Journal
Buying
6 min read
The first-viewing checklist we give every buyer
Twelve things to look at in the twenty minutes you have — from the water pressure to the light at four o’clock.
Sofia Almeida
Relocation lead
Before you arrive
Walk the street first. Ten minutes on the pavement tells you more about a home than an hour inside it: the traffic, the neighbours’ gardens, how far the nearest bakery really is.
Ask the agent for the floor plan and the energy certificate in advance, so you can spend the viewing looking rather than reading.
In the rooms
Turn on every tap and flush every toilet. Open the windows and listen. Look up at the ceilings for stains, and down at the skirting boards for damp. Stand where the sofa would go and check where the light falls.
The question nobody asks
Ask why the owners are selling, and when they need to move. The answer shapes everything about your offer — and a good agent will tell you honestly.
Questions about your own move?
Our agents answer the phone themselves. Book a call or a viewing, and we’ll take it from there.
