When you’re on the search for a new house, weekends spent
touring in homes for sale in Elyria can quickly veer from fun to daunting by
house number three. Keeping track of which home had that great kitchen versus
the home with a terrible backyard but a great floor plan can be tough. And
while no house is likely to be perfect, when it comes to your budget, some
updates are harder to swallow than others. Finding a homes for sale, you want
to buy can be an exciting time. The house looks great in the photos, it feels
right when you visit, it seems like this is ‘the one.’ But many houses hide
darker secrets that might not be immediately obvious.
Viewing tips when
looking at homes for sale in Elyria:
Take your time
Make sure you spend a good chunk of time viewing a house
20 to 30 minutes at least so you can really get a feel for the place. Studies
has found that the longer a buyer spends viewing a property, the more likely
they are to secure it for under the asking price. More than half of buyers who
spent less than 10 minutes viewing the property paid the asking price or more,
while 70 percent of buyers who spent more than 90 minutes on viewings paid
below the asking price.
Analyze the structure of the building
Make sure you walk around the outside of the house to
check the exterior. Look for damp and hairline cracks in the walls, missing or
loose tiles on the roof and broken guttering. If you find signs of a problem,
ask questions to find out what the cause is and whether it will be fixed. If
you go on to make an offer and it gets accepted, you should always have an
independent house survey done so an expert can conduct more thorough checks.
Use your senses
The seller doesn’t have to tell you about problems. In
fact, they may even try to hide them. Common cover-ups include painting over
damp and hiding wall cracks or floor problems with furniture or rugs. Damp can
give off a musty smell even if you don’t see physical signs, so be on your
guard for unusual smells, including air freshener.
View the property more than once
Even in a fast-moving market, it’s best to go and see the
property more than once if possible. The more times you view a homes for sale
in Elyria, the more likely you are to spot potential problems
Confirm what land is included with the
property
If there's any uncertainty over who owns a garden or
parking space, make sure you find out the answer and get it confirmed in
writing.
Mortgage lenders will request that you have a 'valuation
survey' carried out, but this is different from a house survey as it doesn't
look at the condition of the property. Often you won't even get to see the
results. You should always have your own independent survey carried out in
order to uncover any hidden issues with the house you're buying take a look at
our guide to the types of house survey to find out more. If you're buying
property, ask the selling agent for the home report, which includes a survey. Spend
at least half an hour walking around the general area to see how close the
things that matter to you, such as cafes, schools, transport links or local
shops, are. Also revisit at rush hour and when the pubs close and on weekends
and weekdays.
