Five (5) Important Things To Look Out For When Viewing A House/Apartment

Introduction

House/apartment viewing is an important step in the home buying/renting process. It’s your chance to get a real insight into whether a property is right for you. To make your house/apartment viewing a success, prepare some questions you want to ask and know some things to look out for.

I know the feeling of seeing a delightful 3-story house/apartment with old-world charm and breath-taking views online, the description of the house/apartment, for instance, spacious elegance, natural oak floors throughout and modern gourmet kitchen gives us a vivid picture of what we desire for renting a place. We imagine cuddling up to a cosy ambience with a wonderful book or drifting off to sleep to subtle sounds of nature (trees and garden). Also, the thought of waking up to a spectacular sunrise over the horizon in a serene, convenient and friendly neighbourhood with outstanding schools, social amenities, less traffic, close to work urges us to call the real estate manager for payment to rent/purchase.

Let us look at the five (5) important things to check to make the right choice for property/house/apartment viewing…

First, there are questions you must ask to help you get the right answers.

?How much can you afford?

This is the most important thing you need to think about before you search for a house. There’s no point wasting your time searching for homes you cannot afford. So work out your budget first, check your bank accounts and savings you have before considering renting/purchasing a house/apartment. Also, if you’re thinking of borrowing, find out how much you can borrow and the interest percentage.

How many bedrooms do you need?

Do you have a large family/Single or even considering expanding your family in the future? You should consider all these things when viewing the house.?Do you need enough room for study/you work from home? Currently, working from home is a tradition of the outbreak of the Coronavirus all over the world, so choosing a house/apartment that has a study room coupled with office space is essential.

How old is the property?

The thought of moving straight into a new-build home without the need to do any decorating or maintenance might sound appealing. But you will probably pay a hefty premium for it. Would you prefer an old house/apartment with some character? Older houses get less insulated and you might end up needing to spend more on repairs and upkeep.

What type of property do you want?

Is your heart set on a house/apartment or would you be happy living in a mansion? Would you consider living in a bungalow??If you’re thinking about a flat, have you considered whether you’re happy to take on a leasehold property? Or does it have to be freehold?

How much parking space do you need?

Do you need a garage or is a driveway enough? If you have over one car, is there enough on-street parking available? The potential cost of private parking could outweigh the other benefits of living in that property.

BONUS

The following are the property/house/apartment search tips and tricks...

After you have an idea about the type of property you want to live in, it’s time to start house-hunting.

#1 Real Estate Search Websites

A site like? www.property233.com allows you to search thousands of houses/apartment listings. Browse properties that are available to buy/rent in the area you’re interested in and check the property value to see what you can afford.

#2 Visit A Real Estate Agent

Not every house listing makes it on to www.property233.com. And they sell some homes before they even make it online. Talk to a real estate agent to find out when properties become available to buy/rent. They can also give you guidance and suggestions on properties within your price range.

#3 Write A Letter To A Landlord/Landlady

This is unconventional, but some people have luck in writing a letter to the homeowner of a property that they like the look of. It’s unlikely that the landlord/landlady will sell/rent. But if they are, you could get the home of your dreams before anyone else even has the chance. And neither of you will have to pay real estate agent fees.

#4 Location- Where To Live

When looking for a property, there are things you can compromise on. But one thing you can’t change is the location of your property. So, for location, there are some things you need to consider in finding the area that’s right for you.

#5 Nearness Of School (s)

You might not have thought about children yet, but do you plan to have them in the future? Deciding where you want to send your children to school is a major life decision. Some parents will even choose where they want to live based on the catchment quality schools in the areas alone. In case you have a plan on staying in your property for years, it’s a good idea to look at the Ofsted ratings of nearby schools to see if you'd be happy sending your kids there. It’s one thing knowing which schools are desirable. But you also need to look at whether the house you’re looking at is in the right area. Before you make your decision on a property, check what the primary school and secondary school catchment areas are for the schools you’re interested in.

#6 Crime

When talking to people about a new area, everyone will have a different opinion of what makes somewhere a nice place to live. What’s seen as a dodgy area to some might get seen as up and coming to others. Make sure you do your research. Most police forces provide information online that allows you to view recorded crimes in an area. Look out for things such as burglary, anti-social behaviour and other more serious offences.

?#7 Flood Risk

Flooding is something you never want to experience, so make sure you check the property’s flood risk status. As well as being a horrible event, being at risk of flooding will affect the cost and availability of your home insurance. And if the area will get flooded in the future, it’s likely to affect the value of your home when you come to sell it. You can check with the government’s website for reports on whether the area where you’re interested in buying a new home is at risk.

#8 Daily Commute

Be careful of falling in love with a home that's miles away from your current job. Do you know how long it will take you to get to work? An hour’s drive at the weekend could become two hours during rush hour. Can you afford the daily transportation fare (T&T)? Do you have your car or do you need to commute the public transportation (Trotro)? Will it affect whether you can afford to live in your new home?

In conclusion, take all the above things into account when you want to rent/buy a house. Viewing is important to consider the things to look out for mentioned above, also the property search tips and tricks you need when renting/buying a house/apartment.

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