Top tips for finding the best quality property

It can be difficult to know what to be aware of and any potential ‘red flags’ when viewing multiple properties and looking for your perfect home. Our team at Goldex Sales and Letting has compiled a list of tips and tricks to assist with your house hunting journey and ensure nothing is missed when finding the best property for you.

Be observant in all properties

When viewing a property, it is important to remain observant in all aspects – not only improvements that may need to be made or stand out features of the property, but also how elements such as noise levels may affect your life. There may be variations in noise levels surrounding a property dependent on the time of day and traffic levels. You may also want to take into consideration the nightlife around the property as well as the traffic. Nightclubs and bars nearby may increase the noise level on weekends and late evenings. The overspill from these nightclubs may affect your property even if they are not directly adjacent.

Visit the property at different times

A property purchase is one of the biggest decisions you will have to make, so you want to be sure of your decision. By visiting the property multiple times at different times of the day, you will be able to recognise changes in traffic in the area, availability of parking spaces where applicable and increased pedestrianisation, for example. If the property is located near amenities or parking is limited, it may become difficult to park at times when people generally return from work or visit local facilities.

Choose your location wisely

When purchasing a property, the location plays largely into its value and desirability. It is essential to consider the accessibility and amenities of an area as well as plans for development in the region. Transport links to large towns and cities and the frequency of public transport may affect commuting times and must be considered when viewing a property. Proximity to busy roads may decrease the properties desirability and value but increase your ability to travel locally. The desirability of an area can often be demonstrated by the average amount of time a property stays on the market; the quicker the turnover, the greater the desirability.

Find out about your neighbors

You can obtain more information about a property and its surroundings by getting in touch with the neighbors next to it. Vendors must inform you if they have had any serious disputes with their neighbors. As a general rule, if you have had to contact your neighbor in writing or complain to the council or another authority about them, then a dispute has occurred.

Discuss the property with your surveyor

Whether you want to know more about a property or need more information, you can talk to your surveyor. Older period buildings were subject to fewer regulations, but now there are more safeguards in place to protect things like fireproofing and acoustics. By using rubber matting between floors, noise from other parts of the building can be reduced. Listed buildings are considered of special architectural or historical interest and involve further legislation in reference to your ability to make changes to the property. There are three types of listed properties and cover the entire building and can include attached structures and fixtures and later extensions or additions. These limitations can include your ability to extend the property and even make changes to features such as windows.

You can make changes to your property

When you purchase a property, you can make changes to the elements that you are unhappy with. Noise can be cancelled from your property with double glazing and sound insulation, for example. Once you have decorated and furnished your property with your chosen furniture and storage, wardrobes and cabinets can help reduce external noise and make it uniquely yours.

There will always be surprises

Whether you’re attentive or not, surprises are always inevitable when purchasing a property. You may encounter unexpected issues or quirks that you didn’t notice when viewing. Changing the design and decoration of the property can make it feel more like a home and you may come to love those little surprises! If you follow all these steps and still feel positive, you may have found the home for you.