Light, by the hour
The time of your viewing matters. A south-facing living room glows at noon; a north-facing bedroom stays cool in the morning. If you can, visit at the hour you would be at home, late afternoon, and note where the light falls.
Layout: which wall can go
A load-bearing wall and a partition are different things. Ask for the plans; whether the kitchen can open to the living room or a bedroom can grow is a questiat the viewing should answer. The position of the service shaft limits how far a bathroom can move.
Damp and cracks
Window edges, the bathroom ceiling, the basement and the inside of external walls are the first places to check for damp. Fresh paint can hide a problem; look for smell and blistering. The direction and width of a crack matter; a hairline plaster crack and a structural crack are not the same.
Sound
Close the windows and stay silent for a minute. Road, neighbours, lift and ventilation sound different by day and by night. Judge the estate road and the playground's position with the same ear.
Plumbing, wiring and heating
The age of the boiler, the number of radiators, whether underfloor heating matches the floor plan, the capacity of the fuse box. None of this is in the listing; you have to ask and check.
Last word
This is an interior architect's list, and I am with you at the viewing. I give you what I see in writing; the decision stays yours.
Damla Sübar
