What are key things to look out for when viewing a 2nd hand house

R

Red

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Have never viewed second hand properties before.

Would appreciate a few pointers to look out for in the viewings.
What questions should I be asking the EA?
What should I look to get confirmed in the contract ??
 
Probably early days but if things go further...

Get a good surveyor to do a detailed structural survey including attic space/roof.

Don't depend on the EA for independent advice or straight answers - they are acting on behalf of the seller and have a vested interest in getting you to buy.

Get a good conveyancing solicitor and don't be afraid to ask her/him for advice on any issues that arise.
 
1) Troublesome neighbours can sometime percipitate a house move.
2) New developments coming?
3) Is there high levels of crime in the area, contact the Gardai and ask sutble questions
 
You should find out how old the house is. It could still be under HomeBond if less than 10 years old. Find out who the builder was also and see if he was a reputable builder. If there are a lot of For Sale signs in the area, wonder why.

You want to check wiring and plumbing are okay, which is more of an issue of the house is older. Windows could also be checked but again, more of an issue for an older house.

You can physically look yourself for evidence of must and damp.

Find out how old the burner is if it's oil + any other appliances that require changing, you need to tot up the overall cost of your purchase.

It's a good idea to go to view a house after a lot of rain, you can see evidence of poor drainage in a garden then.

Find out if the house is on mains water + sewerage or private well / sceptic tank.

If you have green fields around you, you need to know who owns them and check the internet yourself to see if there are any Planning Permissions submitted or enquire with the Council if Planning will ever be allowed on that site. As redo said, you want to check for new developments in the area. Will it affect you in any way if there are more develoments?

You want to know what size plot the house is on and presuming it's not in an estate, if there are any Rights of Way etc.

You want to know about your neighbours but the EA can't really help you there other than to tell you if it's mainly a residential area or if a lot of teh houses are rented out. The best thing you can do is to drive by the house at different times of the day, after kids get home from school, night time, weekends etc.
 
Good points above. Depending on the age/location etc. you may want to ask is it leasehold or freehold, is there a management company charge (some newer estates have this), if there is no off street parking what's the situation? Has there been any flood damage or any structural problems? Have there been any insurance claims in the past? When was wiring, heating, plumbing fitted/replaced? Why are the owners selling? When are they planning to move (e.g. will you be waiting for a yet to be completed house for them to move into)? How long has the house been on the market? Is it currently occupied? Is it or has it ever been rented out? The banks also have good checklists to help you figure out what's important to you interms of no. of bedrooms, closeness to schools etc.
 
redo said:
1) Troublesome neighbours can sometime percipitate a house move.
2) New developments coming?
3) Is there high levels of crime in the area, contact the Gardai and ask sutble questions
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i agree on that...it may be hard to find out if next door neighbours good or bad, but talk to someone around area may be a good idea..

Everybody knows about getting a survey done before buying the house..why mention that when all knew about it.????
 
polo9n said:
Everybody knows about getting a survey done before buying the house..why mention that when all knew about it.????
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Not everybody knows as evidenced by many posts betraying ignorance of this on AAM over the years. Better to err on the side of caution and mention something that to simply assume that "everybody knows" it.
 
Some good points be raised.
I would never have thought to ask about insurance claims. Who could answer this ??

Is there a duty of disclosure on the seller to answer all the buyers questions truthfully?? Or should it all be done through the solicitors?
 
If there is an alarm on the house, be sure to check if this is working and the pass code known! If not, you might basically have to replace the entire system
 
Red said:
I would never have thought to ask about insurance claims. Who could answer this ??
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I doubt that you can get this information from any independent source and I would not depend on the EA or seller necessarily giving you truthful answers if there had been previous claims.
Is there a duty of disclosure on the seller to answer all the buyers questions truthfully??
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Not as far as I know.
Or should it all be done through the solicitors?
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Technically yes but I'm not sure that the solicitor will normally get involved in the nitty gritty of stuff like this whatever about the core conveyancing legal work.
 
It's a mine field.

Sounds like you can only ask the Seller & EA but can't rely on them to tell you the truth as both have vested interest.
 
I would have thought that they could not deliberately mislead you or tell lies knowingly. But I'm sure it's not hard for a lay person (i.e. someone who is not an engineer etc.) to plead ignorance.
 
My understanding is that the sellers & estate agents are not necessarily obliged to reveal information unsolicited, but have to answer any questions truthfully, to their knowledge. I'm open to correction on this from any of the legal heads. Another question to ask are for the electricity & gas bills for the last 12 months, will give an idea of your running costs, in particular if the house is large and/or badly insulated.
 
This is a major committment and you are right to ask all the questions now. You are going to spend the next 20+years paying it off (says he stating the obvious)

Go round to your prospective new house at 10.00pm on a Friday night. Park up down the road. Get out and go for a stroll and observe. Come back at 11.00 or 12.00 and later if you want.

Do the same on a Saturday night.

What do you think now? Are there any groups of youths hanging round. "Joyriders" racing up and down the road. Is there anything you didn't notice during the daytime? Would you be happy walking home from the bus/train stop at night? Would you be happy for your partner/children to? Any pairs of runners hanging from lampposts/overhead wires or any other heights (a sign of drug dealing I'm told)

If you move in and regret it, it's going to cost you a fortune to move out to another house. Better be sure of this one first time round. One or two cursory visits are not enough for an investment of this size and importance. you cannot be too careful.


Murt
 

Excellent advice, however most people don't seem to bother to check
 
Murt10 said:
Any pairs of runners hanging from lampposts/overhead wires or any other heights (a sign of drug dealing I'm told)
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This has me intrigued! Can anyone elaborate? - I can't see the connection myself! Always thought is was a sign of children who didn't want to do sports in school so 'lost' their PE kit on the way home
 
even post a topic here on AAM and see any people know about the estate would be great idea! i am sure someone would know a thing or two about it!
 
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