Asking the right questions early on in the quest for your dream home can save you time and money, say property experts.
It’s essential to know exactly what you will be getting before you buy, and having all the relevant information can help avoid costly surprises further down the line.
It’s important to keep a cool head, as it’s easy to get carried away once you have your heart set on a particular home and have already mentally moved in.
This can be especially difficult if there is a lot of interest in the property and the market is strong, such as now as we come into autumn.
Chris Comfort, property partner at Aberdein Considine, told the P&J this week: “Since the initial easing of restrictions last summer, the property market has been extremely buoyant, with demand growing significantly over the last few months.
“With demand rising, especially for family homes, and properties selling very quickly, this has led to rising prices, not least in the north-east.
“In the second quarter of this year average prices in the region jumped by 1.4%, which followed a 5.4% rise in the first quarter.
“The level of demand has provided a genuine boost for sellers and we’re continuing to see a strong sales market in 2021.
“With restrictions having been relaxed further and some normality returning, we’d encourage anyone thinking of selling to explore the market.”
Getting a feel for your ideal home
Chris understands that there are lots of issues to take into consideration when looking for a new home.
“We’ve all got an idea of what a dream home looks like, but ultimately there will be a number of factors which will influence your decision such as location, local schools, transport networks, outdoor space, and increasingly, room for home working,” he said.
“If you’re looking at a rural location, then internet speed is definitely worth examining, particularly if working from home.
“Other practical areas would be the age of the bathroom, kitchen, boiler and windows, which all need to be upgraded from time to time.
“Research could be your biggest friend, and whilst you can view in person, you can also use Aberdein Considine’s virtual tours to try and identify what’s best for you.
“Costs will of course be a high priority, but it’s always wise to get some professional advice right at the start, whether that’s from your local estate agent, seeing an independent mortgage broker, but preferably both.”
Top tips for home hunting:
The mortgage experts at onlinemortgageadvisor.co.uk also have these suggestions about questions buyers could ask when viewing a property:
- How long has the property been on the market? If it’s been a while, don’t be afraid to ask the agent why they think it is not selling.
- When do the sellers want to move out? Getting stuck in a chain can drag out the process.
- Is the property listed? This could limit any changes you may want to make.
- How much does it cost to run the property? Finding out council tax bands, utility costs and the general running costs will help you budget properly.
- To help determine if this is really where you want to be don’t be shy to ask questions such as: What are the neighbours like? What are the schools like? Is this a safe area to be in? How good are the transport links?
