If your search for the perfect house has started and seems to have a bite, you naturally want to schedule a viewing as soon as possible. In this article, we explain how a viewing works and what you should pay attention to.
Once you have found a beautiful house online, it is time to schedule a viewing. Always send the property you want to view to us first so that we can give you an estimate of the selling price. This will give you an idea of whether the house is within budget.
During the viewing, it is important to ask certain questions, check the condition of the house and listen carefully to your feelings. What do I feel about this house? This is an emotional decision. That is why it is important to include us as a buying agent. We are always objective and do not live by emotion and feeling. We also discuss tricks that sales agents often use and how you can recognize them. Then we take you through what is important after the viewing and we have made a clear checklist that you can go through, so that you can be sure that you have not forgotten anything. We will explain the following elements in more detail:
- Schedule a viewing
- Preparing for the viewing
- During the viewing
- Recognizing tricks
- After viewing
Schedule a viewing
You always do this yourself by contacting the sales agent or requesting a viewing directly online. It is best to plan the viewing during daylight, then you have the best view of any defects and the unique details of the house come into their own. Send the property you want to view to us first to get an estimate of the final selling price. This saves time and energy. We always make sure that you get feedback as soon as possible, because we know how important it is to schedule a viewing as soon as possible. In today's market, the maximum number of viewings is often reached quickly. During the interview to schedule a viewing, also ask if it is an open house or if they really take the time for you. Let us know when you have scheduled the viewing, because we are happy to go along if you can!
Preparing for the viewing
It is important to prepare well before going to a viewing. This way, you always remain objective and don't let yourself be led by emotions. We don't want you to make a bad buy! Of course we are here to guide you through this.
What can you think about in your preparation?
- Is the house easily accessible?
- Are there supermarkets nearby?
- What is the distance between work and your house?
- Are there any gyms nearby?
- Where are the schools?
- Is there enough greenery or is there a playground nearby for the children?
It is also always useful to bring something with which you can take pictures, the easiest is your mobile phone. You can take your own photos of spaces that are not easy to find on the internet.
During the viewing
Make sure you are on time or stop by a day in advance to discover the neighborhood. You can also do this after the viewing. Here are some things to look out for during a viewing:
- Maintenance: Check the condition of the house carefully. You can look at the paintwork, are the doors jammed, are there subsidence, are the taps working properly, do you see damp or water spots?
- HOA: When it comes to an apartment, it is important to know how active the HOA is.
- Deed of division: When were the apartments split? Who split it? Private or housing association?
- Leasehold: If leasehold applies, do you want to know until when it is bought off? Or has it already been bought off in its entirety? This will affect the price of the house.
- Foundation: What is the foundation like? What does the sales agent have to say about this?
- Previous/current residents: Who has lived here? What is the reason they are selling the house? Has there been smoking? What is the layout of the house like? Is there still a lot of renovation to be done?
Recognizing tricks
A sales agent will do everything he can to make you feel at ease as soon as possible. This can be done through flowers, a freshly baked cake or fresh coffee. Often the real estate agent schedules another viewing immediately after your viewing to give you the feeling that it is a popular house. The real estate agent should ask you a lot of questions about your financing options and how enthusiastic you are about the house. This may be used against you in the negotiation, so pay close attention to what you do and do not share. It's always good to mention the positive things, but you can certainly remain critical!
After viewing
This is an emotional purchase, so listen honestly to your first feelings. However, it is advisable to always sleep on it, then you may come to different insights or the feeling will only strengthen. Don't be guided by Funda's photos, but really look at what you thought of it yourself and look later at the photos you took yourself.
