Be ready for your viewing!
Thinking of buying a house? First home or a house move? Great! Here are some tips on the following:
- What to consider when house hunting
- How to prepare for a house search
- How to know what you can afford
- How to deal with estate agents
- How to book a property viewing
- Working out your priorities and Wish list
- What to do before your viewing
Before any house hunt, it is important to first think about what your most important factors are, specifically to you and your home life. These can then be split into two groups, for example:
Non-negotiable:
- 10-minute drive within your children’s primary school
- South facing garden
- 3 bedrooms
- Fit to live in upon completion
Desirable but not a deal breaker:
- Ensuite bathroom
- Utility room
- Driveway space for 2 cars without blocking in
It is easy to get carried away with the dream of a house, especially when you can see the potential it has but you need to be realistic with and REMEMBER:
1. Does it meet all of your non-negotiables? And 2. Is it a manageable and cost-effective amount of work?
It is so common for property sales/chains to fall through when people finally become honest with themselves over something they have offered on and realise it was just a step too far. You can save a lot of time and heartache if you remain quite strict from the get-go!
This ties in with the most obvious factor = what can you afford?
We can all dream up our long list of ‘non-negotiables’ but are they realistic for the budget you have in your area? You will find it a lot easier to find a 5-bedroom detached property in the North West for £400,000 than in London. This may seem obvious but the list is endless and you need to be strict with what you are willing to sacrifice and what you would rather hold out for.
Speak to a mortgage broker:
A broker can advise you on how much you can actually afford, what it will cost you and what options are available in terms of durations, mortgage rates, interest rates, best mortgage lenders, repayments and everything else in between. If you are unsure of what they are telling you – ask again! It is too important to be uncertain and can save any wasted time later down the line. You can receive a ‘Decision in Principal’ as proof that the bank will lend you X amount and that is your buying power as evidence for purchase to the estate agent.
If you want to do a quick online check for an indicator first there are plenty of options. I like Money Saving Expert – find their calculator below:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mortgages/how-much-mortgage-borrowing/
Do a drive-by:
Before calling to make an estate agent viewing, do a drive-by – or at least do that before the actual appointment. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen a property online, only to drive past and it seems/feel completely different. Sizing can be very misleading on these clever cameras! The house with a view may seem great online but you drive past to realise the opposite view is actually a noisy commercial site – you never know!
Calling an agent:
Some people can get quite nervous making phone calls but don’t overthink it! Estate Agents are on the phone with so many people throughout the day that even if you make a little slip-up, nothing will be thought of it! For example, you have seen an interesting house come up on Rightmove or driven past and saw the sale board outside. You can ring the estate agent’s office and say:
“Hello – I am calling about your property for sale on Devon Road at £295,000.- is it still available, please? If yes – then proceed with saying you are interested and would like to book a viewing“
They will likely go on to ask you about your current position – for example, with the recent hype of the property market, a lot of agents switched to only accepting viewings by parties who had their property up for sale already or not in a chain/first-time buyer with their DIP (Decision in Principal) and deposit ready to move forward without delay. Sometimes this is still the case by order of the owners, to avoid people just using house viewings as a day out and a nosey! Have your information ready so you come across as a serious buyer rather than a time waster.
On the same phone call it would be a good opportunity to let the agent know you are looking for similar properties and could they let you know of any other options either currently or soon to be available (worth a shot) For example:
“I would like a 3 bedroom semi-detached around £250-300k depending on work required, within a 10-minute radius of the local village (throw in any major non-negotiables) “
It is always handy to build a rapport with an agent and although they will deal with many people each day, a polite and enthusiastic approach can go a long way. They are sales agents at the end of the day so the more buyers and sellers they know they can pair up with, the better for them!
Things have changed a bit nowadays so Rightmove or Zoopla searches are often the first point of call rather than visiting local Estate Agents in person anymore. Set up email notifications either immediately or daily for when a property within your specifications comes online.
- Rightmove: https://www.rightmove.co.uk
- Zoopla: https://www.zoopla.co.uk
House Buying – Key Factors:
When you are debating viewing a house for the first time, it is important to check the key factors to your decision-making because if they are real deal breakers then it is best to know sooner rather than later. This of course depends per person but some may be:
- How busy is the road? Is it too busy for your preference? Do you prefer quiet cul-de-sacs to main roads? Do you prefer main roads for security?
- Does the area feel safe?
- Are the neighbours houses in decent condition or derelict and unkempt? Would that bother you? You can’t buy something in the hope that they will start to look after their properties better
- Is it nearby to anything that could be an irritant I.e. noise or traffic – pubs, bars, schools, parks, clubs, churches etc
- Is there more work than the photographs portrayed and it’s clearly too much cost/time for you to realistically do?
- Does the road get busier at different times? Drive by different days/times as it can vary for example: quieter during the day when everyone is at work but as there isn’t a lot of off-road parking, the road could be absolutely full in the evening and difficult to park on. Alternatively, it could be near a youth/social club or school and becomes much busier in traffic for pick-up/drop-off slots. Take a look at the surroundings because sometimes things can still have a negative impact even though they are not next door.
- Is a south-facing garden very important to you? Check beforehand using maps and a compass
- Do you need to be a certain time away from work/school/clubs – do a trial run a few times – including when it is busier if possible!
- Is it big enough? You can always extend but you need the money/knowledge/time to do so
- Is it too big? Are you wasting money on bills and upkeep when you want to downsize?
- Is it suitable for the longer term? Do you think you will outgrow the space/area in a couple of years? Don’t over-stretch yourself too soon but look at the longer term picture as it could end up costing you more by making the wrong decision
- What is the council tax band? Check online so you don’t get a nasty shock
Let me know your thoughts! Have you found this helpful? Is there anything you would add to it?
Leave a comment below – Would love to hear from you!
Remember to seek professional advice at all key stages – this is just my opinion!