5 Ways to Assess the True Condition of the House You Want to Buy

Oh, yes, house hunting: the never-ending adventure that takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and sends you on a loop of awkwardness. 

Whenever you are visiting a showhouse, you are bound to ask yourself whether what you are doing is actually snooping. 

Let's face it, it is quite weird to check the toilets in someone else's bathroom or rummage through their storage space. It is, however, very necessary. 

Without sounding too dramatic: would you rather want to go through 5 minutes of awkwardness or 15 years' worth of problems when you buy the house? 

Here are a few ways in which you can determine the true condition of the house:

#1 - Dig around in the closets

This is especially important if the house has built-in cupboards. You are going to want to see whether the house can meet your storage needs. 

It is not necessary for you to go through the owner's stuff but if you encounter a pair of briefs here or there, don't freak out. 

We repeat: do. not. freak. out. 

People generally don't like to open closets because it is seen as rude, but it's only fair that you as a potential homeowner need to assess the storage situation before you decide to make the purchase. 

#2- Dive into the bathroom

Studies have shown that the bathroom is one of the rooms in the house that is looked at most carefully when viewing a house. 

There is no reason for you to rush your way through the bathroom and no reason for you to act coy. 

Flush the toilet properly to see whether it creates any backlogs and check the water pressure by turning on the taps in the shower. Be sure to check with your agent before doing these things, so that you don't step on any toes. 

#3 - Poke around in the attic

If the house has an attic or a basement, take a trek up or down there to see what it is like. 

And no, we don't mean poke your head around the doorway and call it an 'inspection'; really go in there and investigate the area. 

Be on the alert for water damage or water intrusion. If boxes are stacked against the wall, this might be a red flag for covering up any kind of damage. 

Other problems to watch out for are mold or rat droppings. This could indicate the potential for worse problems in the future. 

#4 - Say hello to your neighbors

Unfortunately, introverts won't be able to escape this one. 

While you can read up on the neighborhood, the only way you will get a true feel of the area is if you speak to the people who live there. 

Not only will you get inside information about the neighborhood, but you will also be able to determine the attitudes of the people who might be the ones living next door to you. (Plus, you'll be able to assess whether or not you will have a good relationship with them.) 

It's not always what they say but how they say it. 

#5 - Ask questions

And last but not least, as it's a rather important point: when you see something that raises a question, ask it. 

It is better than to assume something and base your decision on that. You might find a hole in the drywall and immediately think it's an unsolvable problem, meanwhile it might just have been the owner's kids fooling around before the showhouse. 

You should be 100% certain about the home that you want to purchase and it is your right to get down to the finer details of the structure. 

Don't be scared to find more information about a place you really like. 

--------------------------------------------

Article sourced from www.immoafrica.net

--------------------------------------------