5 Essential Checks to Make While House Hunting to Buy*

House hunting can be both an exciting and stressful time but it’s a part of adulthood that comes to us all, whether you’re renting or buying. With renting the list of important checks to make before signing a lease is long enough but when you’re looking to buy that list just continues to grow. If you’ve always been someone who rents there are important things to consider when buying that you won’t have even thought about before moving in the past that are vital before you buy a house, things to do with the structure of the building that have always been your landlord’s responsibility. That’s the difference between buying and renting, when buying you’re not only responsible for the contents, but everything on your piece of land.

Today I’m sharing 5 incredibly important checks to make before you buy a house, these could save you so much money and hassle in the long run.

Is The Building Structurally Sound?
When you’re looking to rent you check out simple things like any damage that you don’t want to be held accountable for, but when you’re looking to buy there is so much more. Any house built before 2000 could still have asbestos problems, if this is something you’ve been affected by yourlegalfriend.com can help you out when putting a claim in, but ideally you want it sorted before you move in. Make sure you do your research about asbestos before buying as it cause serious health issues. Damp is something else that you want sorted before buying.

Is there Double Glazing and is it in Good Condition?
Faulty double glazing can cause damp and lets heat escape costing you more in your heating bills. If the sealant is coming away or condensation between the panes this could possibly signal that it’s faulty and will cost a lot to replace, especially if you’re buying a bigger house.

How Old is The Central Heating System?
My first winter in my current house my boiler packed in, thank god it was a rented property as this would have been so expensive to replace. It was an old boiler and had I been buying I would have made sure I checked the age of not just that but the whole central heating system. Not only can it be costly to replace but if you have an older system it can be less energy efficient and cost effective. If you’re going to be looking to buy and live in a house long term ensuring you aren’t paying through the nose to run gadgets or keep yourself warm is vital.

What Condition is the Roof In?
Another way that heat could escape the house is through faulty roof as warm air rises. But not only is a sound roof important to keep your house warm in the winter but any missing tiles could result in leaks that turn into damp or worse. A leaky roof could result in a full collapse if the beams are made of wood.

Finally, What’s the Area Like?
Did you know the area can affect how much your insurance can cost? Not just your building cost, but your home contents and even car insurance. My ex was given a car by his parents one year and to insure it to our address was over £200 more than his parents who lived in a rural area and we lived inner city. If your house is in an area with a history of flooding again the insurance will be hefty in comparison to a house not in a flood risk zone. This also goes for areas with a high crime rate.

Although it might be pricey, make sure you get a survey done on your house before you buy, it could save you a lot of money, hassle and heartache in the future.