6 Things To Do When You View A Home For The Second Time

Courtesy of Moments Lifestyle -  Sep 28, 2023 | Property

The first time you view a property that could very well be your next home, it’s about first impressions – and these can be very powerful. This is when you get a real sense for what the place is like, the lighting, the space, how big the rooms feel… that sort of thing. Essentially, you’re looking with your heart to see if this could be your new home. 

But the second house viewing? That’s far more serious. This is when you get a chance to cast a more analytical set of eyes around the place, ask questions and do a spot of investigating. This is the viewing that requires looking with your head. 

Here’s what you should do to maximise your second house viewing and make the best possible decision.  

Bring Fresh Perspective 

It’s really useful to bring someone else with you who has your best interests at heart and hasn’t already fallen in love with the crown molding. Someone with a fresh pair of eyes who can draw attention to things you might have missed and generally apply a bit of objectivity to what they see. 

Slowly Drive Through The Neighbourhood 

So many buyers focus on the property itself and perhaps a few other houses in the street, but not enough people use their second viewing as a chance to look at the surrounding neighbourhood to get an idea of what the area is like. We suggest that you do this a few times, at different times of the day to see how safe it feels, if the street lights are working, and where the local shops and transport points are. 

View The Property At A Different Time 

Did you view the property for the first time in the morning? Or the early afternoon? Then make sure you book your next viewing for a completely different time so that you can see what the house is like at other times of the day. This really helps you understand things like how busy the area is, how noisy it is, and what the traffic is like getting to and from the property – not forgetting seeing how light affects the interior of the house. 

Prepare To Ask Important Questions 

The first time you view the property, you might ask a few questions as you wander around. But for the most part, this is a largely private viewing where you go from room to room, getting a feel for things. It’s really during your second viewing that you should come armed with questions to ask the owner or the estate agent.  

Examples of questions to ask: 

• Why is the house on the market? 
• How long has it been on the market for?  
• Are there any offers submitted so far? 
• If the owner has struggled to sell it, then why? 
• Is there anything you should know about the area? 
• What’s included with the sale? 
• What’s excluded with the sale? 
• When is the occupation date? 
• Are there any recent smaller touch-ups or renovations that have been made? 
• Have there been major works done on the property?  

Inspect The Fittings And Fixtures 

Make sure that you use the second viewing as an opportunity to inspect the inner workings of the property. We’re talking about the plumbing, electricity, as well as the fixtures and fittings. 

Here’s what you can take note of: 

• Roof and Tiling: Look for sagging, missing tiles, loose tiles, gaps or cracks. 
• The geyser: Check the condition and when it was last serviced.  
• The bathrooms: Test the water pressure and check that cold and hot taps work. 
• The damp: Look out for mould or a musky smell. 
• The drains: Take a sniff around for strange smells around drainage areas. 
• The plug points: Count the number of sockets and where they’re located.  
• The lights: Check all light switches. 
• The kitchen fixtures: Make sure these appliances are working correctly. 
• The connectivity: Check Internet quality and mobile phone reception. 
• The windows and doors: Make sure windows open/close easily, and that windows and doors have locks fitted on them. 

Compare Costs 

One thing you should definitely do before you view the property for the second time, is compare its cost to the prices of other properties in the area. We can help you with this by giving you access to free property reports. These reports highlight relevant info, including the average selling price of properties sold in the area. Information like this can help you look with your head rather than your heart, because it puts everything into black and white and brings the focus back onto the fact that this is a serious purchasing decision. 

We trust that this advice is useful and will help you make the right home-buying decision.