When it comes to viewing property, it can be tempting to let your head rule your heart, but when it comes to making such a big decision it pays to take a considered and balanced approach. Before you view your first property make sure you have a clear idea of what it is you need, anything extra that you want, your maximum budget and the costs involved.
Read on for 6 house viewing tips that will help you to get the property you want at the right price.
House Viewing Tips – Getting the Property You Want at the Right Price
1. Make sure you know your essential criteria
It’s easy to view a house and fall in love with an amazing garden or a stunning interior, but make sure it fulfils all your essential criteria before rushing to make an offer.
Before you view your first property you should make a list of essentials and desirable attributes. This will help ensure you maintain a practical and balanced approach to your house hunting.
2. Don’t let cosmetic appearance put you off
Remember it’s the bricks and mortar you’re buying, so whilst a property of course needs to appeal to you to put an offer in, remember that if it meets all your main criteria, interior styling is usually easily changed. You can read more about the impact of kerb appeal here.
A partial renovation isn’t quite the enormous undertaking that it might at first seem. Interior décor can be quick and inexpensive to change and new flooring can be put down, but a naff bathroom suite and kitchen are bigger jobs that can easily put people off.
If you don’t have additional budget available for replacing things like kitchens and bathrooms, then negotiate hard with the seller, which may just give you enough wiggle room to allow you to make the renovations necessary to meet your own interior design preferences.
3. Appraise the local area
If the house appears to be ideal, you’ll need to make sure that the local area lives up to expectations too. If you’ve got children, then knowing what catchment area the property falls within for schooling is important, and if you’re moving to a different area, make sure you find out what council tax band the new property falls within.
To get a better feel for the area, take a walk around it. Visit the shops, use local amenities and check out Google street view to get a better feel for where your nearest restaurants, gyms and so on are.
4. Don’t get too carried away
You should have a clear idea of the property you can afford before you start viewing, but don’t forget to factor in costs like Stamp Duty, legal and removals feels into your purchase.
Falling in love with a property at the top end of your budget can mean less emphasis is placed on practical issues, and leaves very little room for any extra costs that might pop up before or immediately after the move, so set realistic goals and leave bit of wiggle room when it comes to how much your offer.
5. Remember to negotiate
If you’ve seen a property that’s just above your maximum budget don’t be put off from arranging a viewing. Remember that very often there is space to negotiate. This is especially true in an area where there might be lots of competition, for example, due to a glut of new-builds.
Likewise, if the property has been on the market for some time, it’s a clear sign that it might be priced a little too ambitiously for the market, which means you may be able to clinch the deal with an offer below the asking price.
In addition to the asking price of the property you're considering, do think about other aspects of the deal, such as whether you're part of a chain or chain-free, repairs and inclusions, as all of these can provide potential points of negotiation.
6. The market can move quickly
The housing market can sometimes move with surprising swiftness, with properties receiving offers within hours of them coming onto the market. Whilst it’s critical that you don’t rush such a big decision like this, it does pay to be decisive.
If a property ticks most of your boxes and fulfills all your major criteria, don’t hang around when it comes to making an offer. Otherwise, you might find it’s snapped up from under your nose.
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You can find out more about the Move Home Faster team, take a look at our frequently asked conveyancing questions or you can get a low-cost conveyancing quote.
Useful resources
- UK government house price statistics
- 11 secrets for successful property viewing
- Property buying process guide
- Step-by-step guide to buying a house