Buying a home: what to check before you commit

Use the same checklist at every viewing

Separate essential needs from preferences. Try the entrance, bathroom and bedroom routes, particularly if step-free access matters to your household. Consider noise, local services and the work involved in looking after the property. Consistent notes make several viewings easier to compare.

Check the building and the legal position separately

Fresh decoration does not establish the condition of the roof, wiring or hidden damp. Arrange an independent assessment appropriate to the property. A condition inspection and the legal work involved in buying serve different purposes.

• Request property information, known defect details and records of previous alterations.
• Check that past changes and the intended use have the required local approvals.
• Have a locally qualified professional investigate ownership, third-party rights and contract terms.
• For shared ownership of a building, investigate regular charges, reserves and planned work.

Build the full acquisition budget

List locally applicable taxes and fees, inspections, immediate repairs, moving and furnishing separately. Obtain figures for the actual transaction instead of borrowing a percentage from another country. Review ongoing payments and maintenance as well. Assistance that has not been approved is not available cash.

Choose who works for you

Ask agents and professional advisers whom they represent, what their work includes and who pays them. Check local authorisation and the written engagement. A seller’s recommendation is not an independent assessment. WOHNALIO does not rank local agents on this page.

Before signing and at handover

Find out when each document or payment creates a commitment and which conditions remain open. Purchase processes vary by jurisdiction. At handover, record meter readings, keys, agreed documents and unresolved defects. Keep the record with the purchase paperwork.

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