Home inspection tips

"The right date

Anyone viewing a property should definitely do so in broad daylight. Then not only defects can be detected better, but also the overall lighting conditions can be assessed. If you want to know whether traffic noise or trades in the vicinity are annoying, you should visit on weekdays - before or after lunchtime.

Leave enough time on site

A thorough property inspection takes time – and sellers and prospective buyers should take that too. Let each room work its magic on you, pay attention to details such as radiators, windows, doors and fittings. Let us show you everything in peace and then take a second tour. Then you will surely have open questions and you will get a more lasting impression.

At least four eyes

It is also advisable to take a companion with you on a first visit. The four-eyes-principle makes every viewing appointment twice as productive, because everyone pays attention to different things. The risk of overlooking something essential is significantly lower.

Make photos

If there are two people viewing a property, one person should definitely take photos of all the rooms and the outside. They help to reflect on what you have seen later and to clarify any details.

Questionnaire and list of criteria

Make sure that they check your ideas and wishes on the property. A list of the most important criteria that the house should meet and a list of the most important questions that need to be clarified with the seller will help. Such lists simplify the viewing appointment considerably.

Take the floor plan with you

After the visit, ask for a building plan or a floor plan drawing together with a calculation of the living space, or make a photocopy of it. A digital photo of it will do if necessary. Then you can calmly consider whether the room layout meets your requirements and whether the desired furniture would also find its place.

Attention to building material and technology

In the case of used properties in particular, you should examine the walls, windows, doors, roof structure and basement as closely as possible. If rot or moisture has made its way somewhere, renovation work can quickly become expensive. Watch out for possible mold growth in room corners or similar of the furniture placed behind, try windows, shutters and doors as well. Also take a close look at the building services: How old is the boiler? What condition are the power and water lines in?

Energy pass

Anyone who sells a property must submit an energy performance certificate. A lot of real estate listings say it's a work in progress. However, buyers should not do without it voluntarily, but rather insist on it. Only then does he get a comparative value for the energy hunger of a property, especially as far as the costly heating requirements are concerned. But beware: There are two variants, the requirement and the consumption card. The latter only provides information on how much energy the previous residents used on average over three years - and that depends on their individual heating behavior. The requirement certificate is only based on the building material and average weather and is more objective.

Bring in experts

If the property is seriously considered after the first inspection, it is worth arranging another appointment with a building surveyor. This surveyor should be able to identify significant defects that are difficult to detect for the layperson and to estimate the necessary rehabilitation or defect removal costs. You can find suitable architects or civil engineers at Dekra (dekra.de), the Association of Private Builders (vpb.de), or the Federal Association of Freelance Experts (bvfs.de) in Germany.

Visit neighborhood

A property viewing should always include a walk through the neighborhood. In this way, you will be able to see how good the infrastructure is in the immediate vicinity, whether there is a source of noise that is disturbing you, and estimate the distances to shops, schools, or bus and train stops. Last but not least, the atmosphere in a residential area also plays an important role."