Tips when viewing a home - House Exchange

When you think you've found a suitable home you need to go and view the property to check whether it's right for you. The other swapper will also want to view your home

This in not an exhaustive list but gives you an idea of things to look at and consider with your new home.

Visit the property during daylight hours. This will help you get a good impression of what the house and surrounding area is like
You might want to visit at different times to see what it is like so you don’t get any surprises when you swap home
Visit on weekdays and at the weekend, just after school finishes and early in the morning to get a good feel for the atmosphere of the neighborhood
It's worth considering leaving the children with a babysitter on the first viewing to give yourself plenty of time to view the property

Don’t be afraid to look behind furniture, in cupboards or check the water pressure. Pay particular attention to the bathroom suite and the kitchen units
Really try and picture yourself living in the house, are the rooms big enough for your needs? Try and visualise where your furniture can be placed
Is there enough storage space for your needs? Sometimes this can be overlooked during a viewing. Are there plenty of cupboards where you can keep your personal items, such as that all important cupboard under the stairs!
What will be left at the property? Carpets, curtains, appliances? Agree in writing with the tenant the items that will be left in the property so there is no confusion later

Do take a good look around the area and ask the current tenant lots of questions. Remember this will be your new home, it has got to be the right place for you
If you're moving to the same area, take a detour on the way home from work so you can see how long it takes you to get there. How far is it from friends and family?
If you need to be close to a amenities such as a doctors surgery or school, go and take a look to see where these are located
Some devices allow you to use a street view which is a fantastic way to discover the local area from the comfort of your own home

If the home you're looking to exchange with has a garden then there are a few things to consider such as size and location
How much maintenance will the garden require? Does it have a large lawn or a small patio area? Are there lots of trees and shrubs to maintain?
What direction does the garden face? Will there be plenty of sun for those summer BBQs?
Is there outside storage such as a shed?

This is another type of viewing which has become increasingly popular. It's useful if you're looking to relocate further afield
For a first viewing this can give you the opportunity to ask lots of questions and get an understanding of what may be your new home
The resident could pre-record a video or give you a live tour
A video tour can give you a realistic view of the room sizes whereas photos can occasionally be unreliable
Make sure you ask to see the view from the windows if this is an important feature to you

Our final top tip - to ensure the property is right for you, we recommend viewing at least twice, as this could potentially be your new home!