Quest Greek Islands

Checking Out Your New Home

When you come to moving house and searching for a new home in a new neighborhood, how do you know that everything is what it seems? How can you tell if the seller is telling you the truth and when do you know if you're getting a good deal? You should always make sure that neither your estate agent nor the seller is telling you any false information and don't let them lead you in to anything that you are uncertain of, this applies

for buying property at home or abroad. Although you will not truly know how you feel living in the house until you move in, you can be your own surveyor and get all the finer details on the neighborhood before you sign the contract to buy the property. Survey the property inside and out to find out whether the property is worth the money, in a good area and economical to live in.

Usually the property Surveyor only comes to view and check the property that you wish to purchase later on in the process. Their job is to look at the property in detail to make sure that it is valued at the right price and to ensure that the buyer is getting a fair deal. However, it is not in the Surveyor's interest to check out the neighborhood, the area, and the monthly utility bills on the property or anything else like this. This is your job as the buyer and that is why you should take time to carefully look over certain aspects of the property first. Things that you should be checking are: The neighbors, the area, average bills for the property, the price of the property compared to others in the area and future plans for the area.

Meeting the Neighbors
In some areas, the residents have strong connections with their neighbors, where as others do not. Like in many situations, it is the people who cause the problems and disputes not the buildings, animals, houses etc. It is worth knocking on the neighbor's door to meet them before you decide on whether you would like to buy the property or not. You will then be able to decide whether you will be accepted well in to the area, whether you may have possible problems with the neighbors or whether you will get on just fine. The neighbors will also be able to tell you information about the area that the owners of the property may choose to keep quiet, such as plans in the area, noise pollution and other details.

Paying a Visit
To guarantee that you are going to like the area at any time of the day, you should make a special trip to visit the area and the street throughout the day. If you are keen to avoid buying a property in a noisy area, you should make sure that you visit regularly throughout the day. Although you may find that the area is very peaceful in the afternoon, you may be shocked to find that there is a very different side to it at other parts of the day. Some property viewers do not see the importance of viewing a property that they are interested in at different times of the day, but remember that if you were to live there you would be living there all the time.

Fixtures and Fittings
On a first viewing, you may find that the property has a fancy heating and cooling system, swimming pool or a glass paneled room. Although these may seem like an advantage at first, consider the cost of maintenance and the energy they use before you think about rushing in with an offer. If the only heating system is not cost effective, ask how much it would cost to replace or would it be better to stick with the current system? The property may have a swimming pool, but are you really going to get a lot of use from it and how much time and money will you have to put in to keep it in good condition? One of the rooms may be made up of large glass windows and doors, but will this be difficult to heat in the winter or to keep cool in the summer? If it isn't cost effective and if you don't need it, think twice about putting in an offer!

Bills, Bills, Bills!
Ask the owners of the property if they could give you a rough guide on how much they pay on utility bills. If the property has a water meter or a heating system that uses up a lot of energy and money, then think twice about whether it is economical.

Plans for the Future...
Ask around the neighborhood and at the local council if you can see any future plans for the area. You may find that there is going to be building work done in the future, which may obstruct the property's view and could decrease the value of the property.