What to look for during second viewing?

[clubnail]

Seen a place we quite like, ticks most of the boxes.
So, as per title, what should we be looking at very closely when we do the second viewing? What questions should we ask? Etc!
Thank you.

[10thingsihateaboutpoo]

Practicalities..where will you keep the hoover/coats/laundry stuff? How would you use each room? Think of what irritates you about your current house/previous houses and what you love and see how this place compares. Look past the furniture/decor and see what state it is really, ie how much maintainance /work does it need and are you up for that? How old does the boiler look? Basically dull, boring stuff you don't tend to notice on a first viewing.

But mostly what is your gut instinct, do you love the feel of it and imagine yourself living there?

[householdchorewhore]

When was the wiring done? Or does it need re wiring?
Is it central hearing or some weird old oil tank that just looks like central heating but costs £800 quid every three months to fill?
Modern combi boiler or old piece of shit water tank that will need replacing?
What are the windows like?
Is it on a bloody flood plain?
Check the garden is really yours and not upstairs'
Storage
Kitchen set up - is it currently gas?
Room for a dishwasher?
Check parking situation
Ask about any strange local planning rules - conservation area?
Ask why the current occupants are moving.

[Madmog]

Take into account what everyone else has said. However, if you haven't got time to take it all in during a 20 minute viewing, go back again for a third viewing. We viewed the property we wanted to buy twice (thinking we had a buyer, but then she changed her mind). It was then six weeks before we had another buyer, so decided to do a third viewing as it had been a while since we'd seen it. It was really good to go back, we knew it's what we wanted but that really confirmed it, owners were there as well so we could ask them a few questions. The agent told me she offered our purchaser a third viewing on our house, but she didn't need it, so it's something that happens.

If you can, try viewing at a different time of the day, late afternoon/early evening might be good as you can see if there's much noise after the kids and workers have returned home.

If you realize quite a lot of work needs doing, think about where you'd want to be in ten years time, ie is it that property when the work has been done.

Sounds silly, but someone viewing our house actually ran all the taps, so some think about testing for water pressure and especially if it's a combi boiler how long hot flow takes. We asked if we could check the shower pressure on third viewing as we all like showers.

[specialsubject]

household: the buyer should already know what fuel the central heating runs on. BTW oil is only very slightly less efficient than gas, and if you are buying 1000 litres every 3 months a new boiler would pay off in two years.

to the question: visit at a different time. Is parking a premium at weekends? Is there a school or pub nearby? (noise, mess). What do the neighbours get up to?

what are the running costs? And yes, run the taps, flush the toilets, and try the showers.

does the layout work for you? Is something going to irritate you about it?

[householdchorewhore]

Yes the buyer should know... Which is why you ask. I say that because my cousin nearly bought a house with a tank thing and no one, the seller or EA thought to tell her.

[clubnail]

Brilliant, thank you all, this is good advice.

[specialsubject]

yikes. Yes, definitely ask what fuel the central heating system uses. Not everywhere is connected to the gas main so that may not be an option.

or indeed if there is a heating system. There is a (hopefully urban myth) story about people who bought a house and only noticed after purchase that there were no radiators. Because there was no central heating system.

might actually be worth reading that EPC.

[cafesociety]

Work out how much money needs to be spent to have it how you want it [flooring/kitchen/bathroom/windows/doors/garden etc].

As you drive to and from the property do you like the approach, the surroundings, the houses, is there anything which would annoy you if you saw it every single day, any eyesores etc?

Enough sockets? Roof look sound? Does it need new garage door? Any signs of botched/poor diy jobs?

Drive by and park up in the evening and at weekends to suss out the parking etc. Any problem neighbours about....lots of motorbikes/old cars in the garden/rubbish?

Most of all be realistic and honest with yourself....don't look at it with rose tinted glasses.

[clubnail]

That was all good advice, thank you. We did the second viewing and looked closely for radiators! :) Think we will go see it at night and all being well, offer! Thanks for everyone's advice.