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Buying a property is always going to be a deeply personal decision. What may be a dream home for one family could be a nightmare for another.
There are the obvious elements that make you choose a home, such as location and what you can buy within your budget. But in my experience those are rarely the factors that make a buyer fall in love with a house – or go off it completely.
Being situated close to a Waitrose is certainly handy, but is it the thing that turns a house into your forever home? I doubt it.
There are a few elements that may not fall into the make-or-break category, but are worth giving some thought to.
It’s always a good idea to avoid homes right on a main road. Perhaps you don’t mind the noise and pollution now. Maybe it is your first home, close to work and near where your friends live, but you may well mind in a few years.
The same applies for living under a flight path; great for short trips to the airport, but what is the pay-off? Personally, I’m not sure it’s worth it. It is also worth thinking about what happens when it comes to reselling. Even if it doesn’t bother you at the moment, could the noise make selling harder or slower in years to come?
It comes down to the “five years ahead” principle that I have mentioned before in this column. When you’re buying, try to think of what you will need and want from your home in five years.
And then there is the question of neighbours. Good neighbours can make a real difference to your life and the enjoyment of your home, whereas bad ones can make life particularly difficult.
There are few things that would upset me more than really not liking my neighbours.
The last thing you want when you are coming out of your front door is to feel tense, anxious that you’re going to run into someone you don’t like. It changes the whole experience of where you live.
Of course, tricky neighbours could sell up in the future, in which case you’ll have new neighbours anyway. But you might as well try and start with some comfort.
There are some protections in place for this. Sellers must declare if they have had a dispute with their neighbours. However, this could be historic and may not give a fair reflection of the relationship today.
My approach is always to ask around. If you can get to know the sellers and build up trust, not only will it aid the sale process, but they may be more candid.
Admittedly they’re unlikely to say outright that their neighbours are a nightmare, but you can often tell a lot from what is not said.
You could always go round and introduce yourself at the outset, explaining that you are thinking of moving in next door. It’ll get you started on the right footing.
While you are asking about neighbours, it may be worth finding out about the types of buyers in the area, as it could impact selling further down the line. For example, if you are a young couple buying your first property in a block of new-build flats, there are others likely to be doing the same.
Does this mean that in three years you will all be trying to sell at the same time when you want to move up the ladder? Possibly.
But, that said, I am not down on new-builds. More housing stock is always a good thing. And, as with most types of property, there are gems to be found.
In a block of flats look for the ones with unique features. It helps if you’ve got something that makes your property stand out from a hundred others, so it’s worth viewing more than one flat in a building.
Does one flat have better light, or better proportions than another? Do any of them have a nicer view? (Although these can be seasonal, so bear that in mind.)
My favourite choice in a block is the top floor corner flat where you have no one above you and light on multiple sides.
This is the sort of thing that I find can be a difference when going for viewings, the bonus element that can make a potential buyer fall in love with one property over another.
Among older housing stock I always look out for purpose-built flats. They are often Victorian-built and they look like other terraced houses. They’re rare now, but they are great flats if you can find them. They have their own front door and because they were built to be flats, not conversions, are properly proportioned.
I am also a fan of ex-local authority housing, much of it built in the 1960s. They make great flats: they rent incredibly well, are usually structurally sound and well located. Admittedly they don’t look pretty, but they are purpose built, so they work.
Ex-local authority homes may have a slight discount in terms of cost per square foot in comparison with other properties nearby, but then you should also accept that you’re likely to sell at a discount.
Similarly I am a huge fan of the houses in industrial towns like Sheffield, Leeds or Manchester. These areas used to be wealthy centres of trade and the merchants built themselves gorgeous houses with great architecture. Port towns are also good examples, including Liverpool, Southampton and Plymouth.
As markets and the world changed, some of these places went through hard times, but there is no doubt the bones of these properties are good. Always look for good bones.
Nearly anything you buy will need upgrading in some way within a few years, but you will rarely go wrong with quality architecture.
When these Victorian and Edwardian streets were constructed, it tended to be one person who built a street. And the builder tended to keep a house for themselves; if you can identify their property, you will usually find it some foot or two wider than the rest.
They are very difficult to spot from the outside, but keep an eye out as the extra space really makes a difference.
Less exciting, but definitely worth looking at, is whether a property has parking. I believe that parking is only going to get hotter as a property commodity over time.
The cost of a parking space is going to rise quicker than the cost of housing over time. Even if you don’t drive it’s a handy selling point and you can even rent the space out online and make some extra cash.
I would even consider applying to your local council to have the curb outside your house dropped so you can park a car if there is enough space.
Finally, and this applies regardless of what type of property you are buying, check the DIY. If I see that there are easy and cheap fixes, that immediately makes me suspicious. If I can see those errors, what about the expensive bits that I can’t see?
You never know what might be lurking in the plumbing, the electrics and the roof. Those are the things that you end up sinking your money into. Bad grouting or an unfinished skirting board are easily remedied. It’s the stuff that is hidden that is a threat.
Don’t be put off if there are tweaks that look unfinished. But you do need to be confident that that foundational work has been done properly. Be sure that the house’s bones are good.
As ever, you can email me with your thoughts and questions: phil.spencer@telegraph.co.uk
Phil Spencer: How to avoid buying the wrong house – and the signs I look out for
These factors may not make or break a home, but they’re worth giving some thought to