In an ideal world, moving a house would be simple, fast, and efficient. We’d find the home of our dreams, make a deal, pack our things, and simply hop from our old house to our new one. In real life, however, things are different. Here are a bunch of irreplaceable house-hunting tips for first-time buyers.
Find the Right Real Estate Agent
To start doing anything, you will need someone in the real estate business to guide you. Choosing the right one is the first step. Here are some pointers to help you find the right real estate company.
Search the web
Find a company that has experience in your locality and a high profile. Such examples are Zoopla, Realtor, and RightMove.
Choose from reliable recommendations
Work with a qualified real estate agent, regulated by the Guild of Professional Estate Agents, NAEA, or Property Ombudsman.
Research the estate company
There are many ways to research your choices. You can always use a search engine for any kind of information, including reviews, testimonials, casual comments from other users, words from a company’s contractors, or even analyse their website.
Simply call and check how they market the properties
Put yourself in the shoes of a potential buyer and get in touch. Look at the company website to see how they present properties, run their website, and manage their calls.
Learn how to interpret numbers
Numbers are irrelevant in the beginning. If you have decided to pose as a possible buyer, the representative will offer you properties and prices. Don’t be swayed by a high valuation. The agent will likely try and talk the price down once you’re hooked. It’s the oldest trick in the book.
Once you have a reliable estate agent working on your case, it’s time to start looking at actual properties. The first thing they will ask you about is the location.
Location for Your New Home
Location can give you a lot in your future life, and it can make your life hell. To know if the place has what you need, answer these questions.
What is the geographic location?
The place where you choose to call your home should be carefully thought out. Consider the climate, your job opportunities, transport options, and the proximity of everything you intend to do in the following years. Needless to say, this all depends on your needs and preferences.
Is the neighbourhood friendly?
Neighbours shouldn’t be a reason for you not to choose a property. However, there are cases when particularly bad neighbours might force you to seek a new dwelling place. If the neighbourhood has a bad reputation regarding safety, you might have to reconsider. There are plenty of facts and statistics available online for the particular area, so be sure to check those.
Is there a school nearby?
If you have children or intend to have children one day, it’s essential to be close to a school district. Not everyone is okay with letting their young kids travel a very long distance to school, even if the transport is available.
Would it be easy to get to work from here?
The length of your daily commute can have an impact on your income. If you get to work by car or public transport, you have to consider the time and money you’ll need to get there. There are also additional factors, like traffic jams.
Is it easy to get to friends and family?
For many, the proximity to people they know is a crucial part to consider.
Is it easy to get to leisure activities?
Your hobbies and everything you do in your free time is a valuable factor in choosing your property. If you’re too far from your favourite dance clubs, class facilities and everything else you like doing, it’s possible to end up not having enough time for them and ultimately giving them up.
Visit the property by day and by night
A pro tip for first-time buyers – to be sure this is the property for you, visit it once during the day and once during the night. There is no better way to get the complete picture of what is there in store for you at this particular address. You’ll see precisely how loud the neighbours are capable of being and will also check if the streets are well lit.
Exterior Checks During House Hunting
Check the roof
If you’re buying a house instead of a flat, it’s crucial to inspect the roof for possible damages. An old roof means you will probably have to deal with repairs if you buy the house in this state. A newer-looking roof would most likely mean that it has been changed not long ago, which is excellent for the house’s value.
Check the structure
Notice the state of the structure from the outside. How does it look like? Are there any cracks or damages along the surface? Every responsible homeowner, who puts their property on the market, would probably do a good paint job to present it in the best way possible. But there are a lot of signs that might be a cause for concern. Look for the little things, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Check the surroundings
When you’re house hunting, don’t forget to examine the area around the building. Is the structure’s location at risk from natural disasters, like a wildfire, landslide, or flooding? It might be the reason behind a surprisingly low price.
Check if there are inconvenient smells
Any unpleasant smell around the house is reason enough to be alarmed. The smell of sewage, mould, and mildew might be caused by bad plumbing. If the previous owner had pets, you might notice pet odour. And, if there is any infestation… Well, you will definitely notice this by the smell.
Check the lot
If you’re buying a house with a yard, walk around it. Check how even the ground is. Many homeowners pay all of their attention to the house and not enough attention to the possible garden. Levelling a lot takes lots of work, and it’s also a costly job if you decide to hire a professional to do it. If the lot is uneven, it’s a good reason for negotiating a lower price.
Invest in insulation
An insulated home is usually a more expensive home. It’s advisable to take into account only houses with brand new insulation.
Have a home inspection done
Enlist a professional home inspector to ensure there are no hidden downsides to the property.
Interior Preview When House Hunting
The house might look good from the outside, but you need to look it over well to ensure everything’s in working order. So, here are some essential factors to consider:
Inspect the flow of movement
How easily you can move from indoor to outdoor living areas is something you should always take into account. You might be fine walking upstairs and downstairs every day as of now, but in 20 or 30 years, this might be a tricky thing to do.
Inspect the rooms
Sometimes, the improperly sized interior is a turnoff for many home buyers. You don’t want to buy a house and realise you want to make a grand renovation, like taking down a wall.
Inspect the plumbing
Try every water feature in the house and see if they work correctly. If not, there might be a problem with the plumbing. You can also call a professional to do a thorough inspection.
Inspect the amount of natural light
Walk into every room and check how much light it gets. This depends on the way it is positioned. For example, if a window faces east or west, you will have a good part of the day where the sun will shine directly into the room. This will also cause the room to heat up faster.
Inspect the kitchen
Check the size of the kitchen and all the outlets it has or is capable of having later on.
Inspect the bathroom
Check the size and number of bathrooms that would be perfect for you and your family.
Inspect every switch
Electrical wiring is the nervous system of a property, and you have to make sure it works properly. Try every light switch and every socket, if possible. You can also invite a professional electrician over to do a thorough inspection.
Inspect the ceiling height
Some basement and attic rooms have less than adequate ceiling heights. If someone in your household is tall, bring them along to the open house to make sure the size of all rooms is comfortable.
Safety Features for First Time Buyers
The safety features of a house are one of the things that usually shoot the price up. However, choosing a new home with more features that guard your safety is more than recommended.
Are there any security alarms?
With the many burglaries happening each year, you will need to have one of those. If there isn’t any, you can always install one yourself, but why go through the trouble? Get a house that already has one. If such are not currently available, it may be a valid point to negotiate the price to your advantage.
Are there deadbolts?
Deadbolts are locks on doors and windows that are especially hard to pick, even by experienced burglars.
Is there any CCTV surveillance?
CCTV surveillance is vital for the authorities to find and identify culprits. It’s a valuable tool to deter enthusiastic burglars from your area as well.
Are there security guards?
If you’re house hunting for a mansion with a long driveway and security guard station at the entrance, this would be an additional layer of security, and it’s a good idea to check whether the guards have the proper experience.
Get to know them and see if they had the proper training. There are certain cases where the guards themselves have been robbed.
Are the windows shatter-resistant?
Shatter-resistant windows reinforce not only the safety of your home but the whole building’s structural integrity—definitely a must.
Any smoke detectors?
Smoke alarms or smoke detectors are the fine line between fire safety and a fatal end, not to mention severe property damage. Every home needs a mandatory smoke alarm in the kitchen, where most fire hazards occur, and for additional safety – in every sleeping room.
Is there an indoor sprinkler system?
The sprinkler system is an extra feature against residential fires, and it can very often save lives. It’s gaining popularity among homeowners in recent years, which is why it’s a treasured addition.
