March 13, 2023
When looking at new homes to buy, or even rent, it is amazing how little time we actually spend actually looking at the property. On average a first viewing is between 20 and 30 minutes. That’s less than half an hour to come to a conclusion on what is by far the biggest investment most of us will make. On a first viewing this probably makes sense as, if the property doesn’t tick the right boxes and just feels or looks wrong, then why spend a long time going over it with a fine-toothed comb? But, should the property tick all the boxes, then it makes sense to have a second viewing to look at the more practical aspects of the property. In this blog article we will walk through some of the things we suggest you look at during a second viewing.
Utilities
Waterworks – Check the water pressure in all the bathrooms, en-suites, toilets, kitchen and outside taps if there are any. The last thing you want is to move into a place where the water pressure is so low that you can’t shower or the bath takes an hour to fill. Be sure to check showers and also electric showers, which can often suffer from lower pressure, as well as whether the toilets flush properly. While checking the water supply also check that the sinks, baths and showers drain well. Check the age and condition of the boiler or hot water tank and check to see how long hot water takes to get to taps around the property. One thing to not forget is to check for mobile phone signal and broadband speed.
Heating and light – Check the fuseboard for spare fuse slots, it can be really annoying, if you want to add an electrical circuits to find there are no spare slots and a complete consumer unit replacement is needed. Check each room for the number and location of plug sockets, phone sockets and TV sockets/satellite sockets. Older houses particularly can suffer from a lack of sockets.
Space
Although the estate agent might have put a floor plan on the advert or the description of each room gives the sizes of each room, take a tape measure on the viewing and measure properly. It is important to check to ensure that your furniture will fit in the property. Check for other storage too such as understairs, airing cupboards and kitchen cupboards. Whilst there never ever seems to be enough storage not matter how much there is, understanding what storage there is, is important. The last thing anyone wants is to move in and realise that there just aren’t enough kitchen cupboards for all the pots, pans and crockery. Check the loft, garage and any outbuildings too. You might have a garden, for example, but nowhere to store your gardening tools. Whilst in the loft, check for insulation to see if there is enough (there should be 270mm deep insulation). Whilst checking out the kitchen also look at how much usable worksurface there is and match that to your counter-top appliances. It’s amazing how quickly worksurface space gets consumed with counter-top additions. It is really annoying to want to prepare a big meal to find you have 2ft of counter space to work on. Do any of the bedrooms have built in wardrobes? This space assessing exercise will start to give you a really good feel for the property and truly determine if it is indeed the right fit for you!
Appliances
Check over all the appliances that are to stay with the property, electrical items like ovens, hobs and boilers. Are they in good condition? Do they work? Are there enough of them for your needs?
Decoration
Decoration is a matter of taste as we all know and you’d have noticed that the first time you went round. It is easy to re-decorate so the décor isn’t a massive issue, but how urgent is the re-decoration? Is the paint or wallpaper peeling in places and in need to urgent attention? Check to see if the flooring is in good condition throughout. If the property isn’t to your taste but the decoration is in good order, then you can move in an take your time. It’s a different proposition if it is in poor condition which needs urgent attention.
Views, noise and light
Quite often, on first viewings, all the lights are left on in the property to add light. On the second viewing make sure they are all turned off, especially if it is a sunny day. How much natural light is there in the property? Will it be light enough? Take a look out of all the windows in the house. What is the view like? Check to see if there are things like other buildings or trees which will block out the light in the summer. Also check to see how overlooked the property is and whether it affords good privacy. Go out into the garden and check for privacy out there too.
Neighbourhood
Hopefully you’ll have checked up on the area and know where the transport links, shops, schools, doctors and other important amenities are, but how noisy is the street and the area? Listen outside and inside the property, especially if the property is semi-detached or terraced. Check neighbouring properties and see how well maintained they are. Check how easy it is to park, especially if there is no garage. On street parking can be a major cause of neighbourly disputes. Check to see if you need a parking permit to park in the road.
Comfort
This can be hard to judge simply based on when the property is up for sale, but if it is winter time, are any of the rooms especially cold or draughty? Check for any signs of pests. They will be hard to spot themselves but there might be tell tale signs like oily smears on skirting boards or damage to curtains or carpets.
Buying a home is the largest single expenditure most of us will ever make and ensuring that the property is right for you is important. Don’t be afraid to ask for time alone on the second viewing and make sure to take your time and get a good feel for the place.