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Original poster

what to look for on a second viewing?

21 replies

gemmiegoatlegs · 05/03/2008 19:23

we are finally under offer and now frantically looking at all the 3 bed houses in the area we want to move to. I won't even tell you the house prices as you would all laugh (property v. cheap in the north east)

we have only been seriously looking for one week and have seen everything in our range.

there are 3 I would like to see again. we loved a house that we saw last week but evidently someone else did too as it is now under offer. None of these houses ticks all the boxes, nor do they grab me and shake me, but I would be happy to live in any of them as it is the area we are looking for.

House #1 - corner plot. biggest garden, house a bit scruffy but all the necessaries are there. new kitchen, bathroom, central heating. has a big driveway and suitable garage. Is right at the top of our budget. Currently occupied

House #2 - 15k cheaper than #1 , nicely decorated though would need a few things doing. needs new kitchen. nice garden. Has no garage but has an extra bedroom. No chain

House #3 - immaculate, price nearer the top end. lovely kitchen and bathroom. garage, nice quiet street. large garden but currently paved and gravelled so would need turfing. No chain

So if you honestly had no emotional tuggings, which would you choose?

Also what am i supposed to be looking for on a second viewing - i don't know much about building structures and roofs etc but the surveyor will check that out anyway, right?

OP posts:
sherby · 05/03/2008 19:26

3

SenoraPostrophe · 05/03/2008 19:28

dunno, it depends on how much you mind having work done and how much an extra £100 a month(or whatever an extra £15k on a mortgage costs) would help really. does No 2 really need a new kitchen, or would new cupboard doors work?

Scattybird · 05/03/2008 19:29

Ask to run the shower to make sure it works properly. I only say this because in the winter ours only works properly if you run the cold water tap and only after 5 minutes. So ask to run taps.

Ask if you can move beds to see if wallpaper has lifted, it may be nothing but might be a sign of damp.

Take a dampometer, the person who does the survey will not care as much as you. They are a few quid and you will be able to find any damp.

Take something simple with you like a hairdryer to test every power point. Lots of people have them put in but don't ever have them working/snap a small house phone.

Sit and watch the heating, ask them if they can turn it on and you watch to see if all of the radiators get hot. IN EVERY ROOM.

Run hot water tap in the kitchen whilst it's on.

Maidamess · 05/03/2008 19:30

I think House 2 sounds like the best. You can put your stanp on it with your choice of kitchen. That extra bedroom is better in the long run investment wise than a garage.

Original poster
gemmiegoatlegs · 05/03/2008 19:32

its not the smaller mortgage payment that attracts me in no. 2, more that we could keep some of our money to do it up rather than needing to put it all down as deposit. i don't mind fitting a new kitchen. dh is pretty handy although HE might say he minds!

i am a bit of a bargain hunter by nature and would hate to feel like i am paying over the odds for someone else to fit a kitchen or whatever!

thing is dh is sick of the DIY and wants a quiet life now!

OP posts:
SenoraPostrophe · 05/03/2008 19:32

really, scattybird, you'd do all that? I'd say if it's a newish boiler you don't have to do the tap/heating stuff (as it's easy to bleed radiators). and do people really put sockets in but not connect them? I've lived in a lot of houses and have never seen a fake socket.

Original poster
gemmiegoatlegs · 05/03/2008 19:34

thanks for the tips about testing water and power. i'm not sure if house 2 has the water on as it is empty. i noticed there was electricity though.

OP posts:
Scattybird · 05/03/2008 19:34

Sorry I was thinking of a second viewing as if you liked it, but wanted to be sure, not the choice you have.

Afraid I would go with Gut feeling here. They all sound nice.

Scattybird · 05/03/2008 19:35

Senora, my boiler is 3 years old.

abigaillockhart · 05/03/2008 19:37

Which one could you love? Sounds corny true. Also, which has the best location? You can change most things in a house but you can't change the location. Also look at the neighbours houses - are they cared for/tidy?

