Early Warning Signs for Home Buyers

Buying a property is a massive commitment, and one that could affect your economic status and the quality of your life for decades to come. Therefore it’s incredibly important to make sure that you’re making the right choice before you commit to a purchase. There are some common major issues that arise in buildings, all of which should make you pause and reassess before considering moving ahead to make an offer. Here are some of the most common warning signs delivered by our expert team at NSW to help you become a more informed buyer.

The Foundations

When you’re looking around a property, watch out for any cracks in the walls, unevenness in floor surfaces, warped hard-wood panelling, doors that stick in their frames, or evidence of underpinning; all of these could imply that the property has a subsidence problem. Often very expensive to manage, and almost definitely affecting the resale value of a home, subsidence is a major problem that may prevent you from securing a fully comprehensive insurance policy. Get a full structural survey done before proceeding any further with enquiries.

The Roof

One of the most expensive aspects of a house to repair, a new roof could cost you anything from £5k to £40k and beyond. As a result of this, a roof that’s been poorly maintained or is old and showing signs of disrepair is an important early warning sign for potential buyers. If in doubt, get a thorough survey done on the whole property – one element being poorly maintained often indicates general disrepair and other potential problems throughout the property. If you’re set on buying, consider negotiating on price to allow you the funds to repair or replace the roof once the sale has gone through.

The Plumbing

An expensive issue to resolve and one that can make your quality of life poor if left unaddressed, problems with plumbing are a key early warning sign for buyers. Don’t be afraid to flush toilets, turn on taps and showers to check water pressure, and watch how quickly water drains in the sink and bath. Take a look at the boiler and/or immersion heater to check for age and condition; again, these are expensive to repair.

The Location

Easy to overlook in your focus on the building itself, the location of your potential buy is a matter for careful consideration. Look at the land around it and find out if there are any projects scheduled in for the future; what’s the zoning for the area? Does it lie within a flood zone? Is there a pub or club nearby that will be noisy and affect resale value?

Are you looking to buy your new home and seeking further advice on how to take your first steps? Visit our site and find out all there is to know about our properties for sale http://www.nswproperties.co.uk/