25 questions to ask when viewing/ buying a house
Make sure you ask the estate agent the right questions before deciding to buy a home. Estate agents are legally bound to tell the truth and it could make the difference between buying a dream home or buying a dud. So here are all the questions to ask when viewing/ buying a house.
Here’s our list of questions to ask when viewing/buying a house in 2024. These are essential questions to ask estate agents before you make an offer.
1. Why is the owner selling?
One of the first questions to ask estate agents when you are looking at a property to buy, is why the owner is selling. If you’re lucky the estate agent might hint at the vendor’s circumstances which could help inform your negotiations. For example, you might find out the owner is desperate to sell, perhaps because work is taking them overseas, and so would accept a lower price if a quick sale could be secured. So make sure this is top of your list of questions to ask when viewing/ buying a house.
2. How long has the property been on the market?
If the house has been on the market a long time (especially more than three months), ask the estate agent why they think it isn’t selling. Are there problems that other people have realised that you haven’t? Have they had a bad house survey returned? Ask the estate agent explicitly whether anyone else has previously put in an offer and why they then decided to pull out. There may not be anything wrong and the property may simply be overpriced. Whatever the issue, a long time on the market might mean that the seller would accept a lower price.
3. Has the property’s value changed recently?
How a property’s value has changed over the last few years is readily available online on the Land Registry sold prices website. Take a look and go armed with previous sold prices, plus sold prices of similar homes nearby, and be ready to ask about changes to the property’s value, particularly if there has been a drop in value.
4. Has the property repeatedly changed hands?
One important question to ask when viewing/ buying a house is if the current homeowners are moving out after a short period, it is important to find out why.
And you should be alert to serious problems if the property has frequently changed hands. Find out why previous owners moved out. Perhaps even try to contact them to ask why they did. It’s always advisable to get a survey commissioned when you’re buying a property, so get a number of quotes before choosing your surveyor.
5. What is the minimum price the seller will accept?
It sounds silly, but asking if their bottom line is actually negotiable can save you thousands. It can also stop you wasting time going back and forth with the estate agent and vendor trying to establish their minimum sale price. Estate agents will often give you an indication – it is in their interest to make a sale, even at a lower price, because if the agent doesn’t sell, they don’t get their commission.
6. Have the sellers found a new home?
Have the sellers already found another home? If they have, they may be keen to sell as fast as possible. Otherwise, if you have to wait until they find somewhere else, it adds to the uncertainty, with all the risks associated with being in a chain. So asking this question tells you where you stand, and how keen the seller is to move.
7. Have the sellers had any offers?
The estate agent will most likely tell you if there have been any offers, but not how much was offered. But estate agents have a big incentive to get a price agreed, so might drop some pretty heavy hints in whispered tones. If you can find out about the other offers, it obviously makes it easier to know what you should offer. See our advice guide Making an offer and negotiating the price.
But before you make an offer, it’s time to think about the broader questions to ask when buying a house so you have a feel for the local area and condition of the property.
8. What is the local area like?
What are the schools like? What is the crime rate like? How good are transport links? What is the local supermarket? Where is the nearest petrol station? While it is a good idea to see what the estate agent has to say, make sure you do some independent research as well. See How do I choose a new area to live in?
9. What local plans could affect the property?
One important questions to ask when viewing a house is whether local plans could affect the property. If you’re viewing a property because you love the undisturbed view of the fields it backs onto, then chances are you want the fields to stay. So if there is a planning application for a new housing development on said fields, you’ll want to know sooner rather than later. Ask this question now, otherwise you’re unlikely to hear about planned developments until the local searches are returned by your conveyancer.
10. What is the property’s tenure?
Is the property leasehold or freehold? This is a fundamental question to ask the estate agent and should have been detailed in the property listing. Estate agents tend to gloss over it, but this can be the difference between a home that is worth buying and one that isn’t. Freehold is the preferred type of ownership as you own the building and the land it is on outright. But most flats in the UK are leasehold. This means you own the property subject to the terms of a lease. You should find out how many years long the lease is and what service charges apply. Start by reading our guide to buying a leasehold property.
And if the property is leasehold you’ll usually pay more in conveyancing fees – so it’s more important then ever to shop around to find the best conveyancer at the best price.
11. Do you have noisy neighbours?
Of all the questions to ask when viewing/ buying a house, the answer to this one can have the biggest impact on your quality of life. So ask the estate agent but also ask the seller and look for any hesitation. If the seller has lodged any formal complaints against their neighbours they legally have to tell you if you ask and disclose them on the TA6 form. But by the time you reach this stage you’ll already be quite far down the line of buying. So add this to your list of questions to ask when viewing a house and questions to ask when buying a house that you ask at the outset.
12. Have any major renovations been made?
If so, have the owners got the relevant planning and building regulation consents? If not, this can lead to lots of delays and you potentially forking out for indemnity insurance later down the line. In most cases you can search online for planning applications (granted and refused) on the local planning authority website. It would after all be awful if you bought your dream home only to find out you would have to knock half of it down. If you decide to buy the property, a building survey coupled with your conveyancing solicitor checking that all the permissions are in place should offer the reassurance you need.
13. What is included in the sale?
It is worth asking the estate agent what is included in the sale. Is the garden shed or greenhouse included? What about fixtures and fittings? And exactly where does the boundary lie? Make sure you see all of what you will be paying for. More details of fixtures and fittings will be supplied later when the seller completes the T10 form for your solicitor. In the meantime, estate agents are obliged to give you details of things that could make a material difference to you going ahead with the purchase. But it’s still good to ask now.
