Homeowners reveal things buyers should do before putting in an offer on a home

The process of buying a property can be incredibly stressful. 

There’s so much to think about on the financial side, in terms of deposits and mortgages, but also potential issues with the properties themselves – from subsidence to damp.

Often it’s good to come to viewings armed with a list of questions to ensure you get all the details. 

If you do find a home you love, how can you be sure you’ve ticked everything off your buyer’s checklist?

We’ve spoken to homeowners for their top tips that they would recommend to anyone thinking of putting an offer on a home.

They share what they’ve learnt from their own experiences and what potential buyers should consider and try – to be sure the property and the area is right for them.

Unsure of the area? Try a co-working space nearby

Chloe, who bought her home in December 2020, says: ‘I had not had much chance to check out the area due to lockdowns so I started travelling over to work in a co-working space once a week. It gave me a really good feel for the area.

‘I found using a co-working space helpful because it gave me a chance to meet people in a similar working situation to me and also casually ask questions I didn’t feel comfortable asking on a Facebook group. 

‘For example, one man gave me a really good summary of how the primary schools differed and I got to hear about some nice walks and parks that, even though where I live is small, it probably would have taken me a while to find otherwise.’

Spend a few weekends in the area

First-time buyer Natalie, who lives in Walthamstow, says that before she started viewing properties she spent a few Saturdays in the area – to get an idea for the different spots.

‘We basically did a vibe check of the different areas,’ she tells Metro.co.uk.

‘So seeing the different parks and cafes as well as the distance to transport and supermarkets. Also, it was good to listen to how loud the traffic is and how loud the trains are.’

Obviously, due to how competitive the property market can be, this is maybe something to do before you start viewing houses in an area – rather than after you find a house you like (in case you miss out on it).

Join local Facebook groups

Christie says: ‘If there is one, join the community Facebook group to find out what the local “issues” are.

‘In our area, there were wheelie bins being stolen and teenagers riding motorbikes along the footpaths – we decided we’d risk it anyway.’

See the house at different times

Christie adds that viewing a house at different times of the day can give you a realistic feel for the street, traffic, noise and more.

She says: ‘If you can, visit the street at different times of day and you’ll see what it’s actually like, especially how busy it is and what kind of neighbours you’d have – so you can better judge what it’d be like to live there.’

Use the ‘crime in my area’ database

Emma stresses that while she visited the property at different times of day before putting an offer in, it wasn’t enough.

She explains: ‘In our first home we went to see the house several times and walked around the area lots as we didn’t know much about it prior. We thought it all seemed great and loved the house so went for it.

‘However, after moving in we kept hearing fights in the street and experienced regular police call outs (even called the police once ourselves), despite our immediate neighbours being lovely and the area having all the shops/ nearby amenities that we wanted we were always on edge.’

As a result, when she was searching for her second home, two years later, she used a ‘crime in my area’ website.

She adds: ‘It shows any nearby police call outs/disturbances. We went to see one house we liked in a new area but this link showed that one house on the road was getting police call outs almost once every month without fail, so we didn’t go for it.

‘We found our current house had no disturbances registered ever on the estate/surrounding village and are really happy here now.’

Visit other houses in the area

Home decor blogger Nomita suggests getting a feel for prices and value by visiting other local houses for sale.

‘If you’re moving to a new area, view a fair few houses so you get a sense of prices in that area,’ she says.

‘And do more research on property websites to see prices over the years. Many people end up over-paying because they fall in love with a property and buy on impulse. 

‘However it’s probably your single biggest investment so treat it like that. People often do more research on a sofa than on properties.’

Turn up to the viewing early, or stay later

Homeowner Callie says: ‘We would try to turn up to viewings 15 minutes early or stay behind a little late in the hope that we’d bump into potential neighbours. 

‘If we did we’d always say “hi” which helped so much with getting a vibe for what they were like and who lived nearby.’

Visit the house without the estate agent (if possible)

Homeowner Lucy says: ‘We asked the owners and they were thrilled to have us round and tell us all about the house they had lived in for over 30 years and meant we had a better relationship with them when negotiating.’

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