It’s common for home buyers to think that house viewings have to be done quickly. However, those who don’t take their time usually end up living to regret it. Buying a house is a big investment of both money and time. You should do everything you can to make sure the house you’ll be living in for the next couple of years is up to your standards. We hope that this list of the essential things to check before buying a house points you in the right direction for doing just that. Aside from making sure your investment is protected, going through this list is also a way for you to ensure that the home is a contender for becoming your forever home.

#1 Is there any excessive dampness?

The first thing to keep an eye out for a while you’re viewing a potential home is signs of excessive dampness. This is first on our list because it’s very easy to spot with just a little effort. The most common signs of excess moisture are :

1. A noticeable smell of mold
2. Flaky plaster
3. Watermarks on walls
4. Watermarks on ceilings

Additionally, if you notice that the room is freshly repainted, it may be a clue as the current owners might be trying to cover any dampness. This isn’t a sure sign of moisture buildup, but it’s a good thing to note. You can inform your house inspector about your worries so they can check it out in more detail later on.

#2 Check the integrity of the home’s structure

This is one of the essential things to check before buying a house. However, you should keep in mind that you’re only looking out for big cracks. Small hairline cracks are completely normal. You shouldn’t expect to find a house without them. Again, you’re only looking for potential issues that you can ask your house inspector to investigate further. Don’t give up on a house just because you saw one fracture in the foundation. A professional might help you realize that it’s nothing more than a cosmetic problem.

#3 Storage space

Every homeowner knows the importance of having lots of storage space. However, it’s extremely common for people to overlook this when checking out potential homes. You should especially keep an eye out for this in newly built houses. It’s common for storage space to be scarce in these.

#4 Which way is the house facing?

Having a south-facing house during sunny weather is very important. If the home doesn’t face the right way, it can be frustratingly dark, even during the sunniest days. Additionally, it helps reduce the electricity bill seeing as you’ll need way less power throughout the year. This is another thing that’s very easy to check. Most newer phones have a compass app preinstalled. However, if yours doesn’t, you shouldn’t be embarrassed to pull a real one out of your pocket.

Keep in mind that there are ways to add brightness to a home if it’s not faced properly. If everything else is perfect about the home you’re looking at, this shouldn’t be a deal breaker.

#5 Room size

Most houses will have rooms big enough for you to feel comfortable. However, what is important is to check whether your furniture is going to fit in the rooms. A common practice today is for staging professionals to use smaller furniture in smaller rooms to give you an idea of what size furniture looks good in that room. But, since you probably won’t be buying all new furniture when you move in, bring a tape measure with you to make sure your things will fit.

#6 The exterior of the window frames

The main reason why external window frames are one of the essential things to check before buying a house isn’t that bad ones should be a deal breaker. In fact, most older homes will have problematic window frames. However, this is a great indicator of how well the previous owners maintained the home. If they are in good condition and seem like they were properly looked after, you can almost be sure that the owners took good care of the rest of the house.

#7 The power points of the home

Faulty wiring in a home can be a big problem. Aside from being a safety hazard, it’s also an expensive thing to fix. However, checking out the wiring in a home is something you should leave to professionals. What you should do yourself is check whether the home has enough plug points to support your lifestyle. For example, you might need more than one charging port next to your bed.

#8 Check as much of the plumbing as you can

This is another thing that you should just do in preparation for the house inspection. You shouldn’t try to open up the walls during the home viewing as a way to make sure that the plumbing is up to code. However, if even you notice problems with the home’s plumbing, you should gauge whether hiring an inspector is even worth it. Here’s a short list of the essential things to check before buying a house in terms of plumbing :

1. Open the taps to make sure the water pressure is good
2. Ask whether the pipes are insulated
3. Make sure that the pipes are not made of lead
4. Check if the radiators work
5. Ask how old the boiler is (you can ask the buyer/agent to show you what year the warranty is from)
6. See where the hot water tank is located – the older ones that might have to be replaced are usually in the roof

#9 The location of the house

When viewing a potential home, there are a few things you should consider regarding its location. The best way to make sure the location is good is to simply take a walk around the neighborhood right after the viewing. Let’s go through the most important things to check about the home’s location :

1. Easy access to the places you go to most often – This can be anything from your workplace and the school your kids will be attending to groceries, recreation options, and places of worship
2. Easy access to the more important roads – Mostly focus on the ones you’ll be using to get to the places we discussed above
3. Location within the neighborhood – If you prefer to be away from the noise, you might want to be further into the residential area. However, if you value easy access to amenities, you might want to be closer to the main roads

Experts from professionalmoverottawa.com recommend that you also consider the location of the home in terms of moving in. While this might seem trivial at first, you’ll see how important it actually is when the moving process starts. Also, it’s important to consider for future reference when you decide to bring new furniture there by yourself.

#10 How motivated is the seller

To conclude this list, we would like to direct you toward something that doesn’t have to do with the house itself. That is the seller. While checking out houses, you will likely realize that some sellers are more motivated to sell than others. This mostly depends on how much of a hurry the seller is in.

The reason why this is important is that it’s helpful in gauging how much lower the seller is willing to go in terms of pricing. For example, if the home looks like a fixer-upper, but you notice that the seller is highly motivated to sell, you may be able to bargain for a better price and keep the extra money in the renovation budget.

Final thoughts

While this might seem like a lot to think about while viewing a house, you’ll quickly realize that it’s not as hard as it sounds. These are all things you would naturally consider but can now be more mindful of. As long as you don’t get carried away in fantasy about your future life in the house you’re looking at and objectively approach going through this list of essential things to check before buying a house, you’re sure to make the right decision for your future.

Essential Things to Check Before Buying A House by Sally Norton