Scope: UK-wide planning guide. Practical considerations to adapt to your own home and circumstances.
Before you arrive
Read the listing again and save the floor plan. Note anything missing: storage, parking arrangements, a room measurement or an unclear outside boundary. Allow time to walk around the area as well as through the property. Ask permission before taking photographs, especially if the home is occupied.
Walk through as if you lived there
Start at the entrance. Where would wet coats, shoes, shopping and a pushchair go? Follow the route into the kitchen and living space. Consider whether door openings, furniture and circulation would compete for the same floor area. In bedrooms, look for usable wall space rather than judging the room by the size of the current bed.
- Check natural light and privacy in the rooms you would use most.
- Look at the amount and position of built-in storage.
- Ask about heating, ventilation and any work that has been carried out.
- Note visible staining, damaged finishes or uneven surfaces for further investigation.
- Check access to shared areas and ask how they are maintained.
Look outside the front door
Walk the route to public transport or parking. Listen for road noise and nearby activity. Consider a second visit at another time of day if the location is a serious contender. A quiet viewing in the middle of a weekday does not tell you what the area feels like every evening.
Record questions, not diagnoses
A viewing is not a building survey. If something concerns you, write down where it is and ask an appropriate professional to investigate. Avoid assuming that a fresh coat of paint resolves an underlying problem. Immediately afterwards, record three strengths, three compromises and the questions still unanswered. This makes comparison much easier when several homes begin to blur together.