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Property viewing – what to look out for when buying a home?

Property viewing is vital to check on the construction quality, property boundaries, and energetic condition. When you like to buy a house there are a lot of things to check and consider.

Quality of life is the most important goal when buying a home. To make buying a home a worthwhile investment in the future, you need a cool mind and ideally the advice of an expert.

Property viewing is of immense importance.

You get a first impression of the property already when seeing some photos of it. But this can never replace a real property viewing. You would not be able to see the smell or see the noise of a nearby road on the photos.

Intuition is important – but not necessarily reliable

Many people rely on their gut feeling when it comes to buying a home. The atmosphere, the view from the window and surroundings are of course important for the well-being. However, material criteria such as the quality of the building, the energy efficiency (heating system or the condition of the windows) play an equally important role.

Considering these points are crucial when buying an older property. The gut feeling is good only for the first step: deciding whether the property is for you. If you are seriously interested, you should systematically explore the condition of the home. As a buyer, you need to know exactly what additional costs (maybe for things like modernization) will come into play in the next few years.

Clarify important questions before the visit

The more you know about the house and the surroundings before the visit, the more information you can gather on the first tour. Ask the seller in advance for key data. This includes such as age and size of the house, the energetic condition, the equipment and the reason for the sale. Helpful is also a floor plan.

This way, you can see in advance whether the size and layout of the rooms will meet your requirements and suit your furniture. Explore the transport links and shopping to get a first impression of the neighborhood.

Check room layout and equipment critically

The first property viewing should be on a working day in daylight. So you get a realistic impression of the light conditions in the house, the noise in the neighborhood and the parking lot situation.

It is recommended to bring a Checklist along and maybe a measuring tape if you like to check some distances. Pay attention not only to the size and brightness of the room layout, but also to the usability.

Convenient are several similar sized rooms, which can be used flexible as a bedroom, children’s room, guest room or home office. Additional sockets, new floor coverings or bathroom refurbishment are expensive and time-consuming.

Find deficiencies and seek expert advice

Every old house has some damage or defects. Make a note of everything that attracts your attention at the first viewing appointment. Under no circumstances should you rely on information provided by the seller or broker. They usually like to sell quickly and sometimes do not know about the shortcomings of the property themselves.

You are on the safe side with a value report of an independent expert. If you are convinced of a house after a first visit, it is advisable to arrange a second appointment together with the appraiser. This can take several hours and will also cost quite a bit of money. But this might save you a lot more in the end when serious defects in the house are discovered.

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