It may have felt like destiny or just good old-fashioned love at first sight, when you walk through the front door and see your perfect dream home laid out before your very eyes. However, just because a property has asuitable color scheme, has been furnished particularly well and then staged, it doesn’t mean to say that what you’re buying will look this way when you move in.
Of course, there are ways that you can make sure, as near as possible, that the property is exactly what you want without any hidden secrets that will alarm you when you get hold of the keys.
1. Ask to see the property more than just the initial viewing
It’s likely that you fell in love with the house the first time that you saw it, so you made an offer there and then. This is perfectly ok. Even if your offer was accepted, you still have time to withdraw from the deal should you feel that you need to.
After you’ve seen the property once, ask to go see it again at a different time of day to make sure that it still holds your heart. Take a drive or a walk around the neighborhood to make sure that everything checks out. If possible, see if you can view the property for a third time to “measure up”— if you’re a serious buyer, the sellers will be more than happy to oblige.
2. Ask your lawyer to perform all the relevant checks
Ask your lawyer to perform all the relevant checks that they can on the property. Although they may not be legally required to do these,conveyancing lawyers will still provide you with the option. Knowing that the property that you want to purchase is structurally sound and if there are any rights of way, permissions, or restrictions of use on the property will mean that you’ll be buying with your eyes open.
3. Understand what specialized maintenance is required
If you’re thinking of buying an English “chocolate box” house (a country cottage), you’ll need to understand any specialist maintenance that’s required for their upkeep. For instance, a beautiful, thatched cottage will have additional maintenance over its tiled counterpart. Roof thatching needs to be replaced everyfifteen to forty years, however, the ridge may need to be replaced more often, possibly at ten-to fifteen-year intervals, and the work should be carried out by a professional thatcher.
Of course, it isn’t just thatched cottages that have additional maintenance; most English country homes have private drainage (a septic tank or cesspit). These too, will require additional care and need emptying, depending on how many people live in the home and the toilet usage, you’re looking at every three to five years. For the health and safety of everyone living in your home (and those in neighboring properties), you should know the signs that mean your drainage needs attention.
However, none of this should put you off purchasing a character property, and as long as you look after your new home and take pride in how it looks (and smells), you’re likely to be the envy of a greatmany people worldwide.