The Home Buyers Guide: Viewings

Last updated on May 5th, 2024 at 03:19 pm

Viewings are an integral part of the home-buying process. However, you might be surprised by how many people tend to rush through their viewings. Buying is obviously a huge financial commitment, and it is not something to be entered into lightly. This is why you need to approach the viewing process properly. It is why we have put together the following guide: read on to learn more. 

The Neighborhood As A Whole

Obviously, the house itself is incredibly important, but so is the neighborhood that it is located within. For the most part, houses are simply bones that you can then flesh out and customize to your needs; the surrounding area, however,cannot be changed. There are several things to consider when looking at the neighborhood or surrounding area.

Firstly, it is worth considering whether or not you are likely to be disturbed by noise either from your neighbors or other people,or from transportation from nearby roads or rail services – even if you find yourselves on a flight path. This can affect your enjoyment and experience of the property, so it is definitely worth considering. 

You might want to consider the parking too. Do you have a driveway, or is it simply street parking? Perhaps if it is a condo or apartment, for example, the apartments for rent in San Antonio, you might have a private space in an adjoining lot. As well as your parking needs, it is worth thinking about how easy it will be for others to visit you too and whether they will be able to park their vehicles easily enough. If you don’t drive, then you might want to consider whether or not the neighborhood has good transport links.

Next, the amenities. Do you have easy access to things that you are going to need like stores, medical professionals, entertainment facilities and even schools – if you have or plan to start a family? Using an online tool like EZ Home Searchcan help because you can select street view to explore the neighborhood a little before you book your viewing. 

The Structural Integrity Of The Building

When viewing a property, it is really easy to find yourself getting distracted by features inside the home that stop you from getting a picture of the building as a whole. Remember to check out the exterior of the property as well as the interior.

Check out the roof of the building as you walk up to it; loose slates or shingles can be indicative of issues. If the roof is old or requires repair work or even replacing, it can be incredibly expensive. How is the rest of the brickwork? Pay close attention to the window and door seams. 

When you reach the interior of the property, you need to continue to assess the structure. Are there any cracks in the ceiling or walls? You should also look for signs of mold or damp because these can cause serious issues if left untreated. Flaking plaster and watermarks are obvious giveaways. 

In addition to checking the structure of the property, it is also worth assessing the wiring. Check out the sockets in each room, where are they? In some properties, they might not have many sockets, or they might be inopportunely located,which would necessitate the need for additional sockets or extension leads. If the electrics are older, then they might need replacing entirely, which is obviously going to be expensive too.

Lastly, the plumbing also requires your attention. The state of exposed pipework can be a good indicator that you can use to measure the plumbing for the property as a whole.

Space & Storage

Next, when viewing a home, you will need to work out whether or not it is going to have the right amount of space and storage for your needs. If this is your first home, then you might not have much furniture to consider, or if you are a lone person or a couple, then you are unlikely to need as much space as a family. That being said, if you plan to increase your family in the near future, it might be worth planning for this and choosing a property that can accommodate this as opposed to then having to upsize when you do eventually start your family. 

In-built storage is also highly sought after when looking for a home. Everyone needs storage in one form or another. Think about the amount of closet space that comes with the property. Is there ample storage in the home, both inside and outside?Will there be enough space in the kitchen for your countertop appliances, et cetera? Do you have a garage or other outbuilding to house everything you need to carry out yard work? That being said, there are a number of clever storage ideas that you could install within the home regardless of the space that you have.

Consider The Cost Of Any Work Or Major Purchases

Ideally, you will be able to find a home that you can move into and comfortably live in as is. Although, there is an increasingly popular trend whereby buyers purchase a property with the view to renovate. This is because they can save money by purchasing an older or smaller home that they can then renovate to their specifications. If this is your plan, then it is important that you view properties with a critical eye, assessing what work you would need to carry out to make the home habitable for your family.

For instance, you might notice the home needs gutter repair or new windows to look nicer from the outside. Or, you might notice the bathroom is outdated and needs renewing. Assessing the features and considering the cost of extra work will ensure you make the right purchase decision.

However, depending on the appliances within the home or the things that you already have, you are likely to need to make a few big purchases. This is something that you will need to bear in mind. When viewing a house, you will need to think critically about the sizing of the rooms and what is going to come with the property to inform what you will need to purchase for the property. It might also be worth asking for blueprints or taking measurements to work out whether your current possessions will fit into the space well. Thinking about how much any major buys or building work is going to cost when viewing properties helps to make sure that you won’t be over budget when making an offer. 

The Security Of The Property

Finally, when viewing a property, you should also always be looking out for advantageous security features. As a minimum, this means that all doors and windows should feature functioning locks. In addition to this, it might be worth checking out the boundary of the property, is it clearly demarcated and is it secure? Are the fences high enough?

You should also be looking for things like security lights on the exterior of the property, an alarm system inside or any other security features that come with the property. Obviously, you can install your own security features, but this will constitute an additional cost, so having a few in-built features is advantageous, and it can save you some money too. 

To Sum Up

When viewing a property, there are so many things that you are on the lookout for that it can be easy to let some things fall by the wayside. However, in order to ensure that you are not being blinded by a nice home whose decorations are distracting viewers from other issues, you need to go in with a clear head, especially since all of the stunning features and decorative touches are likely to be taken by the previous owners when they move anyway.

You need to take in the home as a whole outside of these features which is why the list above is so important. It reminds you of all of the areas that you need to remember to assess too.

*collaboration