Scattybird · 05/03/2008 19:37

And yes I would, only because of friends who have been sorely disappointed. I can probably think of other things

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 05/03/2008 19:39

For me I'd choose 1 - because a big garden is a must for me. You could probably add a bit of value by a bit of tarting up if its scruffy. Plus my dad always said buy the most expensive house you can afford!

Even though House 2 is cheaper you will spend a lot doing a new kitchen and its hassle. But then if you're desperate for an extra bedroom then it might be better

But then if you are both sick of DIY maybe 3 would be better.

A garage or lack of one wouldn't sway my decision either way.

GreatGooglyMoogly · 05/03/2008 19:41

Look to see how many powerpoints there are in each room.
Open all (built-in) cupboard doors.
Take measurements if you have any furniture/appliances you aren't sure will fit.
Look in the loft.

Original poster
gemmiegoatlegs · 05/03/2008 19:42

hmmmm. house 2 is well placed for a v. good local school. dh grew up in that street and his parents lived there till 5 years ago so know some of the neighbours etc. at the end of the road there is a pub and a parade of shops. the pub has just been done up and is not too close for comfort. there is a bit of traffic but not a main route.

house 1 is a busier road but more central in a "good area" ie no bad areas anywhere near. also near a beautiful park...but again not too close for comfort

house 3 is a bit further from school work etc but is the quietest street.

OP posts:
Crunchie · 05/03/2008 19:45

imho I would go for 2, I bought a hous ethat was fine, nothing really NEEDED doing, BUT I have had to stamp my self on teh house so in 9 years we have

  1. within weeks knocked through kitchen dining room, re painted who thing and put down new flooring
  2. repainted all the rooms at various times
  3. redone bathroom
  4. completely rip out kitchen, block up doorway and redo
  5. build a conservatory, which mean new floors in kitchen and repaining the 3rd time!!
  6. redone childrens rooms!
  7. we are now planning a new bathroom again (inc knocking through into a bedroom!!

However this is outr house for life, we are not moving ever!!

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 05/03/2008 19:47

Think about play potential for your kids - are there other kids about, near a park (but not next door). If one is in a close I think thats nice for kids as they can play out more.

Look for general state of repair - roof, chimmneys, look in the kitchen cupboard under the sink to make sure no leak that has wrecked cupboard, poke head through loft hatch.

Maybe even drive past them (especially 1) late in the evening. We live down the road from a pub and would have thought it was a good distance away and most of the time it is - but we still get gangs of lads walking past on their way home been loud. Check if traffic is worse in the early evening.

Original poster
gemmiegoatlegs · 05/03/2008 19:49

i didn't even think of measuring rooms Googly. houses always look deceptively big when they are empty and deceptively small when cluttered!

we have a pretty big dining table which it would be criminal to get rid of as it was v. expensive and really nice and we do use it a lot. however, if I KNEW a house was the right one for me i wouldn't let my current furniture dictate to me...

OP posts:
Scattybird · 05/03/2008 19:52

Lots of these tips are fab. I will keep this thread.

Scattybird · 05/03/2008 19:55

The reason for testing all of the power points is that people have had their houses rewired on the cheap and not all sockets work. It's all relative I tell you and in todays market, if you really wanted to sell your house, you wouldn't mind. Of course if you had something to hide - then maybe you would mind!

MinesALemsip · 05/03/2008 20:04

Worth checking whether house/garden is north or south facing. We bought our house without noticing back garden faces north east (and much of it in shade during afternoon). Can affect how light the rooms are too.

hairtwiddler · 05/03/2008 20:09

I'm not sure if you'd spot but look out for botched diy jobs. I so wish I'd looked closer in our house.
e.g. look at things not lining up - e.g. if you looked at our fireplace it was at a slight angle.
Plumbing in the bathroom - above floor suggests lazy job, below suggests proper job.
Ask about wiring? Is it old or has it been replaced?

Ask if any guarantees in place on recent work done.

If you were to do any major renovations, would you need to take rubble through the house or can you get access round side?

Hope this helps. I live in a house of much botched diy by previous owners.

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