14. Which way does the property face?
Evening drinks on that beautiful terrace will not be so pleasant if the house faces north and the sun disappeared hours ago. Or maybe you love the sun waking you up in the morning – in which case ensure you face south-east. Which rooms will you be using most; and which way do they face?
15. Is the property Listed, in a Conservation Area or subject to any Covenants?
This is another one of the important questions to ask when viewing/ buying a house. If you buy a listed property you can be severely restricted in what you can do both to the outside and, in some cases, to the inside too. If the property is in a conservation area you should find out what restrictions apply. Likewise, ask if there are any restrictive covenants in place as this can limit what you can and can’t do in your new home.
16. How old is the property?
While it may not be listed, asking how old the property is exactly is one of the questions to ask when viewing a house. Not only is this nice to know anyway, but the upkeep of older houses is often more expensive.
17. How much is council tax and other utility bills?
With a cost of living crisis you’ll want to know if your new home is going to cost you more and by how much. So add this to your list of questions when buying a house. A property’s council tax band should have been included in the property’s listing – if not, ask. Also ask if you can see utility bills, or you can wait for your conveyancing solicitor to get a copy later down the line.
18. What is the water pressure like?
How’s the water pressure in the shower? How long does it take for the water to come through? Do all the taps work even? Ask if you can try the taps and flush the toilets when you go to your viewing. If it’s not all free-flowing then this could be a bugbear thats hard to fix.
And don’t just take the estate agent’s word for it that is all OK. When you buy a property it’s advisable to get a survey done.
19. How is the broadband and signal in the house?
Ask the estate agent what they know about local broadband providers and the signal in the new address. You should also check broadband speed on Ofcoms broadband and mobile coverage checker.
20. Have there been any problems with the boiler?
And if so, what? Also, when was the boiler last serviced? And when was it installed?
21. How new are the drains and guttering?
Replacing drainage is surprisingly expensive. And it might be a shame to have to replace those beautiful lead gutters. If it is raining seize the opportunity to check nothing is leaking.
22. Have any of the rooms been redecorated recently? If so, why?
Call us suspicious, but often people will repaint a room in order to cover damp or cracks.
23. Can you move the furniture and have a peek under the rugs?
It is not unknown to hide cracks in the wall with furniture or cover up floor problems with rugs. So if you are feeling brazen, ask the estate agent if it would be ok to poke around on your viewing – in a careful and respectful way of course. But don’t forget, nothing beats getting an independent survey once you have had an offer accepted. They’ll spot the things you won’t.
Get instant house survey quotes from Chartered Surveyors in your area.
24. Can they explain the Energy Performance Certificate?
The rating on the Energy Performance Certificate, which says how energy efficient the property is, will be influenced by a number of things. Is there loft insulation? Is there double glazing? When were they all put in? Are the pipes covered with lagging?
25. Can you speak directly to the sellers?
Agents generally don’t like this – it is their job to negotiate – but they can’t stop you speaking to the sellers, which can be the best thing you do. Most sellers are like you – not industry professionals – and this means they often give answers that agents would find shockingly honest. Unlike the agent, they can’t pretend ignorance if you ask why they are moving. It can also give you a much better feel for the house – ask them for their best and worst points.
Speaking directly with the sellers can also speed up the purchase.
But remember: Buyer beware
However, while it’s important to ask these questions, don’t assume what the estate agent tells you is correct. Under estate agents legal obligations to buyers there are strict rules they need to follow, such as not withholding important information. But for example, if you ask the estate agent if any major developments are planned nearby and they say there are none that they’re aware of, it doesn’t mean there isn’t – they may simply not know about it. And if you find out later that development works are planned and you believe the estate agent did know and deliberately misled you, you may find it hard to prove it.
So regardless of what the estate agent (who works for the vendor) or the vendor say, you should still do your own research – ‘caveat emptor’ certainly applies here.
It is a good idea to get a house survey to inspect the property’s condition. This is different from a mortgage valuation which the lender will require to check the property is worth the price you offer. To arrange your survey, see our advice on how to find a surveyor when buying a house.
And, selecting the right conveyancer is critical. So make sure you shop around and compare conveyancing solicitor quotes. And whatever your concerns are, make sure your conveyancer addresses them as early in the process as possible – especially if it’s about a potential deal-breaking issue.
When you get important information in the Essential house purchase documents you’ll receive in the conveyancing process, like the Property information form (TA6 form) and the Fittings and contents form, go through them carefully and query anything you’re not clear on without delay.
And remember, buying may sound straightforward but approximately 1 in 3 property purchases fall through (source: Property agents Quick Move Now put the annual fall through rate in 2022 at 35%). So it’s a good idea to get Home Buyers Protection Insurance – this helps cover legal, survey and mortgage lending costs should your purchase fall through. Our Home Buyers Protection costs just £60.
Making an offer: video
Frequently Asked Questions
What not to tell an estate agent when viewing a house
We’ve looked at questions to ask when viewing/ buying a house but there are also some things you shouldn’t say. You should never let the agent know your maximum budget. And try not to let on how keen you are as you’ll need your poker face on to negotiate effectively.
How many times do you view a house before buying?
There is no right or wrong answer but it’s almost always a good idea to view a property more than once before making an offer. People will usually view houses between 2-4 times but do what’s right for you. So your next questions when viewing/ buying a house may be, “when can I next see it?” See what to look for when viewing a property.
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