How To Buy A House - Not A Pup - By: Traderdog

Everyone doubtless knows that buying a house is probably the largest purchase you will make during your lifetime. With the market getting just a touch jittery, the need for caution becomes increasingly important. This is also a buying opportunity for the brave.

This one purchase can be a make or break decision in your life; therefore the stress factor is high. Psychologists say that divorce, bereavement and the purchase of a property are the most stressful periods in life.

Therefore, it makes sense to ask what can you do to make this time of your life less stressful? By careful planning, rational and well-calculated actions plus a large amount of prior research and homework, it is possible to remove some of the dangers that might possibly lie ahead.

The easiest way to start is with basics, deciding whether you wish to buy a town or urban property or one situated in a rural location. This way you will narrow your field of research.

A town or urban property will most likely to be reasonable modern, i.e., built during the 1900's, many will have been built in the 1960's onwards. During the past few years, i.e., last few years of the twentieth century until the present day these will often have been built to a much flimsier specification. The roofing timbers are likely to be much lighter and the specification will have been pared down in other respects. During the 1970/80's there was a fashion for erecting timber framed houses and in some the timbers were insufficiently seasoned. All these points need to be borne in mind when instructing your surveyor, prior to purchase.

With houses and flats being built on even smaller plots there are now even more points to be taken into consideration before signing the contract to purchase.

A point to specifically watch for when buying a modern property is soundproofing. Even some dividing walls in modern flats are only stud work, i.e., a wooden frame, clad in plasterboard, with a certain amount of insulating in the middle of the "sandwich". This is definitely not soundproof and you must ask yourself whether you wish to be able to hear your neighbours switching their lights on and off. Fact.

You must also consider whether you would want this type of wall division in your own house. Do you want your children to hear your every move? Do you want to hear theirs?

If you have teenage children with their own vehicles beware of buying a property with a shared drive. This could be the source of future conflict. Even without teenagers in your household, what of your prospective neighbour and his children and visitors? You may well find your neighbour is extremely gregarious - always entertaining. Will you always have clear access to your house when needed?

When it comes to buying a rural property, this can become a minefield. Do you want a Listed property? Not unless you are prepared to submit yourself to endless regulations when you start maintaining the property. It will even be necessary to adhere to the correct thickness of glass when replacing windows. The frames must be exact and conform to the period of house construction.

Do you want a property with a thatched roof? Again another minefield. Most houses with a thatched roof also have open fires. One spark from the chimney on to the dry thatch quickly becomes a roaring conflagration. Fire engines to the fore. Also the cost of re-thatching is considerable as many reeds are now imported. Then the cost of insurance must be taken into consideration. A thatched roof is not for the faint-hearted.

On to septic tanks. There is nothing wrong with a septic tank drainage system. When it is working properly it is hardly any different to the usual main drainage system. Most people who have always lived in a town find this fact hard to accept, but it is quite true. Just be careful of the items you choose to dispose of down the loo.

Going deeper into the question of purchasing a rural property it is wise to make sure you understand the methods of building, clay lump, wattle and daub, timber frame etc. Then there is the possibility of lodgers - such as woodworm, death-watch beetle and wet and dry rot to be taken into consideration.

There is not sufficient space here to cover all these aspects of rural property buying. It is definitely not so perilous as it may sound. To get a clearer overview read the property pages at http://www.save-money-guide.com and you are likely to be pleasantly surprised.

About the Author

Traderdog is an experienced author, writing from personal experience only, on a variety of subjects. She has recently bought and sold several properties making a good profit each time. She runs a successful web site where it is possible to read all her handy money saving tips. http://www.save-money-guide.com

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