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Tools for House Buyers

40 replies

XVGN · 04/11/2023 14:34

Hope this helps anyone looking to buy. Please add any other sites/apps/tips.

RM House Price History. See all the previous price changes on RM using Chrome Browser and adding Property Log extension

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/property-log/jccihedpilhidcbkconacnalppdeecno?hl=en-GB

Local House Prices transacted and whether price has increased in real terms or nominal terms

https://houseprices.io/?q=here

Flood Maps

https://flood-map-for-planning.service.gov.uk/location

Neighbourhood Information

https://www.streetcheck.co.uk/postcode/hr48ql

Noise and Air Quality

http://www.extrium.co.uk/noiseviewer.html

Sun Tracker

https://www.suncalc.org/#/51.4994,-2.6227,18/2023.11.04/14:33/1/3

Property Log

View price changes on properties listed on Rightmove.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/property-log/jccihedpilhidcbkconacnalppdeecno?hl=en-GB

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XVGN · 04/11/2023 15:47

Tips

  • have a conveyancer already signed up
  • have all of your Know Your Customer and Funds checks done by conveyancer
  • have a surveyor lined up
  • make one and only best and final maximum offer by email, and offer to instruct searches and survey as soon as offer accepted
  • probably avoid any new build that is leasehold or has an annual community charge (who knows how that will increase)
  • see how much a flat service charge will grow over 10 years at 10% p.a. (hopefully realistic worst case)
  • visit property at two different times of day, and location a further3 or 4.

Does anyone know a search facility that freely reports areas prone to subsidence?

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VeniVidiWeeWee · 04/11/2023 23:07

Well, thanks for womansplaining this.

AutumnFroglets · 05/11/2023 00:21

VeniVidiWeeWee · 04/11/2023 23:07

Well, thanks for womansplaining this.

Are they a woman though? 🤔

They could be a lizard pretending to be a bot pretending to be a man who pretends to be a woman.

XVGN · 05/11/2023 07:27

Find an EPC (also useful for floor area if pricing that way)

https://find-energy-certificate.service.gov.uk/energy-certificate/6139-6424-3000-0582-5296

I think that this all covers most of what you'd have to pay Phil S £25 for, for his Move IQ report.

Energy performance certificate (EPC) – Find an energy certificate – GOV.UK

https://find-energy-certificate.service.gov.uk/energy-certificate/6139-6424-3000-0582-5296

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XVGN · 05/11/2023 16:14

Thank you. I like it! I'd never seen that one before.

Separately, I apologise for the England and Wales bias. Please feel free to add corresponding sites for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

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KievLoverTwo · 08/11/2023 16:45

Telephone exchange locations for internet, various gubbins to see what sort of internet you might be able to get (caveat: the speed stuff relies on local users pinging their speed tests results and it can be wildly inaccurate).

https://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/broadband-map#13/54.3177/-1.3835/exchanges/

But useful for easy stuff like 'where can I get Virgin/non phone line Broadband'

https://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/broadband-map#8/51.751/-0.390/virgin/

Browse Maps and Check Broadband Performance and Coverage Across the UK

Check progress on superfast and ultrafast broadband roll-outs across the UK and the speeds people are recording?

https://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/broadband-map#13/54.3177/-1.3835/exchanges/

XVGN · 10/11/2023 08:40

Understand the market you are buying in. Read the latest monthly RICS report regarding your location.

https://www.rics.org/news-insights/market-surveys/uk-residential-market-survey

https://www.rics.org/news-insights/market-surveys/uk-residential-market-survey

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KievLoverTwo · 06/12/2023 15:21

A really useful video by Darren on how to spot potential problems with a house you might consider buying.

It gets a bit weird and borderline stalkery towards the end with him looking up all the neighbours professions, but I found the segment about how to look at maps of local planning approvals and long term planning areas to be brilliant:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=a6c2-KqmWcaPApD_&v=AC9a5LV2gMA&feature=youtu.be&themeRefresh=1

What To Look For When Buying a House (Are The Sellers HIDING Something?)

Buying a house in 2023? Here are 10 x URGENT CHECKS you can carry out TODAY! These home buying tips will save you TIME and MONEY and can often reveal the REA...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&si=a6c2-KqmWcaPApD_&themeRefresh=1&v=AC9a5LV2gMA

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XVGN · 07/03/2024 07:27

Mortgage Repayment Reckoner.

Shows the repayments for a £100K mortgage over different terms and rates. Just multiply the repayment by your own mortgage divided by 100,000 to find your repayment.

Allows you to see the effect of extending or reducing a term, and higher or lower interest rates at the time of remortgage.

Tools for House Buyers
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XVGN · 07/03/2024 07:32

(Removed - Picture not clearer)

Tools for House Buyers
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XVGN · 07/03/2024 07:36

Last go!

Tools for House Buyers
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XVGN · 17/07/2024 09:01

Interesting (?) stats on the characteristics of homes subject to crime, e.g. home type, location, occupants, etc, etc,

I was fascinated to see that the least likely homes to be burgalled were those of Sikhs (0.3%) versus Buddhists (2%). Also surprised to find flats worse than houses. I had just assumed that most (above 2nd floor) would be far less likely to be hit by opportunists.

