Viewing properties - The new normal

At the moment there is a lot of confusion surrounding many of our normal day-to-day events and activities, particularly where buying and selling houses is concerned. After conferring with the legally trained specialists from NAEA PropertyMark team, we advise the following prior to booking any property viewings:

Ensure you are in a proceedable position

You should only view properties if you have already sold your own home, have cash funds in place and/or have secured an agreement in principle for your mortgage. At this time, we can only allow viewings for those who can proceed.

Ensure YOU are not in a local lockdown area

It goes without saying that you should not be entering anyone else’s home if the area you are currently living in is in a local lockdown.

Ensure you have thoroughly researched the property you want to view

• Examine the photos and/or video of the property in detail.
• Inspect the floorplan, including the number of rooms, the size of each room and the overall sqft.
• Assess the orientation of the property. Most floorplans do include a compass but google maps can also show you this.
• Investigate school catchment areas if schools are important to you.
• Check out the street view on the property listing or google maps to satisfy yourself with the immediate areas
• Familiarise yourself with any local amenities you may need, including shops, nurseries, transport links, hospitals, etc.
• Ask the agent any questions you have before the actual viewing 
   
  Finally, before even calling an estate agent to book a viewing we suggest driving to the property area and having a walk around, to ensure the street, location and surrounding area is right for you.
   
  Take note of noise levels, aspect, views, any possible busy roads and how the property works in regard to your daily commute, school run or dog walk.

Only once you have completed all of the above should you arrange to view another person’s home/property with an estate agent, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We know how difficult it is to keep on top of all the rules and regulation changes. We are always on hand for any questions you may have and are regularly checking and amending our procedure.

Stay safe!

Team Wishart