Home Reports: Four things to look out for

Buying a house is a huge decision. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the exciting process of looking at listings and viewing properties, but an important factor you must consider is the Home Report.

A Home Report is an essential element of the buying process. By law, in Scotland all sellers must carry out one when they plan to put their property on the market. They are there to help buyers get a clear and impartial assessment of the property and to help them make an informed decision.

It can highlight any issues, of course, but it can also provide some valuable information that can help buyers gain more insight into the house or flat they’re looking to purchase. Here’s how they can help inform you about a potential property:

1. Energy Efficiency

Whether the property you are viewing is an old tenement from the 1900s or a swanky, modern Penthouse, knowing how energy efficient it is can help you see roughly how much you will be paying for your energy bills each year. The Energy Performance Certificate or EPC as it can be referred to not only tells you this but can also give you some more insight into other unseen costs that may come your way in years to come, such as increasing insulation or replacing double glazing.

2. Factors & Council Tax

Within the Home Report there is also a Property Questionnaire. This will give you more information on what council tax band the property is in, if there are any factor fees and much more. You can’t afford to overlook this part of the document either, particularly if you’ve fallen in love with a place and can imagine your life in it.

3. Accessibility Audit

The Single Survey of the Home Report gives an indication of the condition of things such as the roofing and the quality of the walls, however it also details accessibility to the property. For those with limited mobility, this is crucial because it provides information such as the number of steps into the home, if the toilet is on the same floor as the bedroom and what the parking situation is like within 25 meters of the property.

4. Environmental information

As the effects of climate change start to impact our lives in increasing ways, having some knowledge of the environment around a property is important. This part of the Home Report will let you know if the property is at risk of flooding, which can have a huge impact on things like home insurance and mortgage options.

5. Conservation and listed builds

Finally, if the property is in a conservation area, then you may find that there are limits on the changes you can make to the outside of the property. Whereas if the building you’re looking at is listed, then there will be rules in place to help the building retain its character. Both things are vital to know, particularly if you like the look of the place but think you may want to make external changes in future.

As ever, there is much more in a Home Report to look at, but this blog should give you a good indication as to what important parts you should look for. If you are looking to put your property up for sale in Scotland and need a Home Report, get in touch with a member of our team for a no obligation quotation.