Patterson Francis and Associates Blog
Home Buyer Reports
These are in standard RICS format.
It is more relevant to newer, conventionally constructed property. The home buyer report allows you to evaluate whether the agreed purchase price is reasonable, and to be aware of the extent of any repair and maintenance issues.
The home buyer report allows you to evaluate whether you wish to continue with the purchase at it’s present price and also enables you to be clear on what decisions and actions are required, prior to exchange of contracts. An estimate of market value is also provided, based on the findings of the home buyer report, and not the agent’s asking price.
An insurance rebuilding cost estimate is also provided.
Produced for the benefit of the purchaser not the lender, the survey covers:
- Inspection of all visible parts
- State of repair and degree of urgency
- Requirement for specialist reports
- Legal issues
- Valuation in current condition
- Insurance rebuilding costs
How to improve your home’s valuation
Low home and mortgage valuations are a problem for home owners who are wishing to sell their homes. In some cases, they may have purchased their property a few years ago during a hike in property prices and then failed to have made any significant changes to improve the price, or simply live in an area which has devalued resulting in a disappointing amount offered for your home. However, there are a few things that you can do to help improve your home’s value without having to resort to a full kitchen remodel or full landscaping redesign costing many thousands of pounds.
The first thing that you should consider is to de-clutter your home. A person entering your home may see your furnishings and other items as a distraction, especially a home valuator. By clearing out as much as you can, you will not only draw attention back to the actual home itself, but create the illusion of more space. Make your home look minimal and organised, accentuating any pivotal areas of the property so that they stand out.
A fresh coat of paint in the master bathroom, living room and kitchen has been found to pay large dividends. These are the most important rooms in the house and will be what people will be looking at mostly when carrying out a valuation or making an offer. Don’t use bright, eye-popping colours but instead use neutral colours such as off-white, taupe or mushroom; these kinds of colours have been found to visually brighten and open up a room and make it more appealing to potential buyers.
It is important that you tackle the small issues with your home head on and one at a time. Is that tap still leaking? Fix it. Is the cabinet door still sticking every time you try to shut it? Fix it. Smaller issues such as these could indicate that home maintenance has been overlooked and could leave a bad impression for visitors as they won’t know if there are any larger problems being concealed.
Last, but not least, dressing your house and ensuring that it is patched, painted and cleaned is one of the best ways to improve your valuation. An attractive, clean and neutrally-decorated home gives the idea of a large and spacious area. Small changes like these can make a difference of a few thousand pounds in the long run and is definitely worth it for anyone selling their home. Remember you aren’t just improving it for the mortgage valuator but you are also reassuring any potential buyers that it is worth the asking price. Please get in touch with us today if you would like any further information or advice from a professional building surveyor in Maidenhead.
What is included in a home buyer report?
The Home Buyer Report was devised by RICS (the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) to create a standard format for the survey and assessment of properties. First introduced in 2009 the reports are detailed and accurately assess the condition, value and cost to repair a property. The information in the report helps buyers to make an informed decision on whether or not to proceed with the purchase. They are the most popular type of survey done on homes in the UK.
Home Buyer Reports don’t detail every aspect of the property; they look at visible parts that will have a big impact on the value. It is recommended that you hire an electrician to check the wiring of the property alongside the buyer report; this will help you to get a clear picture of the cost of repairs before you go ahead with the purchase. Drains will also need a separate survey by a specialist.
Included in each Home Buyer Report is:
1) An accurate valuation of the property based on the evidence that has been found during the survey.
2) Details about the background of the property and the location in general.
3) Estimated rebuilding costs for insurance purposes.
4) Evidence of damp, including results of tests done, and steps taken to avoid it.
5) Assessments of drainage and insulation.
6) Information about the condition of timbers in the property.
7) Details of issues that require immediate attention.
8) Additional information about large faults that will affect the value.
The condition of the property will be set out in the report using the three ratings set out by RICS. Conditions rated 1 mean there are currently no repair needs. Those rated 2 mean there are defects but repairs aren’t urgent. The third and final rating means there are serious problems that need further investigation and repairs.
Alongside the condition rating an estimated cost of the repairs is also included. If high repair costs are predicted the buyer is entitled to re-enter negotiations for the property and adjust the selling price accordingly. The valuation included in the report is based on the evidence found and the current market values.
Home Buyer Reports should only be provided by RICS chartered surveyors like the ones at Patterson Francis Associates. This ensures that they follow best practice guidelines and will deliver accurate, impartial information. Contact us today if you require the services of a professional and knowledgeable building surveyor in Slough or Maidenhead.
Why do I require a building survey?
Building surveys are inspections of properties and are one of the most all-inclusive surveys available for residential properties, offering a detailed evaluation of the building’s condition.
In previous times, building surveys were known as structural surveys, but they still describe the condition of each element within the house, suggesting any areas that may require further investigation. On some occasions, home buyers may use the former term, so it’s good to know them both.
