What should you do when viewing a house 4
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Be it renting or buying, you’ve come to the exciting part of the house hunting process - House viewing. The house looks great in the photos and it seems like this might be ‘the one’ - so you subsequently made an appointment with the agent/owner.

Bear in mind that it is important to make your viewing fruitful or you could miss something that would end up costing you more money. Here are some guides on what you can do before and during house viewing.

Side note: If you are dealing with an ‘agent’ during house viewing, ensure that he/she has a REN tag. Otherwise, someone with a REN tag has to be with him/her. This is to avoid any illegal matters.



1. Drive By Around The Property Area

You should go and see the property from outside even before viewing to get a good feel of the place. Don’t forget to drive around the nearby streets so you know what are the amenities around and how the traffic is like. It is best to do this at different times of the day.



2. Prepare A List Of Questions

It’s always good to be prepared as things tend to slip your mind once you enter the house. So make a list of all the things that matter to you and questions that you want to ask i.e. How many viewings have they had? How long has the property been in the market? Where can you park? What is the neighbourhood environment like? Or is there any burglary happened recently?



3. Bring Someone With You

Even if you are going to be living alone, it is advisable to bring a friend or relatives with you for house viewing. The more pair of eyes you have, the better it is. Not only it is safer, it is always great to have a second opinion. If you were to attend the viewing alone, the agent may distract you with all the positive highlights, not giving you the chance to look closely.



4. Look For Hidden Red Flags

You are about to spend money on this unit so it’s okay to be nosy. Look up the ceiling to see if there’s any cracks or water stain. Look behind the furnitures and under the rugs, just in case the agent/owner is hiding something. Don’t forget to test the property - check the windows, the taps and water pressure, as well as the light switches to make sure they function properly.

It may look odd doing this while viewing but any issues you spot at viewing can either be fixed before you move in or be used to negotiate a price reduction. If you’re renting, this is something you need to be aware of, or you will lose your deposit for the damage you didn’t cause.



5. Take Notes

Another thing that you should do is write down the pros and cons of each house that you have visited. This will help you to make better and more informed decisions through thorough inspections and comparisons.



6. Take Your Time

This is your chance to see the property for yourself, so take as much time as need to be able to get the feel of the place. Make sure you spend at least about 20 to 30 minutes to view the house so you won’t miss anything, and try not to be distracted by texting on your phone.



7.  Be friendly

Building a good rapport with the seller or the agent will not only make you more memorable, but also helpful when you want your offer to be accepted or when you’re bargaining for a lower price.


There you have it - 7 things you should do when viewing a house. We hope that this list will help you make an informed decision on your future home. If you need more tips, you can read our previous article about house inspections.The most important thing is that you shouldn’t compromise your needs. 

If you don’t like it, scrap it off your list and move on to the next. Do you know any other tips? Share with us in the comment box below.



(Written by: Nisya Aziz, 15th Dec 2017)

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Great article. maybe you guys could have separate one on your side note - why engaging a property agent/REN is so helpful :)

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Yes, this is truly a great info to be shared among all. First thing first, make sure viewing the property or renting with a valid / Real REN. There are many fake/imposter out there. Just make sure ourself is protected.

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@admin_ps thanks for sharing