9 Questions to ask when viewing a house

​​Buying a house is a lengthy process that requires a lot of research and dedication to ensure you make the right decision. One of the ways to ensure you do this is to ask the right questions to the estate agent or current owners who are showing you around when viewing a property. To help you with that, here is a curated list of questions to ask when viewing a house.

1. Is it leasehold or freehold?

Whilst you may have been privy to knowing whether it is a freehold or leasehold before visiting the property, a viewing is a good opportunity to dig deeper for details. A freehold means that you own the property and land it is built on.

However, if the property is a leasehold, there are many things to consider before you pursue the property. From the leasehold length to the ground rent, there are key factors that could significantly impact the way you maintain a property. If the leasehold is short, it’s important to note that this will likely make it harder to sell a property as the value will reduce, for example.

2. What is the surrounding area like?

Don’t be so distracted by the luxurious look of the property that you forget to consider the local area too. Asking the estate agent about the local area hints at what living there is like. To get more of an unbiased view, you could visit the area on nights or weekends. This gives you a greater chance to see the neighbours who live there. You could ask what it’s like from their perspective and what the general feel of the area is like.

3. Are there any nearby developments planned?

The idea of buying a property is to view it as an asset. One of the things that helps add value to a property is the future plan for the area. So asking the estate agent if there are any planned developments taking place in the area can give you a sense of what the area will be like long-term and therefore understand whether it is worth investing in.

4. What work has been carried out on the house?

It’s important to consider what work has been carried out on the house both by present and past owners. For example, loft conversions, garden extensions etc could all be work that has been done on the house. You can even ask for tradesperson receipts for example. Be aware of illegal modifications to prevent further complications down the line.

5. Has the listing price changed?

To help you decipher what offer to put in, it’s worth querying if the asking price has changed since it was initially posted. For example, if it has been reduced, you may not want to push the seller down further as they’ve already lowered it.

6. How long have the owners lived in the property?

Getting a sense of the current owner’s experience in the property can help you indicate if the house is worth looking into further. For example, if the current owners are selling shortly after living in the property, you may want to be wary as it could indicate that there may be problems with it.

7. Is the property in a chain?

When a property is in a chain, it means a series of buyers and sellers are connected because their transactions depend on each other. It’s important to note that chain properties tend to have a higher chance of falling through. Asking if the property is in a chain will help you gauge how long it may take the owners to leave the property, for example. It gives a clearer picture of how long it may take to move into the property.

8. How long has the property been on the market?

This is another question to ask when buying a house. It may indicate if there is an issue with the property. If it’s a house that has been on the market for a while it may be hard to sell and therefore could have some issues. Or if it’s been on the property for longer than ideal, it may give you leeway to bargain for a better price, if the seller is quite keen to sell fast.

9. What is included in the property’s sale?

What you see on the viewing day, is not always what it looks like when it is sold. So it’s important to ask what exactly will be included in the sale. For example, will it be furnished or unfurnished? Will there be white goods included? Are there any parking spaces included too? These are all questions to ask when viewing a house. It may seem like subtle queries but are crucial to know when purchasing a property. 

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