House viewing tips!

[SquishTheWhale]

Originally Posted by mushumadness

We live on a new build estate and have done so for four years
The annual
Service charge is £140 per household and can be spread
Over the year
If that helps to
Know coatings this is an estate of around 50 houses that have the fee to pay

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That's really helpful thanks. £140 a year wouldn't be a deal breaker

[SquishTheWhale]

Originally Posted by floridasgirl

That's fine for you but they are selling theirs?! I agree with the op, I wouldn't buy a house with no bath and it's a big job to get one put back in. I've always heard on house renovation/selling tv shows they don't recommend removing baths. Families with young children would usually want a bath.

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Exactley, we are having a baby so need a bath, plus I love my bubble baths! I've discarded so many houses that otherwise look good because they have shower rooms so it's a big turn off for at least this buyer. The listings often say 'newly fitted' like they've done it on purpose to try and sell the house! Of course that could just be estate agent speak.

[WhereIBelong]

If a walk in shower has been used to replace a bath, it is an easy job to put a bath back in (and would be an easy reason to use to offer below asking price)

[SquishTheWhale]

Originally Posted by CAD

I haven't read the whole thread so don't know if anyone has mentioned it.

But check the land the house is on. Make sure it's a true freehold and avoid leasehold.

We bought a leasehold house 7 years ago and didn't realise (our first house), now we are in a house with ground rents that increase every 5 years.

The government have banned selling of new builds as leaseholds (apart from flats) but building companies are selling houses as "freehold" but adding restrictive covenants (such as no pets, or no sky dishes/tv aerials etc.) and placing charges on having them removed (commonly nicknamed as fleece hold).

My advice is make sure you get a good solicitor (even if it costs a little more) and don't make the mistake we did by using the house builders/estate agents "recommended" solicitor. Pick your own to ensure they are truly impartial.

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Really good ppints thanks. We can't afford a new build but still something we will definitley check. No way do we want to buy and be restricted by silly conditions, we may as well still be renting!

[SquishTheWhale]

Originally Posted by WhereIBelong

If a walk in shower has been used to replace a bath, it is an easy job to put a bath back in (and would be an easy reason to use to offer below asking price)

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Honestly I know nothing about this, would it be easy? Someone above said it was a big job! If it's £1000s to change then we just won't have the money for it any time soon and I would miss a bath so much. I'm probably a weird one but I hate showers and only use one if I have to.

[SquishTheWhale]

Originally Posted by CAD

Yes, please check it will save you a lot of hassle and that includes any house you buy (as there are a lot of older houses that have dormant leases which investors are buying up).

For example, our lease charges £100 if we want to change our mortgage provider. Or if we want to change our path from the slabs to paving we have to pay a £150 admin fee (and even then they can reject the request and keep the money). If we want to sell our house we have to pay £500 for a leasehold pack which advises the new buyers of all the condition and restrictions (which is great for the new buyer, but we never got anything like that).

There are loads of restrictions that we were not made aware of. We have since tried to take action against the original solicitor (who was recommended by the house builder), however they have since stopped trading and our new solicitor has basically said it would be very difficult to prove now as they have destroyed the paper work.

There are hundreds of people affected by this (quick search on Facebook will show you), and we are now in a position where we want to sell our house but I suspect we will have to reduce from the "valuation" as anyone who has done their research will run a mile.

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Oh wow that sucks for you, it really seems like you got done. I hope you find a buyer who loves the house so much they aren't bothered by the conditions.

[alkel2730]

Hi there,

I’m sorry I haven’t read the whole thread but I just saw the photo - is it a 3 storey town house?
I don’t want to put you off but I own one now that I’ve just PX’d. We were exactly the same and moved in before kids then had kids so I have some experience on 3 storey houses and young kids.

We are moving to a new build with an indefinite service charge so I wouldn’t personally worry too much about that, I think it’s quite common. Ours is £125 and covers the communal areas and whatnot.
With a young child you really need a bath so that one thing you’ll have to consider.
The parking does ring alarm bells for me too as this type of stuff can cause no end of neighbour issues.

Schools I would t worry too much about chances are it’s like here as I have one very close and one a little further away and the latter is better. My oldest goes to the latter. So the catchment will probably be like here and it’s either school. Plus you’ve time to change your mind, as your little one may form friends who go to the other school.

[SquishTheWhale]

Originally Posted by alkel2730

Hi there,

I’m sorry I haven’t read the whole thread but I just saw the photo - is it a 3 storey town house?
I don’t want to put you off but I own one now that I’ve just PX’d. We were exactly the same and moved in before kids then had kids so I have some experience on 3 storey houses and young kids.

We are moving to a new build with an indefinite service charge so I wouldn’t personally worry too much about that, I think it’s quite common. Ours is £125 and covers the communal areas and whatnot.
With a young child you really need a bath so that one thing you’ll have to consider.
The parking does ring alarm bells for me too as this type of stuff can cause no end of neighbour issues.

Schools I would t worry too much about chances are it’s like here as I have one very close and one a little further away and the latter is better. My oldest goes to the latter. So the catchment will probably be like here and it’s either school. Plus you’ve time to change your mind, as your little one may form friends who go to the other school.

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Thank you, yes it's a 3 story town house we are looking at. The master suite is on the top floor and the other bedrooms on the second- I don't know if that would be a total pain in the bum with kids?!

Definitely want a bath, both for me and baby lol.

Good to know on the schools thing. The one slightly further away is better ofstead rated but obviously that can change. The main reason for preference is one is a religious school and one isn't, and we have strong feelings one way about that.

[barryp1]

You seem to be tempted by the 4 bedrooms for the money you can afford rather than a better smaller house. People are always kind on the Dibb but all of the negative comments made so far seem very understated.

I would look elsewhere.

[SquishTheWhale]

Originally Posted by barryp1

You seem to be tempted by the 4 bedrooms for the money you can afford rather than a better smaller house. People are always kind on the Dibb but all of the negative comments made so far seem very understated.

I would look elsewhere.

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I understand some of the comments but it's not only about the size, to us the house is lovely and there isn't a 'better' smaller house that we have seen. It's personal taste surely- we like this style of house. Other people like country cottages with 'character', we hate them. Personal taste and what suits our needs.

We aren't set on this house , it's the first one we're seeing and seems very good value for our budget. The thread was initially about general house buyjng advice, not this particular house. But we need to find out what the service charge is as that could kill it.

I've acknowledged people's concerns, thanked them for their advice and have not complained once that people are being negative, so not really sure what this reply is about. I'm not going to change the type of house we like just because someone on the Dibb isn't keen.