How to visit a property: tips you should know
As you will surely know, viewing a property is an essential element of a successful purchase project, and you should not improvise it. The aim of a viewing is of course to see if you like the property and if you would be ready to live in it. But it will also enable you to check all the information of the advert you read about this French property and its environment (amenities, neighbourhood…). A third objective, which can be vital sometimes, is to provide confidence to the person you will meet: the seller or the estate agent.
First things first, what you should do is checking if the property price is coherent with the average price in the area: having a look at other property ads on the Internet is a good way to proceed; you can also have a look on Internet to compare with other properties in the same area you are interested in. It could be also worth contacting the local planning authorities to check that no future or potential building could hide the view or create more noise.
Before going to view the property, being equipped with the following items will help you a lot:
• A laser distance-measuring device (with batteries). You can find some on any DIY shop, from £25
• A classic metre rule, in case you can’t use the laser one
• A piece of paper and a pen
• A camera (with batteries as well!)
• And a flashlight, ideal to examine every nook and cranny
It’s a good idea to arrive on time for the viewing as French estate agents tend to be punctual with our customers. After the visit you can spend some time near the house, this will give you some time to discover the neighbourhood and spot the amenities indicated in the ad. You will also get a clearer idea of the traffic, the potential sources of noise, etc…
As soon as you start the visit, ask if you can take pictures. If yes, then do not hesitate to use your camera. Later, the pictures will help you easily remember the details of the property. Inside the property, you should check everything. In a house, the roofing is a priority. Indeed, broken or moss-covered tiles are likely to create leaks. Check the loft insulation (numerous houses built before 1974 are not insulated). Check the walls and floors and ceilings for humidity and cracks. The plumbing, electricity and sanitation should in no case be avoided. Pay attention to the windows: are they made with wood or plastic, double glazed? Feel free to measure the surfaces, and ask the person in charge of the viewing for the results of the French compulsory diagnostics, such as the EPC or the “surface loi-carrez” (exact size of the property, which doesn’t include areas where walls are less than 1m80).
During the visit, take the time to imagine the property in other seasons (in summer, when you need to open the windows, or in winter, when it is colder and darker) or the potential neighbour’s noise).
Done looking around? When leaving, try to see if the neighbours are present. It might be then interesting to ask them a few questions, in order to get another point of view about the property.