[SquishTheWhale]

Thank you for all very useful responses!

The house is 30 minutes away from where we live at the mo so we've never been anywhere nearby, we definitley need to check out the area. Had a very good mooch around google street view. If that sounds weird for us to buy in an area we've never been to, we can get at least 50% more house for our money there as it takes us out of the commuter belt for London.

From at least the pics that are online, the only thing I easily pick up on that needs attention is the back garden fence which looks on its last legs. Could we use something like that as a reason for offering less than the asking price? DH says that's silly as its onlu a fence.

We will definitley follow the advice to view on different days at different times. Maybe we could go back at the weekend if we like it.

I'm pregnant and this will be our family home so schools are important. There's two primary schools nearby, 0.3 miles away and 0.5. We'd have a preference for the 0.5- is there any way to find out catchment areas? I googled and the only advice was really to contact the school which doesn't work in the school holidays!