What to ask when viewing a property

There’s no denying that buying your first home is a thrill unlike any other property purchase you’re ever likely to make in your lifetime. What a big load of money. What a responsibility. What a rush. Although, later on in life, if things go to plan, you’ll be looking at more up market properties in the search for your forever home, and that’s exciting, too. Whichever rung of the property ladder you’re trying to climb onto – from bedsits to penthouses – you’re going to need to know what you’re looking for when viewing a property. Otherwise, without the proper advice, you could end up signing your life away to a completely inappropriate converted barn with an attached stable just because it had a jacuzzi, when what you really needed was an apartment in the city. Help is at hand.

Asbestos, asbestos, asbestos

It’s that important we listed it three times – because the last thing you want to be Googling when you’ve moved into your dream home and found that you’ve developed a tickly cough that just won’t get better is “signs of asbestos poisoning”. You need to take solid advice on this. If there is any chance that the property you are viewing has asbestos issues, you either need to make enquiries about reaching a resolution, or move on. Asbestos gets into your lungs, which causes an immune system response to swamp the invading material – unfortunately, the asbestos cannot be broken down, and your body never stops sending more and more white blood cells to attack it, leading to swelling and eventually cancer. See? Asbestos, asbestos, asbestos. Avoid at all costs.

OK, now onto the fun stuff…

Just kidding. There is no fun stuff when you’re buying a house. There’s just lots and lots of things to consider. Like, how many plug sockets are there in each room? Is there realistically room for all the storage you’ll need? Do the neighbours overlook the property (this is actually really annoying – if you think it won’t matter, it soon will the first time you walk into your garden and realise that about seven neighbours are looking at you from high above). Do the windows and doors work without sticking? Is all the plumbing in order and does the shower have adequate pressure? Is the roof due for renewal? The best advice is to take someone along who is not invested in the property either financially or emotionally. They will soon find all the things wrong with the house that you, in your excitement, may have overlooked.