When viewing a house, many people concentrate on aspects such as room sizes and interior features, and entirely forget to check the external areas. Ideally, you should view the inside and outside of a house to fully gage its suitability. Here are a few pointers to use when assessing the exterior of a house.
1. What is the street like? You may absolutely love the house you are viewing, but take a look at neighbouring properties. After all, if you are surrounded by run down, unkempt properties, this will hardly be an ideal situation, and could affect you if you decide to sell the house in the future.
Parking – if you drive, this is an especially important aspect to consider, is there a garage attached to the house, or sufficient space to park on the drive? Do you need more than one parking space? Is the house on a main road, and if so, what are the rules about parking?
Roofs and guttering – It’s amazing, but many people don’t notice the roof when they are viewing a house. Take a good look – does the roof look in decent condition? are there any slates or tiles missing? Is the guttering in good condition, or filled with weeds and overflowing? Also check for tell tale signs of mould on the exterior walls i.e. streaks running down the walls, this could suggest leaks or poor maintenance. Also check flat roofs (on extensions etc), are they showing signs of wear and tear?
Walls – Have a good look at the exterior walls. What state is the brickwork or rendering in? is the paintwork OK? Check for any cracks – they can be a sign of subsidence, and try to spot any areas of neglect. Check the same points for extensions or conservatories.
Windows – Check to see if the house is double glazed, and that the window seals are in good condition. If made of timber – check that the wood is free from woodworm, mould or decay. Security-wise, do the windows have locks?
Garden – Walk around the garden, and ask yourself, how big is it? Which direction does it face, which features will be included in the house sale? Is it what you’re looking for maintenance wise?
Shared areas – This is particularly applicable if you are viewing a shared house or flat/apartment. Find out which areas are shared with the neighbours e.g. the garden, walk ways and parking. Also check the boundaries between properties - this can be a major source of conflict between neighbours.
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