Buying a new home is a huge investment – it’s no wonder it’s considered one of the most stressful experiences of a person’s life.
We all get a little anxious sometimes, but there are things you can do to lower your risk of encountering the worst-case scenarios.
Nightmare 1: Nasty neighbours
Neighbours can make your life a living nightmare – and sadly there are people everywhere who may be out to cause trouble.
The good news is that any ongoing dispute has to be declared on a Seller’s Property Information Form – so read this in detail before you finalise the sale.
This may be a disagreement over boundaries or shared house maintenance.
If you move into a property and find that the previous owners haven’t been completely honest about the neighbour situation, you’re well within your right to take legal action against them.
Solution: Read your Seller’s Property Information Form thoroughly to get all the information on ongoing neighbourly disputes.
Nightmare 2: Awful local schools
Even if you don’t have kids now, you may want them one day without the hassle of having to move house.
We all know that getting your kids into a desirable school is a postcode lottery, so it’s as well to do your research before you commit to a home, if there is any chance you might end up having children.
As well as word of mouth from local parents, you can seek out OFSTED reports, prospectuses and the school website.
To compare school performances in your area, you can use the government website to search and read all the data.
Solution: Do your research on local catchment area schools including OFSTED reports, and ask local parents about their experiences.
Nightmare 3: Ticking timebombs
Every house comes with its own maintenance issues.
Your mortgage lender will get a basic valuation done to cover structural issues and major repairs, but you should still opt for your own survey for a more in-depth analysis of the condition of the property.
There are various options available, depending on how old the building is and how much detail you would like. Some surveyors will go as far as checking the attic and the floorboards, while other reports are more cursory.
The Home Owners Alliance recommends contracting a RICS accredited surveyor to carry out the work.
Solution: Get your own survey done – the more detailed you can afford, the better, especially for older properties.
Nightmare 4: My new home flooding
Flooding is a real risk in the UK, with climate change accounting for rising sea levels that will see some of our beloved coastal towns and other low-lying places submerged.
That means you have to be pragmatic when it comes to your house hunt.
How do you know if a place is prone to flooding?
First of all, you can find out if your home has a history of flooding, by using a quick postcode search tool on the government website.
Additionally, you can have a Flood Risk Survey carried out – This can be done along with a RICS level 3 survey if you choose to have this in addition to your mortgage valuation.
Solution: Check your address for a flood history and purchase a flood risk assessment.
Nightmare 5: Having nowhere to live!
When you’re in a chain and you’re worried you might end up between homes, squeezing the whole family back into Mum’s spare room and Dad’s garage, the stress reaches new heights.
While we can’t put you up here, we can certainly take care of your belongings for as long as you need to get moved into your new home.
We’ll pick up your boxes and take them to one of our affordable storage warehouses in London.
We’ll even take care of packing if you like!
We take extra care of all your possessions so they don’t get damaged during transit and while in storage.
Solution: Give Spring Box a call!
Why not try out our storage calculator to work out what you need?