Signs not to ignore when buying a house!

[Leleophants]

I've so far heard:

• When you don't like the bathroom
• You don't get the connection when you visit
• You're buying as want to buy anywhere

Anyone else got hints or tips to decide? Any regrets and signs?

Don't buy on a busy road if you can afford not to. You won't be able to open your front windows in the summer.
Also definitely don't buy on a flood plain. Global warming and related floods are only going to get more frequent.

If it’s got double glazing, open the windows so you can gauge how noisy it really is (esp if near a main road - our house is dead quiet but only with the windows shut!)
Beware the scented candle (especially if there’s a large dog bounding around too!)
Look past the surface stuff (clutter, furniture, scruffy decor)

I also don’t agree with the “connection” thing - I didn’t feel the love for our house on viewing but it ticked so many boxes. Once I’d redecorated and moved our stuff in I absolutely fell in love, helped by the fact that it really suited our needs. Having said that, I wouldn’t buy somewhere that I got negative vibes from.

You won't be able to open your front windows in the summer.

And they'll be filthy in no time, plus a PITA for getting deliveries, having visitors and re-selling.

Just get yourself a good surveyor who will check the house top to bottom for you. Go with a full building survey (level 3) rather than homebuyer report.

Lots of good sense above.
I'm another who thinks that having a connection is unnecessary. Buy the house that best suits your needs and think about the next few years eg if you have children are you near amenities and public transport so that they will have some independence as they go into their teens and it's attractive to think of your tinies being in eyeshot in a lovely open plan kitchen / lounge/ diner but in only a very few years you will be hankering after a bit of space to get away from each other and will regret not having a separate sitting room .

After my recent experience, I advise not to get blown away by a kitchen./diner or other room, however amazing if there is a clear gap between the carpet and the skirting board. In my case I was 6 weeks down the line when the survey picked up that there must be structural movement for that to happen

Also, if you really like a house, don't babble like a twat to the agent/vendor saying how much you love it and how eager you are and what a good prospect you are cos you've sold and need to complete on x date. It makes them greedy. (learned this on Wednesday and suddenly the house wasn't so wonderful!)

Finally, however friendly they are, don't trust an estate agent when you are buying - their aim is to get the best price for their client (and thus them!) not to help you get the house at a the price you can afford or are willing to pay. (also learned this on Wednesday after they told me the buyer was desperate to sell........)

Also the bathroom advise, I'd ignore that. Does that bathroom all work? You dont spend much time in the bathroom compared to other rooms of the house, and you can change it if it's really horrendous.

Location, layout, size of rooms, size of garden, parking situation, major structural issues - these either cant be changed or are very very expensive to change, so should be your priority.

Write a list of things you really want in order of priority. When you see a property and start to feel emotional go back to the list and bring yourself back to reality.

Buy the worst house on the best street, not the best house on the worst street.

Dont buy a new build in a 'regeneration' area no matter how good the sales pitch.

Expect the whole process to be stressful 😣