9 Questions to Ask When Buying A House in Sunderland

First Time Buyer Mortgage Advice in Sunderland

When you’re an inexperienced first time buyer in Sunderland who has never bought a property before, the process can be quite a stressful one. Fortunately for you, the home buyer, it doesn’t have to be that way.

To help you make the most of your next house viewing and be as prepared as possible, we’ve put together a helpful and comprehensive list of questions that you could ask when buying a house as a first-time buyer in Sunderland.

The 9 most common questions:

1. How much interest has there been in the property/development?

You may want to have time to sit around and have a good long think about whether or not you want to buy a property before you fully commit to making a purchase. This is something that we completely understand, as it is one of, if not the biggest financial commitments you will ever make.

By finding out the amount of people that have asked questions about or have gone to see the house, you’ll be able to more accurately gain an idea of how much time you have to think, before you make any concrete choices.

Bearing this information in mind, if the property is regularly receiving interest from viewers, you need to be prepared to give an answer to the seller as soon as you can.

2. Is there a property chain?

If the property you’re looking at purchasing is a part of a chain, this can also have an impact on your mortgage process. Without an onward chain, something that could arise from either a new home, bereavement or emigration, chances are you’ll be able to move quicker, especially if you’re not a part of that chain yourself.

You’ll give yourself a lot more leverage as a buyer if you’re not a part of any chain, as you seller will recognise that you aren’t going to hold up the home buying process. Make sure that you utilise this during property price negotiations to give yourself the advantage.

3. What’s included in the sale?

If you’re not going to be purchasing a new build property, you might find that the previous owner has left some appliances or “white goods” behind for you to make use of. White goods is a term that generally includes things like washing machines, fridges or a freezer. Sometimes a previous homeowner may leave something like a shed behind.

This works out fantastically for buyers as it can save them a lot of time and money, though if you don’t want or need these items, you will have to figure out a way to get rid of them yourself. If you are looking to purchase a new build property, there might be some additional features that you could have the option of adding into your property ahead of moving in.

4. What are the neighbours like?

When moving into an area that you don’t particularly know that well, it would be worth your time finding out what the neighbours are like. We often find that a good or bad neighbour experience can oftentimes be a crucial part of whether or not you enjoy living in your new home.

On the flip side, if you instead are looking to move into a new home development, you and your neighbours will be the ones that create this new community. Initially this can be prove to be quite a risky endeavour, as you’re putting all your faith in someone you’re yet to meet and get to know.

5. How much does it cost to run?

Depending on the location you’re moving to and the type of property you are in, running costs can differ greatly. It is recommended that you conduct some research ahead of time and ask plenty of questions prior to the purchase.

Look up council tax costs, along with how much you’ll potentially have to spend on average for utilities. You ca do this by checking online or speaking to the seller. You will need all of this information in order to correctly budget.

6. Which way does the house face?

The direction that the house is facing will make a very big difference for a lot of people, depending on if you like to relax in your garden late on a summers evening or prefer to maybe read a good book in natural light.

If you’ve been looking at a few different properties, you may have noticed that houses with a south-facing property often come with a more premium price pay a sizable, more premium price, thanks in part to the property receiving a lot of sunlight throughout the day.

7. How much work will be required after moving in?

Once again you’ll find that this can also have quite the impact on your budget for purchasing a home. Some key things worth looking into for more information on include;

• Improving energy efficiency
• Changing the décor
• Addressing damp problems

8. Are you open to offers?

At some point during the home buying process, you’re going to have to start making negotiations with the seller. With this in mind, it’s important to ensure that you are as prepared as possible for making an offer on your desired property.

You will be able to find a lot more information about the topic of making an offer in our how to make an offer on a property in Sunderland article. Once you’ve gotten yourself in a position where you are ready, you’ll be able to go ahead and make some offers.

It will also definitely be worth your time to have a chat with the seller or estate agent in order for you to determine what the seller may consider to be an offer that is too high or too low. You should check whether or not any other offers have been made, so you know how popular the property is and how much time you have to work something out with the seller.

9. When can we move in?

By setting aside a specific date on your calendar, you can plan ahead for various other jobs in advance, such as instructing a conveyancing solicitor, packing up your furniture and belongings for moving, and arranging a removal van that can move everything into your new home.