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This December, alongside sorting everything for Christmas, we are also planning a house move. We are expected to finish the process and get the keys to our new home around the middle of January so we have boxes everywhere of things packed ready and boxes of Christmas presents everywhere so it is chaos here! I wanted to just quickly share with you a few things we have discovered along the way that you might need to consider when buying a house.
Whilst this advice is predominantly around buying a house in the UK I am sure some of the advice would be useful elsewhere also.
Visit the house at various times of day
This is so important not just to check for anti-social behaviour but also to check things like the lighting in the area, whether there are lots of parked cars for as nearby venue etc.
Get a home buyers report
A home buyers report will check all about the structure of the house, any issues with the roof and all important things like if there are any potential issues they can see with the boiler. They will ask the vendor for any evidence that a heating company has inspected the boiler and if they haven’t you can arrange this yourself. No one wants to move into a house then realise it is an old boiler that then breaks, what an expense!
Check mobile reception
I know how silly it sounds but if you can not get a mobile signal in your new house will it be an issue for work or your social life? If so then this is something that no home buyers report or search will uncover. You simply have to check it out when you are there. Do things like send an email, text and even call someone to see how good a signal you have.
Ask why they are moving
When visiting the house ask the vendors why they are moving, it may be blatantly obvious they are lying when you ask them face to face. Check out their story if you can. For example if they want to move to another area just casually ask why, is it for a job move etc?
Also watch their reactions when you ask about the neighbours, we viewed a house where the vendor said that some of the neighbours disagreed with them about who owned parts of the shared driveway. Whilst this may seem an innocent comment it is worth remembering that they are likely to be downplaying any issues!
Enquire about the bills
Is the house you are considering buying on a water meter? Check how that works out for you, will it cost you much more? If so then maybe you need to check this falls in your budget! Also check out the council tax band online and any other bills that may be an issue.
Whatever you decide remember to ensure you use your solicitor to check anything needed too as this is what you are paying them for! Happy house hunting!
