Going to view a house tomorrow

johnp

Tis my first viewing for a purchase.
Does anyone have a list of questions to ask? Or is there some sort of checklist somewhere?

I'm not sure really, I guess stuff like gas/electricity, local amenities, transport, maintenance fees........

Any help would be appreciated.

jim_bob

most viewing that i went to where open viewing you just go in and walk around and see if you like the house first

tHE vAGGABOND

I'm looking atm too. I started a few weeks ago, no idea what I was doing. The first mistake I made was going to look at places without really knowing what I was looking for. So I would look at a couple of houses and then a couple of apartments and some were nice and some were not nice. I was never sure what I wanted and what I did not want.

So the first thing you want to get sorted in your head is the items you want in/near a gaff [if you don't know already of course]. For example, I don't drive, so I don't care about car parking, but would need optional parking for guests [but Im not paying 20 grand for the space], where you might have a partner and need 2 permanent spaces.

As I dont drive, I always ask about the various public transport options. What busses go, and what are they like evenings/weekends? [Lived somewhere in London where the bus was great peak time, but did not run evenings and weekends, leaving me with lots of taxi bills]

I always look in every press and cubard at ground level, looking for traces of vermin, or rat poison etc. I lived in some dumps in London, and don't want to share a flat with anything furry again

I always have a walk around the area for a while before or after the viewing. One place looked great, but it had 20 or 30 kids playing outside later on. I know its irrational, but that would be a bad mark for me as huge groups of kids like that get up to mischief [but that could be a good mark for other folks, who had kids, where they dont want my boring building with professionals]

I now have a series of questions I ask people regarding those items I want, and indeed a few things I don't want in/near any place I buy. The thing is, the things I'm looking for would mean nothing to you and yours may mean nothing to me.

You have to ask about maintenance fee's; and make sure ask what they were in past years [have they doubled over the last few years?], not just next year, too. I ask who looks after them. Its not that I do anything with the info, I just google the company name [if its a RD party company], if I found a load of bad comments about them then that would be a massive black mark.

That all said - I would be interested in seeing what other folks look for and ask..

johnp

Super stuff mate. Some of the will be very useful.

pinkie1

hey
i bought an apt last year and after a lot of looking you learn what needs to be checked.It is very important i think to arrive well in advance and walk around the area - i had a few nasty shocks but its better to know!beers cans utside the bedroom window are not a good sign for example!!
Also better to take public transport there so you experience it and see if it is to your satisfaction with frequency etc.
One thing i would note is that if the place is freshly painted, this could very well suggest concealment of damp/cracks . you should feel around the windows for damp cos there is nothing worse!
check the tidiness of outside area- is rubbish collected and is it well maintained-this gives an idea as to how good the management company are- they are mostly awful.
turn on taps to ensure that that water pressure is ok.
If it is a house it is important to check the drains/spouts- i don't know bout this but just a suggestion.- you could ask agent i guess...
i would tap on the walls where you would be joined by neighbours to get an idea of noise level- IE is the wall thin where you would be beside neighbour? So maybe you will expect noise?? again this is just to help you decide.
I would also ensure that you have enough light coming in through the windows.
Check outside if there could be potential building in the future- this would lead to more noise and perhaps less light coming in.
i could go on all day but i don't wanna bore you but you should not make any hasty decisions- i checked my place out a few times and visited the area too- going to the local for a scoop is a great way to get a feel for the local people.
good luck

pinkie1

this might help
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:Ep_lmwa_T_wJ:www3.myhome.ie/pdf/view_checklist.pdf+check+list+buying+property&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=ie&client=firefox-a

joemc99

Moved to our 2nd home a couple of years ago....looked at a load of houses, here are some things that I found useful

- Buy a compass. If you are getting a place with a rear garden, very useful to find the correct orientation. Got a SW facing place this time, makes a HUGH difference.
- Drive around on a sat night, see what the place is like. Call into the neighbors. Ask them what the neighborhood is like, etc. Also, scope them out, could be important if semi/terrace/apt, 6 screaming kids, etc.
- Some other posts are recommending checking out the condition of the place. Get a general view, then get an expert surveyor in, don’t do this yourself. My mate bought a place and the whole extension has to be pulled down!

Joe