How not to deceive yourself: 5 tips for choosing an apartment before buying

When buying an apartment, people often look only at the location, quality of renovation and beautiful view from the window. I don’t argue, these are important indicators. However, there are a few little things that deserve more attention. Sometimes even one spot near a pipe can tell you that it’s not worth living here. Today I will tell you where it is important to look during an inspection.

Redevelopment

First of all, ask the owners whether any redevelopment has been done. Request drawings from the BTI and compare them with the current layout of the rooms. Illegal redevelopment is a reason to refuse the purchase.

Firstly, after the transaction is completed, the new owner will be responsible for it. The fact that the previous owners were not fined is not a guarantee. They will hold you accountable based on documents, and then you will figure out for yourself who is to blame.

Secondly, banks often refuse to work with such apartments. In a number of organizations, you can take out a loan only if the load-bearing structures were not affected during the redevelopment. Well, if as a result of construction work the area of ​​the apartment has changed, you can completely forget about the loan.

Condition... Total

When buying a home, it is not enough just to look at the plastic windows to make sure of their quality. Don't be shy to check everything yourself. You need to open the notorious window, put it in ventilation mode, and tighten all the fasteners and connections.

It would be a good idea to inspect the water pipes together with a technician. I think that a sudden breakthrough when turning on the heating will not please anyone. It is advisable to do the same with gas meters. It is especially important to check for the presence of a seal. It would also be useful to ask the owners to show the registration certificate.

All meters must be installed and sealed only by the relevant services. Otherwise, again, the new owners may face a serious fine during an unscheduled inspection. And if the owners refuse to let the house be examined, they are clearly hiding something. And buyers are unlikely to like this surprise.

Neighbours

You can fix almost everything in an apartment - update the renovation, add sound insulation, replace components. However, nothing can be done about the neighbors. These are friends or enemies for the next few decades.

Neither the owners nor the realtor will say anything about the scandalous neighbor, of course. So you will have to obtain the information yourself. The surest way is to come to the chosen apartment in the evening, when everyone is at home.

Another effective tip is to interview the grandmothers on the bench. Yes, yes, those same jokes. Usually the old ladies will be happy to tell you all the details. It is possible that something will be embellished, but it will be possible to obtain suggestive information.

Area

No matter what anyone says, location is important. It’s much better to live in the center than to shake with fear every day on the way home to some Chertanovo. When choosing a location you need to consider:

• Availability of free parking areas or paid parking nearby. The opportunity to buy a garage nearby is even better.
• Proximity to public transport stops.
• Availability of infrastructure, in particular: schools, kindergartens, clinics, parks, shops and large chain supermarkets.
• Reputation of the area.You can go to your local social media group and check how things are going.

Illumination

Keep track of which side the apartment is on and how light it is. To do this, you can make several visits at different times of the day. The sunny side is good, but you will have to fork out for thick curtains or even air conditioning. On the north side it will always be cold and dark. The ideal option is when the sun hits the apartment, but does not shine too brightly.