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/focusonpropertycrimeappendixtables

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XVGN · 19/07/2024 11:39

Copied from a @KievLoverTwo post (Thanks - I'll delete if you ask me to).

Check local planning for the home to see what works may been done, etc.

"The local council's planning portal. I searched for 'Harrogate Planning Portal' and got this:

https://uniformonline.harrogate.gov.uk/online-applications/

I put in a recently sold property address, eg this:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/details/england-31390333-20620123?s=6e5a2859d220638c007502abbdafebdeaf155e9e7ee3f9e329f65bd5c2cb6e24#/

Which leads me to all the results for the property

Click on any of the blue links

At the bottom it will say: There is 1 property associated with this application.

Click on that '1 property'

Then click here:

Properties (1)
12 Main Street Pannal Harrogate North Yorkshire HG3 1JZ

Then click the property history tab, which shows:

Planning Applications (10)
Reduction of 1 no. Conifer Tree, pruning of 1 no. Fruit Tree, and dead-wooding of 1 no. Cedar Tree within Pannal Conservation Area.
Ref. No: 02/04248/TCON | Status: Tree Work in Conservation Area Approved
Conversion of 1no. dwelling to form 2no. dwellings (site area 0.06 ha).
Ref. No: 04/02524/FUL | Status: Application Permitted
Listed Building application for the blocking up of 1no internal doorway between No.6 & No.12 to allow conversion from 1no. dwelling to 2no. dwellings, formation of 1no. external doorway on No.6 and alterations to existing garage.
Ref. No: 04/02526/LB | Status: Application Permitted
Constructing a single storey rear extension.
Ref. No: 80/13281/FUL | Status: Application Permitted
Construction of a single storey rear extension.
Ref. No: 80/13287/LLB | Status: Application Permitted
Erection of detached double garage and widening of existing entrance after demolition of buildings. 12 MAIN STREET, PANNAL, HARROGATE.
Ref. No: 93/01590/FUL | Status: Application Permitted
Listed Building application for consent to demolish garage and adjacent barn. 12 MAIN STREET, PANNAL, HARROGATE.
Ref. No: 93/01705/LLB | Status: Application Permitted
Crown cleaning of 1 Cedar, crown reduction of 1 Magnolia and selective pruning of 1 Alder tree within Harrogate Conservation Area
Ref. No: 14/03192/TCON | Status: Tree Work in Conservation Area Approved
Crown clean and crown lift (to 3m) 1 Cedar (T1) within the Harrogate Conservation Area.
Ref. No: 16/01166/TCON | Status: Tree Work in Conservation Area Approved
Lateral reduction to 1 no. Deodar Cedar T1 (lower conopy 20%) and 1 no. Magnolia Gradiflora T2 (20% reduction and reduce away from the properties) within Harrogate Conservation Area
Ref. No: 20/03450/TCON | Status: Tree Work in Conservation Area Approved

Usually, further down that list there is a subsection (the below is for another property)

Building Control Applications (10)

Which contains items such as:

6 Windows
Ref. No: xxxx /FENSA | Status: Building Work Complete

Install one or more new circuits
Ref. No: xxxxxx | Status: Building Work Complete

Install a replacement consumer unit
Ref. No: xxxxx | Status: Building Work Complete

^ that's where you find the 'hidden' work that's been done - at least by people who are registered with recognised safety schemes and submit paperwork to the council, eg FENSA for windows and doors, HETAS for chimneys and woodburning stoves, and whatever the one is that electricians use, etc.

Ofc they could have work done that's not 'officially' recognised. That doesn't mean nothing's been done or what has been done is bad quality. Eg some really small window suppliers may not want to pay for FENSA because the costs aren't worth it for their 2-man-band business. Edited
Simple Search
https://uniformonline.harrogate.gov.uk/online-applications

House Price History

View house price history reproduced using Land Registry and Rightmove data.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/details/england-31390333-20620123?s=6e5a2859d220638c007502abbdafebdeaf155e9e7ee3f9e329f65bd5c2cb6e24#/

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XVGN · 17/12/2024 08:24

Here's a future flood risk mapping service based on potentially rising sea levels. Note the caveats. I see places on the map that are subject to severe coastal erosion that seemingly survive for another 100 years (which is unlikely).

https://coastal.climatecentral.org/map/11/1.1746/52.8372/?theme=sea_level_rise&map_type=year&basemap=roadmap&contiguous=true&elevation_model=best_available&forecast_year=2120&pathway=ssp3rcp70&percentile=p50&refresh=true&return_level=return_level_1&rl_model=coast_rp&slr_model=ipcc_2021_med

And here is a new RM extension to provide more details when browsing properties on RM.

area360.uk

Sea level rise and coastal flood risk maps -- a global screening tool by Climate Central

Interactive global map showing areas threatened by sea level rise and coastal flooding.

https://coastal.climatecentral.org/map/11/1.1746/52.8372?basemap=roadmap&contiguous=true&elevation_model=best_available&forecast_year=2120&map_type=year&pathway=ssp3rcp70&percentile=p50&refresh=true&return_level=return_level_1&rl_model=coast_rp&slr_model=ipcc_2021_med&theme=sea_level_rise

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