Hello everyone, today around midday my wife’s grandmother called and said we could go see a house tomorrow. An acquaintance is moving into a care home and is selling her house. Apparently, there are already a few interested parties, but the lady knew that we are also looking and wants to give us priority.
At the moment, we don’t have any photos or information about the construction year, asking price, or anything similar. I’m currently reading up on what to pay particular attention to during a house viewing. I won’t be able to get a professional inspector on short notice. I think we will definitely bring someone along later if we like the house. Long story short, what should I absolutely find out and what should I watch for? This is our very first house viewing.
Basic details: village (2,000 inhabitants) in the Lake Constance region – so, as you might expect, a very limited supply everywhere.
Thanks for any tips that even a layperson can check.
At the moment, we don’t have any photos or information about the construction year, asking price, or anything similar. I’m currently reading up on what to pay particular attention to during a house viewing. I won’t be able to get a professional inspector on short notice. I think we will definitely bring someone along later if we like the house. Long story short, what should I absolutely find out and what should I watch for? This is our very first house viewing.
Basic details: village (2,000 inhabitants) in the Lake Constance region – so, as you might expect, a very limited supply everywhere.
Thanks for any tips that even a layperson can check.
N
nordanney27 Aug 2021 23:26Grashalm schrieb:
How would you interpret this based on your experience? This is a house typical of its construction period that has not been updated to current standards but remains habitable without any significant negative features (except for plaster and masonry issues). So, you are buying a house that, as it stands now, was modern and appropriate at the time it was built but is no longer considered so today.
To put it simply: You are buying a car from 1970 that has been driven continuously up to today and still runs fine. However, it is not a new model from 2021—neither technically nor visually.
nordanney schrieb:
To put it simply: You buy a car from 1970 that has been driven up to today and is still running. But it is not a brand-new 2021 model—neither technically nor visually. The comparison is flawed! A car has a much shorter lifespan when considered for everyday use.
A house from 1978 is exactly that—no more, no less. Renovation measures should be planned to avoid it becoming a constant construction site. With proper maintenance, the house can be comfortably lived in for another 50 years.
What I have "always" (so far I have bought a house) found important is what you don’t actually buy, but comes with it, and what you cannot change afterwards: the surroundings.
If you have pleasant neighbors – and a nice view from your window, that is worth a lot. … and you can’t recreate Lake Constance anywhere else …
If you have pleasant neighbors – and a nice view from your window, that is worth a lot. … and you can’t recreate Lake Constance anywhere else …
To me, it only indicates that nothing has been neglected and there are no defects. The appearance and style may no longer match current trends, but technically it is livable.
So, you are buying exactly what you see 🙂 You can either move in right away or completely redesign everything—your choice 😀
So, you are buying exactly what you see 🙂 You can either move in right away or completely redesign everything—your choice 😀
K
Klappradl28 Aug 2021 11:23Grashalm schrieb:
We have received the conclusion of the report. How would you interpret this based on your experience?Apparently, it is as it is—habitable. What you invest in now mainly depends on your personal preferences.The house is probably in demand, and the price correspondingly high.
Edit:
Grashalm schrieb:
Purchase price: 620,000I told you so.