Warning signs to look out for when buying a house
Thinking with your heart and your head are both important when it comes to buying a house. So whilst it's important that you love the house you want to buy, there are a few important warning signs to look out for when buying a home to make sure you avoid any unwanted surprises.
One of the most obvious tell-tale signs of needing repairs is damp. There are two quick and easy ways to check for damp; smelling and looking. Sniffing around for a musky smell is usually effective, but because sellers can mask the smells and use a dehumidifier or open windows to temporarily get rid of smells, checking each wall and behind large furniture (which could be hiding evidence) for peeling or water-staining is also necessary.
Making a list of all the potential repairs will also help with negotiating a fair price as even the smallest of tasks could add up to a fortune. Things to look out for include missing or broken roof tiles, drafty windows, poorly fitted doors, rusty radiators and rotting roof timbers.
One of the main rules when buying a house is making sure you visit the property at different times of the day. Listen out for road noise during the rush-hour and also for how much noise can be heard from any neighbouring houses. The best times to visit are early mornings and mid-evenings when people are getting ready or home from work.
Although you will eventually get a building survey carried out on any house you want to buy, you can have a quick look around for signs of subsidence and other issues with the foundation. Hairline cracks can appear as the temperature in the house changes, so these aren't usually anything to worry about. But diagonal cracks about the width of a 10p piece and which are wider at one end could indicate structural issues, especially around the weak points of doors and windows. But don't be alarmed and just get a professional to check any cracks out further.
One of the most obvious tell-tale signs of needing repairs is damp. There are two quick and easy ways to check for damp; smelling and looking. Sniffing around for a musky smell is usually effective, but because sellers can mask the smells and use a dehumidifier or open windows to temporarily get rid of smells, checking each wall and behind large furniture (which could be hiding evidence) for peeling or water-staining is also necessary.
Making a list of all the potential repairs will also help with negotiating a fair price as even the smallest of tasks could add up to a fortune. Things to look out for include missing or broken roof tiles, drafty windows, poorly fitted doors, rusty radiators and rotting roof timbers.
One of the main rules when buying a house is making sure you visit the property at different times of the day. Listen out for road noise during the rush-hour and also for how much noise can be heard from any neighbouring houses. The best times to visit are early mornings and mid-evenings when people are getting ready or home from work.
Although you will eventually get a building survey carried out on any house you want to buy, you can have a quick look around for signs of subsidence and other issues with the foundation. Hairline cracks can appear as the temperature in the house changes, so these aren't usually anything to worry about. But diagonal cracks about the width of a 10p piece and which are wider at one end could indicate structural issues, especially around the weak points of doors and windows. But don't be alarmed and just get a professional to check any cracks out further.
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