Housing is a hot topic in the UK. From relaxing planning rules to accommodate more homes to poor quality housing making tenants’ and homeowners’ lives a misery, it’s a matter that takes a lot of time and energy, both on a national and individual basis.
Searching for your first home can be a whirlwind experience. With so much to think about, it can be easy for things to be missed in the process. That’s why it’s important to take onestep at a time. Something to consider in the searching stage is ensuring you inspect all properties thoroughly. There are endless aspects to consider, but don’t panic.
Here is a guide on what you should look out for when inspecting a property that could end up being your first home, regardless of whether you’re viewing an older or new build home with modern amenities.
Most common inspection mistakes when buying a house
Everyone is prone to making mistakes, so avoid doing what others have done by taking note of these common slip-ups.
• Don’t hold back when asking questions: It’s in your best interest to ask as many questions as possible when viewing and inspecting a property so that you don’t get any nasty surprises later down the line. Start keeping a list and add to it every time something crops up in your mind.
• Don’t hire the cheapest inspector: When hiring an inspector, make sure you research your options thoroughly. This means comparing quotes and experience from a handful of different inspectors. To make this easier, ask for recommendations from those who’ve used them before.
• Don’t skim over the inspection report: This report will hold a huge amount of information that could inform how you proceed with your property hunt, so take everything in and make notes off the back of it. It can indicate whether it’s worth getting quotes from a specialist for example and assess how costly certain issues could be to repair.
• Don’t shy away from additional testing: If you’re unsure after reading your inspection report or you’d like to dig into a particular area a little deeper, it could be in your best interest to request additional testing. You might want a specialist to review a particular issue, for instance, such as a roofing or mould expert.
Top tips for home inspection
Some of the most important areas to check when viewing a property include:
• Plumbing: Test all the taps in the property to make sure the plumbing is in check. If you can hear gargling soundsor the water pressure is off, this could be a sign that something is wrong. Make sure that the water drains properly too. Ideally, check under the sinks too.
• Windows: Are they double-glazed? If not, this could mean energy bills could be costly in the winter months especially. Updating windows in a property can cost thousands of pounds, so be sure to factor this in when viewing somewhere.
• Roof: Look out for broken tiles on the roof. If there are a few, this will be a less costly but worthwhile fix, however a roof with lots of damage can be very expensive.
• Foundations: Check for cracks in the ground outside the property, as well as on the walls of the property. Issues with foundations can be very costly, so don’t miss this out.
• Ceilings: Look out for cracks or signs of water damage as these could indicate deeper issues with a property, such as a leak.
• Appliances: Ideally, you should turn on the appliances that will come with the house to ensure they’re in good working condition.