The housing market has been up and down over the last few years, but now is a great time for buyers. It doesn’t matter if you are a first-time buyer or have been a homeowner for years, buying a house can be hard. Buying a property is considered one of the most stressful things that you do in your adult life. If you have decided to search for your perfect property, here are some of the things you should look out for.

Search Far and Wide

The internet is a blessing and a curse when it comes to searching for a property. On one hand, you have a wide selection of property websites which collect information from estate agents from all over the country. The downside is no-one creates a relationship with their local estate agent. When it comes to finding your perfect property, you may need to get to know some of the estate agents. A little known fact about estate agents is that they all specialise in certain types of properties or certain areas. So if you are looking for a house in a particular area, you should get to know the main estate agent for the area. This way, you will get a phone call if the property of your dreams comes on the market, sometimes before it is even listed.

Are There Signs of Dampness?

If you have dampness in a house, it is incredibly difficult to get rid of. If you are not sure what damp is, in a nutshell, it is water getting into the house. This can happen in a number of different ways including a leaky roof tile or a burst pipe. Depending on what the issue is, it can be fixed and the moisture removed. Sometimes it can be as simple as opening the windows during the day to help ventilate the house. Sometimes, it can be very serious and may cost a lot to fix.

How Do the Foundations Look?

This is something that some people have problems with because sometimes there can be cracks in a house. If you are viewing a house and spot some cracks inside, it could be the plaster is old and needs fixed. However, it could be a sign that there is an issue with the foundation. An easy way to see if the two are linked is by walking around the outside of the house to see if there are any cracks in the walls. If there is, this can be a sign of a massive structural issue. You may need to get a survey completed to ensure there are no problems.

What Is the Energy Rating?

If you have found a property that you like, you will need to get a survey completed. Not only will it help check for the issues that we have already listed, but it will also tell you about the energy rating of the house. The energy rating can be affected by several factors including the insulation and quality of the windows. American Vision Windows can help you upgrade the windows if they are the source of the problem. Your property survey will show any issues and the overall energy rating.

What Is in the Area?

If you are buying a home, there is a good chance that you plan on living there for a while. So you need to ask yourself, what does life look like for the next few years? Are you a younger person who is planning on getting married and having kids? Or are you an older person who is looking forward to a quiet retirement? Once you have this into account, you will be able to assess if the area is a good fit for you. Schools, transit services, or food places can be huge factors to remember.

What Is the Crime Rate?

This may be the one thing that people don’t think about. Crime is to be expected in certain areas, it is an unfortunate side effect of living near people. Thankfully, there are ways of finding out if there are any issues for the area you are wanting to move to. It can be as simple as asking the local community watch group if there is anything you should know. Or there are crime watching websites which can tell you what you need to know. The unfortunate thing is, location counts. If a house is falling to pieces, it can be fixed, but you can’t uproot the perfect house and move

Check the Power

This might seem like an irritating thing to do, but as you go around, flick the light switches. Older switches and electrics can be filled with issues and one of the simplest ways to check them is to flick some switches. Getting a full rewire of the house can be expensive and requires a professional electrician. One on hand, it can be annoying, especially if you want to move into your house and live there. However, if you are buying a house that your plan of fixing up, you should include this task as part of the overall budget.

Don’t Be Afraid to View

You might have viewed a house and found it to be delightful, but is it always like this? What is the traffic like first thing in the morning? Or are the neighbours noisy after hours? The only way to know these things is to visit the house a few times. It is easy to drive or walk past at different times of the day to see if there is anything out of the ordinary. Many people only view their property once and regret it. It is only after they have moved in that they discover that the neighbours are loud, or that they can’t get parked anywhere near their front door.

Buying a house can be stressful but it doesn’t have to be. If you are careful and ask the right questions, you will discover that finding your dream home is easier than you think.