No one wants to leave a home viewing prematurely. You spend time researching a place and invest time in making a trip to the home.
There’s also the very awkward fact that the estate agent probably cancelled all of their personal commitments to get here – hoping you’ll make an offer so that their commission will clear this month and they can pay the rent.
But sometimes you need to cut your losses early. Here are 6 big no-nos that tell you to move on.
1. Rude Estate Agent
We’re starting this list with an unconventional one.
Sometimes agents are charming people. They are informative about a property and give you an honest view of the current situation (or as honest as they can be whilst trying to look out for their client).
But there are other agents that – frankly – give the impression that you should be working to get their business. As much as the home buying process is about the house – remember that the agent does play a part in getting the process done. A bad agent can cause all sorts of problems which you don’t need as a first time buyer.
In all honesty – an agent should not be showing poor signs before you make an offer on a property.
Watch out for these signals:
- They show up late to your viewing.
- They tell you they need ‘to check’ on some of the more basic facts about a property (if it’s a flat there is no excuse for them not knowing the length of the lease remaining).
- They hurry you along because they have ‘a really busy day’.
- They try to put pressure on you to make a decision. Usually telling you how many other people are coming to view the place after you.
2. Wall Cracks
Small cracks can be normal in a house (1-2mm in width). They form on most plaster walls at some point in time. New build homes can get cracks earlier if there was moisture in the property when it was being finished.
When we talk about concerning wall cracks we mean ones that are thicker than this. Especially watch out for cracks running diagonally or look like a set of stairs.
A surveyor can confirm if any cracks are likely to be a problem – but in the world of house hunting fewer cracks mean fewer worries. Ditch the property and move on.
3. Loud Neighbours
Trying to figure out how loud your neighbours are going to be can be a struggle on viewings. Estate
agents normally try to schedule viewings in ‘quieter’ times.
Usually these kind of quiet ‘prime times’ for agents are:
- For a weekday – in the early afternoon
- For a weekend – in the mornings
- Avoiding evenings at all costs
So if you are getting loud noises in the place during a regular viewing time – keep your wits about it. Noises don’t bother some people as much (mainly students). But for many the thought of having to keep ear plugs near their bed every night because of a loud bar outside or screaming kids in a nearby family home is too much of a worry.
4. Funny Smells
Humans detect smell for a reason – it’s an evolutionary trait that tells us if danger is lying ahead.
So if the property is smelling… not so fresh, don’t ignore it.
Look out for the following specific smells:
- Musty/ damp smells – scan the walls. Look for fresh paint that might be hiding signs of mould. Don’t forget to look up at the ceilings (which everyone forgets to do). Are there any signs of leaks?
- Food smells – sometimes cooking strong flavoured food without ventilating the property can lead to the smell attaching itself to other areas – the wall, the carpets and furniture.
- Smog/ fumes – for homes that are on busy streets
A tip: Estate agents normally ensure properties are well ventilated before viewings happen, which means it is normally quite difficult to pick up on any smells. So if you do pick up on one, assume it’s not going to go away.
5. Bad Electrics
This one is more technical – but it’s an important point to know.
Upgrading electrics can cost a LOT of money. Rewiring a home can be expensive – research from EC4U finds that rewiring a 3 bedroom semidetached house could cost up to £4,000 (although there is considerable variation).
It is difficult to check the electrics on a house viewing. But you should make sure you take a photo of the fuse box to analyse later.
Some fuse boxes are more modern and are housed in an RCD consumer unit. Others are older and operate with fuses. An electrician will be able to tell you if any work was likely to be needed if you bought the property. It may also be that the wiring in the property needs replacing as well as the fuse box. An EICR test done by a qualified electrician can help you get a good idea of the state of electrics in a home.
6. Outside Clutter
Have a good look around the area before or after you look at the property. Although the inside might be nice – your enjoyment of the place will get decided by the outside area too (imagine a pesky neighbour complaining to you at every minor issue).
Look for signs that the general area is being maintained:
- Is rubbish building up on the streets?
- Are the other home owners taking care of their properties – or are things being left broken?
- If you’re looking at a flat – does the communal area look like it is being maintained?
- Are there signs warning residents leave parcels sitting in the communal area due to cases of theft? (this example comes from a true case)
- Graffiti, broken windows and collapsing fences might point to bigger problems
A problem outside the home can very quickly become a problem inside. Save yourself a headache and pick an area that won’t have you losing sleep.
Top Tip: Google street view can quickly give you a snapshot on an area before going out to see a place.