Home Buyers Survey Near Me

How to Choose the Right Surveyor when Buying a Property

If you have found a property that you like and have put an offer in that the seller has accepted, you’re probably looking forward to starting the process of making the purchase and becoming the proud owner of a new home. However, before starting the process, it’s essential to make sure that you have a survey carried out on the property to identify any damage or potential issues that you may not have been able to spot easily during the visit.

Why You Need a Home Buyers Survey Near Me:

A home buyer’s survey is not a legal requirement when buying a home, but it is recommended for many reasons. To the untrained eye, it might be impossible to spot many of the issues that could plague a property – meaning that buying without a survey often means that you are buying blind and might be faced with huge repair bills in the future.

A survey will ensure that you are making the property purchase as informed as possible about anything that needs attention in the home or could impact you in the future. You will have a better idea of how much money you will need to repair the issues and restore the property to a good condition, which can also help you negotiate a lower price with the seller.

Finally, another reason to find a surveyor in your area to carry out the report on your potential new property is that your mortgage lender may require it in order for you to access the loan. In addition, many home insurance companies might be unwilling to insure your property or will raise the price of your insurance if you have not had a survey carried out.

What is the Home Buyers Survey Price?

The price of a survey on your potential property is well worth paying when it comes to the savings that you could make in the future as a result. How much you pay for a survey will depend on a number of factors including the size and value of the home that you are buying, its current condition, and the type of survey that you opt for. A survey can cost anything from £300 for a snagging survey for a new build property to £900 or more for a full structural survey.

Choosing a Homebuyers Survey Near Me – Which Survey?

There are three basic levels of survey that you can choose from when working with a surveyor on an inspection of your potential new home. These are the condition report, homebuyer’s survey, and full structural survey. A homebuyer’s report is the most popular option and is recommended for average properties that are in reasonable condition. This type of survey will include a visual inspection of all the major indoor and outdoor features and fixing, an inspection of any visible components of the heating, electric, gas, oil, water and drain services in the home, and a description of the condition and construction of the property. It will also provide you with further information on any potentially dangerous issues, areas where legal assistance might be required, and areas that need immediate attention.

For homes that are fairly new and in good condition, a more basic condition report might suffice. This type of survey will provide you with a general overview of the property while highlighting any significant issues that will need your attention, using a traffic light system to rate different areas of the home. On the other hand, if you are buying an older property, a property with obvious defects, or a home that you want to carry out a lot of renovation work on in the future, a full structural survey might be necessary. This is the most in-depth survey type that will leave no stone unturned to ensure that you have a full and complete view of the home.

Reasons to Work With Home Buyers Surveyors Near Me:

While property experts recommend getting a survey when buying a new home, only around 20% of private buyers have a survey carried out. However, failing to get a survey can be a very costly mistake. Your survey will help you ensure that you’re paying a fair price for the property and will provide you with information about future repairs that you will need to invest in. Some of the main reasons to work with a local property surveyor to inspect your potential new home include:

Save Money:

While getting a survey might feel like an unnecessary expense when buying a new home, it can be a great way to save your money in the future. Without a survey, you might be going into purchasing a home that has a lot of defects and will cost you a huge amount of money in the future to bring back to a good condition. In addition, it will spot any issues like rot that will need immediate attention to avoid it worsening over time. Around 17% of homeowners who did not have a survey carried out paid at least £12,000 to repair their homes after moving in.

Negotiate the Price:

Another reason to have a survey carried out is that it could mean that you end up paying less for your dream property. When a property has a lot of issues that are going to be costly for you to repair, you can use this information to negotiate with the seller for a lower asking price that allows you to save money to put towards carrying out the necessary work on the home in the future.

Buy the Right Property:

Finally, getting a homebuyer’s survey means that you’ll be able to rest assured that you are making the right decision when it comes to buying your new home. The last thing that you want is to end up regretting your decision to buy a property when you later find that it has a lot of issues that you were not aware of when the money changed hands. Since purchasing a home is likely to be the most expensive purchase you’ll ever make, spending a little extra on a survey to ensure that you’re making the right decision will always be worth it.

How to Find a Good Homebuyer Surveyor Near Me:

If you have found a property that you would like to buy, it’s a wise idea to start off by researching surveyors in your area and getting several different quotes. You may be able to go through your mortgage lender who can recommend a surveyor. However, bear in mind that if this surveyor works with your mortgage lender, this could eventually impact the amount of money that you are able to borrow to purchase the home. Your solicitor will also usually be able to recommend a surveyor in the area to you. Alternatively, speak to family and friends in your area who have purchased a property and ask them about the surveyor that they used and whether or not they would recommend them. When looking for a chartered surveyor to carry out the survey on your property, it’s important to ensure that they are registered with one of the main three accrediting bodies, which are:

• The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
• The Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA)
• SAVA

You can search on the websites of the professional associations to find surveyors that are registered with them.

Survey Vs Valuation:

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the valuation survey that your mortgage provider will carry out on your home will suffice. Typically, this valuation survey will not even involve visiting the property or the surveyor may quickly view it from the outside to ensure that it is worth the amount that you are planning to pay for it. It will not go into detail on the property or provide you with information about any defects and potential issues, so it’s always worth arranging a homebuyer’s survey with a local surveyor privately.

What to Expect From Homebuyers Surveyors Near Me:

Your surveyor will need to arrange a time to visit the property and conduct the visual inspection, which will need to be arranged with them, you, and the seller. Depending on the type of survey that you choose, it can take up to an hour to an entire day. A homebuyer’s survey, which is the most popular option, will usually take around 2-4 hours depending on the size of the property. On the other hand, you may need to arrange for the surveyor to be there for the entire day if you want a full structural survey to be carried out.

Once the survey has been completed, your surveyor will go away and compile a report of their findings including any defects and problems, anything that could be dangerous or requires immediate attention, and recommendations for repairs. This will take up to five days for a condition report or homebuyer’s survey, and up to ten days for a full structural report.

If you’re in the process of buying a new home, getting a trusted surveyor in your area to check it for any defects is a crucial part of ensuring you make the right decision.