When buying a house for the first time (or second) it is often possible to overlook small problems that could end up costing you a lot of money in the future.
Taking the large step of buying your first house is an exciting time in your life but inexperience could end up costing you more than you had bargained for.
Below is a list of some points that will help you and could end up saving you money when buying your house.
1) Choose your estate agents well.
Most people look at an advert for a house they fancy and then phone the estate agent concerned to arrange an appointment.
Sellers of houses appoint agents to sell their house for them. The seller will tell the agent how much they would like for the house and then the agent adds their sellers commission onto the price of the house. Commissions may vary drastically from as low as 4% to up to 12%. This makes a huge difference in the price of the house you are buying.
Before viewing any houses ask the agents what commission they add to the price of the house. The agent may say “Don’t worry about the commissions as the seller pays the commission.” However the commission may be structured you still end up paying so insist on knowing what commission the agent charges.
Please remember that this is important as once you have seen a house with one estate agent you can not then buy that same house form another estate agent.
2) Look twice.
When you see a house that you fancy do make arrangements to view the house again before you sign any contracts. Excitement could make you overlook many problems that exist in the house and which will end up costing you money.
You may find it advisable to take an experienced friend or relative with you on the second look. They may well notice problems that you do not.
3) Fridges Appliances and Furniture.
On your second look of the house do take a tape measure and some of the critical measurements of your possessions especially items such as lounge suites and fridges.
Fitted kitchens often cater for only a specific size fridge and as a result you may find that your fridge has to be replaced to fit the new kitchen or you have to remodel the kitchen to suite your fridge.
As houses become more modern the size of the rooms tend to shrink. Do may sure that items such as lounge suites and T.V units will fit.
4) Rising damp
A common and very irritating problem found in houses is that of rising damp. When viewing the house look for water stains, bubbles in the paintwork etc near the base of the walls.
5) Leaking roofs.
A good look at the ceiling of the house will usually tell you if the roof is leaking or not. Sagging ceiling boards and water marks could indicate that you will soon need to replace ceiling boards.
6) Carpets and tiles.
Do inspect the flooring carefully. Take note of stains etc on the carpets and of cracked or missing tiles and calculate the cost of replacement if necessary.
Please remember that most tiles found in houses may no longer be available at the tile merchants due to changing fashions. It could be that you are unable to find a suitable replacement for those tiles and may have to re-tile the entire room.
7) Electrical.
It is the duty of the seller to provide an electrical certificate of compliance for the house. If for some reason you do not feel right about the electrics it may be wise to also appoint your own electrician to double check the wiring after the seller has supplied the electrical certificate.
Some areas may require more mandatory inspections and clearance certificates such as a termite or wood borer certificate. Check with you local estate agent to see what specific certificates are required for that specific area.
Water leaks.
When looking at the garden do look at the grass. Very green spots in the lawn or spots that seem damp could indicate leaking water pipes.
9) Municipality charges.
Ask the current owner for a copy of their municipal account. Check the account for abnormally high water or electricity charges. Also take a note of the rates and taxes as these are costs that you will soon be paying should you decide to purchase the home.
10) Gutters and roofs
The replacement of rusting gutters and repainting of roofs may add up to more than you had bargained for.
Check the condition of the guttering and have a good look at the roof to ensure that all is well maintained.
Conclusion
Spending a little extra time in the purchase of your house could save you a fortune in the long run.
This article is bought to you by Bramel Real Estates who are area Estate Agents in Springs and Dunnottar
