Ten Questions Every House Buyer Should Ask

If you’re looking for house buying advice then look no further. Here are ten things to consider when house hunting which you might not have previously thought about…

  1. How long has the house been for sale? What are the reasons for the sale and if a previous buyer has dropped out try to find out what happened.

  2. Where are you going to park? If you have one or more car and not much, if any, driveway then you could have a daily parking issue. Chat to the neighbours about the situation and see if it is workable.

  3. Are you overlooked at all? And not just in the garden: do any of your neighbours on higher ground have a birds-eye view of your bedroom furniture, leaving you with privacy issues.

  4. Can you get an online supermarket shop delivered? You boys might not care but the working Mums out there who are responsible for feeding the family probably will – check out the postcode to find out.

  5. What are the local schools like? If you have kids, are planning to have kids or just to give you an idea of the community you will be living in, check out the local primary and high schools.

  6. Is there an obvious issue with the planning department? If you are thinking that you might wish to extend or build a loft conversion on the house make sure it is a possibility: have the neighbours done it, and if not why not?

  7. Where are the nearest local shops? Whether it’s a handy grocery store or a retail park complete with Bensonsforbeds.co.uk you need to know what you can buy locally and what the traffic implications are.

  8. What is the crime rate locally? Speak to the local police or check the data online to find out how safe you, your home and possessions are likely to be.

  9. Who lives next door, opposite and in the rest of the street? Have a little listen to local gossip and get some background information.

  10. And finally – look for the one piece of information that everyone else has missed: it could be anything from being on a flood plain to under a flight path. Dig deep!

About Mortgage

Purchasing a home is the largest investment you are ever sure to make, so it is important to get all the data you want on mortgages and legal considerations before starting. Here we have a quick look at the basics, from how much you can borrow to choosing the best mortgage for you.

Borrowing

As a rule, mortgage firms will permit you to borrow 3 times your income, or 2 and a half times your joint incomes if you are purchasing with another person. However, in the present market there are numerous different sorts of mortgage available, some of which may let you borrow more than that. For example, some firms will permit 2 folks purchasing together to borrow 3 times the bigger income and one times the smaller.

There are many cutting edge schemes around , for example the ones that permit borrowers to add the rental revenue from letting one room to their income before their income multiples are considered. It’s worth looking for suggestions from 2 or 3 independent mortgage or finance advisors to find the top deal for you. Remember, though, that whether or not IRs are low now, there’s no guarantee they will stay that way. Never keep back any info on obligations or county court judgements when securing a mortgage; it may come back to bug you. [Read more...]