It’s very easy to be swayed by someone else’s opinion of – or findings on – a property, especially if you’re not experienced in dealing with and viewing lots of different homes.
Banks, solicitors and building surveyors can often approach things in black and white terms, so their advice and findings reflects this.
On the other hand, we are all humans with emotions and reactions, and sometimes you may have a gut response to a house, which may not match the information you have been told by various third parties.
For example, on the surface, a house may look as though it is going to fall down at any minute – but look a little deeper and you may find that this isn’t the case. A little extra work, time and investment could reap long-term rewards – which may otherwise have been missed if you didn’t take the time to acknowledge its potential.
For anyone that has ever bought a home, you will know how easy it is to walk into a space and instantly fall in love with it – and state that it’s categorically your dream house. However, this dream can be completely shattered if the banks won’t lend you the money, the survey has raised issues, or the solicitor has highlighted any pitfalls.
So, it’s important to discuss any problems, as well as the potential solutions – with someone you trust, to decide whether the purchase is worth your time, money and overall investment. You have to weigh your emotional connection against the facts, to determine your outcome.
Think carefully about what they are presenting to you on paper and how it will translate to your life, and the property. Ask yourself questions like, ‘will we lose money?’ ‘Can we add value to it to outweigh the negatives?’ Sometimes you have to go against the advice of a professional, to come out on top later down the line.
Now, we’re not encouraging you to never listen or act recklessly in your decision making – but take what they say and apply it to your own circumstances and visions.
Remember, perfect doesn’t exist! No property can get through a survey blemish-free, so it’s how you interpret the findings that matters.
Work out what your compromises are – and go for it!