The surveys should always be conducted by qualified and skilled chartered surveyors, like ours. We’re regulated by RICS (The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors). This is an international organisation which sets the guidelines for surveyors across the world and is the standard of service you should come to expect. When a survey company is associated with RICS, you can be assured that you’re receiving independent, professional and expert advice.
Building surveys are suitable for all properties as they’re versatile and cover a comprehensive number of points. However, they are very appropriate for the following:
- Listed buildings
- Older properties
- Buildings that you’re intending to change or renovate
- Buildings that have already been significantly altered or renovated
- Buildings that are made in an unusual way, regardless of their age
Our building surveyor in Reading examines all of the elements that are accessible in a property and actively seeks structural defects or problems. In the final report, we are legally obliged to include any problematic defects. If you wish, you can request that certain areas be included to cover any concerns you may have.
Items that are checked during a survey include any costs for possible repairs, tests for damp in the walls, any insignificant defects, the condition of insulation, any dry rot or woodworm, and more. However, the report will not go into detail on aspects such as electrical equipment and heating but, if needed or requested, we can arrange for these to be investigated further by experts.
Due to its thoroughness, a survey can take up to a day to complete and the report may take a few days to receive. It will disclose all of the findings and include recommendations where necessary.
If you’re buying a property, it is very important to have the expert knowledge of a professional surveyor to ensure that you are aware of any potential problems. If not, you could be left with unwanted and, unfortunately, costly surprises. Our home buyer reports in Reading, Slough and Maidenhead will ensure you’re completely informed.
Why do I need a home buyers report?
A home is usually one of the most expensive purchases that a person will ever undertake. As such, the last thing that you want to happen is to move in and find out that even more money will have to be spent in order to bring the house up to a comfortable condition. You certainly don’t want to move in only to find catastrophic problems that will require a lot of money to fix. This is why a home buyers report is vital.
These reports are, essentially, a condition check for a property. They provide an accurate valuation of the property and ensure that you are not paying too much, nor do you risk paying a large amount for repairs later on. A report also includes background information on the property, an assessment of areas such as drainage and insulation and general details of problems and major faults. An in-depth visual inspection is carried out throughout the property to ensure that no area is overlooked and to ensure that you are paying the right amount. One important thing to remember with a home buyer report is that, if possible, it should be carried out by a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, like our team of skilled surveyors. This ensures that a fully trained and qualified professional is inspecting the house.
We conduct full inspections and investigations of a property, uncovering any issues or faults which may require significant money and time to repair. All inspections are done professionally and thoroughly, with our reports written up fully following the completion of an inspection. There is no need to worry about how thorough the inspection is as we have been providing them for several years, thus ensuring that our skills have been honed to detect the smallest problems. We carry out our home buyer reports in the standard fashion as dictated by the RICS and they include everything from an evaluation of the current condition of the property to any insurance rebuilding costs.
With many home buyers setting themselves up for an average of £5,750 in repair bills just on a new home alone, it is highly important that you consider getting a home buyer report in Maidenhead, Slough or Reading from us. If you are a first-time buyer, then we cannot place enough importance on hiring an independent surveyor to undertake and write up a home buyer report.
Building Survey Saves Making Costly Mistake
Only a small percentage of people purchasing a property take the time to get a survey done to confirm the condition before they complete the purchase. This is a big risk, and can see you left with bills for repairs and work that you didn’t know was needed when you bought the building. It is very difficult to get a complete picture of the condition of a property just from the few viewings you can arrange. The only way to get all of the details and ensure the seller isn’t hiding anything is to have a survey. We can carry out a thorough survey for you and provide a detailed home buyer report in Slough, Maidenhead and Reading, ensuring that you are fully informed about your property purchase.
There are two main reasons behind people not getting surveys, the cost and the delays it produces. The costs will depend on the size of the property and the complexity. Surveys are essential for your security and to ensure you don’t overpay and get stuck with repair costs that shouldn’t be your responsibility. There will be some level of delay by having the survey done, both whilst it is conducted and while the report is being written. Fortunately these delays protect your interests and have the potential to save you money.
There are times when you should definitely get a survey, particularly when purchasing an old, listed, timber framed or unusual property. In all of these cases it is important to have a professional take a look at and report their findings to you. During the viewings if you see any evidence of damage you should request a survey to determine the exact extent.
When you have the report about the property you can re-enter negotiations if you are still interested in making the purchase. The information you now have will let you ensure the purchase price takes into account the amount of money you’ll need to invest to get the property into an inhabitable condition. For example, if it is going to cost £10,000 to repair the roofing you could conceivably ask for the purchase price to be reduced by this much. You could also request that the owner has the work done before you buy if they’re not willing to negotiate.
When you come to us for your home buyer report in Slough, you can rest assured that the work will be carried out by fully trained professionals with the skills and experience to provide an accurate assessment of the condition of the property. We are completely impartial and have no bias towards either party. We are the number one choice for people searching for a building surveyor in this areas because we offer the best quality work and complete transparency.
