspect in detail.
So, you can take your family members, relatives, friends, and colleagues to view the property as they may find out something unusual.
View not only inside but outside
Most home buyers are easily engaged only in investigating from the inside of the home and forget to take a detailed look at the exterior. Check the exterior walls and the room, as well as the pipes and drainage, is very important, if there are any problems, in the future, they could be costly to get fixed.
During the site, visit spend plenty of time
In most cases, home buyers spend less time around the property because they have to visit two or more properties in the set time frame. Or their real estate agent has to attend many other appointments. But in any case, you should give at least 25-30 minutes to view the property in detail and another 15-20 minutes to walk around and check the locality.
Shown around by an agent or owner?
Visit the site when you have a good time on your hand and tell your real estate agent how much time you want to spend on site visits.
Leave sentiment out of the door
One of the biggest mistakes most home seekers made is, get emotional during the site visit. So the story starts like this, you walk through the main door and instantly visualize yourself living in that home. In this case, it is likely to mean that you are ignoring the small glitches and eager to pay any amount.
But here we advise you to, even if you feel that particular property could be perfect, you should still look around with scanning eyes. Because when you find any problem then you can negotiate better with the seller and if you find that problem is too big then it is better to avoid that property.
View in daytime
If you visit the property after the sunset and going to finalize it then we suggest you arrange a second visit during the day. Likewise, if you have visited the site in the day then you should again visit in the evening to get the best idea about the locality.
By doing this you will get the complete idea of how light the property is at different times of the day, how peaceful the neighbors are and what the locality is like after sundown.
Visit again & again in selected property
You must visit again & again in preferred properties, this can help you in ensuring that you are going to spend the best amount on that property and you do not fail to notice any potential problems as well. It allows you to ask any random questions from agents & sellers and you can negotiate on price too.
Check for dampness
This is one of the biggest concerns regardless of whether you are looking to buy or rent a residential property.
Signs of dampness in property are:
- Smelly rooms
- Shedding wallpaper
- Paint bubbling
- Dark marks on the walls & ceiling
If you find any of these marks during a site visit then you need to avoid that property, because any cracks or damp may signify a very serious problem with the property, so make sure you take care of these too.
Check everything in detail
When you visit the residential property, do not hesitate to check everything in detail. You can check the following:
- The windows & doors open & close smoothly
- Check the ventilation & daylight in every room
- Water pressure in every tap
- The wiring and electrics
- Privacy & security
Even if you may feel discomfited testing every single thing but any problems you spot at viewing can either be fixed or help you in negotiating.
Check the available space
An empty floor will always look spacious than fully furnished, so you need to check from this point of view.
Check the space in wardrobes or check the space for wardrobes.
Are the shelves & cupboards having enough space to hold your crockery?
Would your furniture fit comfortably and not block switches and sockets?
What you can do to take a step ahead is take a measurement tape with you and check that your furniture would fit or not, and how much space is left after the setting of furniture.
Get the camera out
We don’t have photogenic memory but we can take lots of photos or make videos to capture every little detail. And this is the best way to check the property again & again without arranging another visit.
You can also compare the property with the other options and select the best without visiting so many times.
You can ask anything related to property
Do not hesitate to ask questions from real estate agents and sellers. No matter you are looking for a rented apartment or buying your dream home, you are going to spend your hard-earned money on it and it is your right to make clear every doubt in mind before taking any decision.
So here we have some questions you can ask:
Why they are selling this property?
It is very important to know why they are selling this property, you can directly ask the owners. Maybe they will not tell you the truth, so you can investigate personally.
Has the home ever been robbed?
Unluckily, if a residential property has been robbed previously, it can happen again. At this moment you can also ask about the security measures.
Are there any legal issues that I need to know about?
This is one of the important questions you should ask & investigate on your end.
Availability of amenities within the community?
Most of the gated communities provide amenities like a clubhouse, swimming pool, and gym, etc. you can as from the seller or builder.
Are there any maintenance charges?
It is very important to ask about maintenance charges, especially if you are looking for a luxury apartment in a gated community.
What is the availability of parking?
You must know about the parking availability, if there are any problems with parking then you should avoid this deal.
How old is the roof?
Roof or RCC structures have fixed lifespan if maintain properly,
so it is very important to check and you can ask the seller.
Is the property having a water connection?
The water crisis is one of the biggest concerns of big metropolitan. So don’t ignore this question.
Is the house haunted?
If you believe in ghosts & spirits then you can ask this question.
Conclusion
Home buying is one of the biggest decisions in our life and biggest financial commitment too. That’s why we cannot bear any mistake during home buying, so it is very important to take every step carefully. Don’t worry, by keeping in mind these points you can get the best home at the best price in anywhere in the world.