9 Questions to Ask When Buying A House in Essex

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The 9 Most Common Questions:

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

2. Is there a property chain?

3. What comes with the sale?

4. Are the neighbours friendly?

5. How much does it cost to run?

6. Which way does the house face?

7. After moving in, how much work will be needed?

8. Are you open to offers?

9. When can you move in?

First Time Buyer Mortgage Advice in Essex

First time buyers in Essex may find that their first experience of entering the world of home ownership can be stressful. It doesn’t always have to be that way though.

To help you make the most of any upcoming house viewings and to be as prepared as you possibly can be, we’ve put together a list of nine common questions that are worth asking when it comes to buying a house in Essex.

The 9 Most Common Questions:

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

There is nothing wrong with taking your time to have a think about whether or not you would like to buy a property before committing to a purchase. It’s understandable, as doing something like this will be one of, if not the most important financial commitment you ever make.

A good starting point is to find out how many people have viewed or enquired about the property you have your eye on. This can give you a more accurate idea of how much time you have to ponder before making a final decision.

If it isn’t too popular, maybe you can take some time before deciding. If it’s popular, maybe you should decide sooner rather than later.

2. Is there a property chain?

If the property is currently stuck within a chain, it may possibly cause some significant impact on different areas of your mortgage process.

If there is no onward chain, chances are your process will be able to continue smoothly, especially if you are not part of a chain yourself. On top of this, if the process is not reliant on you selling your property first, you will have more advantage as a home buyer.

This is because you will not have any part in holding up the home buying process. Definitely remember to mention this when negotiating a price with a seller.

3. What comes with the sale?

Depending on who the previous homeowners were, you might find that they have left some items behind to save on costs. This could definitely benefit you.

The items generally left behind are what is called “white goods”. This includes things like washing machines, freezers, fridges and kettles. You may also find that the seller has left their shed behind in the garden.

If the appliances are all working well it is perfect for new buyers who are looking to save a bit of cash until they get their own items and modernise the place a bit. Alternatively, if you don’t want or need these items, it will be up to you to get rid of them.

On the flip side to this, if you are a first time buyer in Essex, looking to buy a new build property, it is worth asking about optional extras. Doing so can see your new home potentially furnished, ready for when you are able to move in.

4. Are the neighbours friendly?

When you are moving into an area that you don’t know too much about, it is definitely worth your time to try and get a feel for what the neighbours are like, as a good or bad neighbour experience can often be one of the more vital “make or break” instances of your home experience.

Once again, if you are looking to move into a new build property, you and your neighbours will be the ones creating the community. This is a bit of a risk, as you will be building a neighbourhood from scratch with strangers.

Of course, first impressions are not the be all end all, but it’s always important to at least have a friendly dynamic with neighbours as you both will be presumably living next to one another for a considerable amount of time.

5. How much does it cost to run?

The running costs for the property you’re looking to live in can very much depend on the specific location in Essex, especially with it being a county. Therefore, it is important to do plenty of research and ask some questions.

For example, find out how much you could be looking to pay on council tax, as well as the average spend on utilities. This can generally be achieved by asking the seller or doing some online research.

Having this information will help you out when it comes to budgeting for a property.

6. Which way does the house face?

Perhaps you are fond of relaxing in the garden on a late summers evening. Maybe you would even like to read a book in the natural light. Whether it is one of these or something else entirely, the direction that the house is facing can make quite the difference.

That being said, some locations can often mean that you have to pay a more premium price for a south-facing garden, due to the fact that they receive the most sun throughout the day.

7. After moving in, how much work will be needed?

Once again, this is a factor that can definitely have an impact on your budget. Therefore, it is important that you find out a bit more information about the following;

• Whether or not the property is energy efficient.
• Are there any damping issues?
• Will you need to change the furnishings?

8. Are you open to offers?

Making negotiations on the price of a property is a fairly standard part of the house-buying process. With that in mind, it’s essential to make sure that you are as prepared as possible to make any offers on a property.

It is also worth having a conversation with the seller or estate agent to determine what kind of offer may be considered too high or too low for the property in question. Find out if anyone else has made any offers prior to your enquiry, and if they’ve been rejected.

9. When can you move in?

By putting aside a date in your diary, you will be able to put together a structured plan for your other jobs, such as instructing a conveyancing solicitor, boxing up all of your belongings and arranging a removal van to collect everything from your home and take it to your new one.

Moving Home Mortgage Advice in Essex

Date Last Edited: December 6, 2023