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There’s less than six months to go until the end of the stamp duty holiday on offer by the Government, a measure announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak to stimulate the housing market during the Coronavirus pandemic. The move means that buyers could save as much as £15,000 on stamp duty, with the average bill falling by around £4,500.

That huge saving means that it really could be a good time to move, but with the duty holiday is only designed to be a temporary fix for the market. It only lasts until March 31^st next year. If you’ve decided that now is the time to make that big step, there will be an awful lot to consider in a short period of time.

It’s easy to get caught up in how big the rooms are, the amount of natural light and other incidental details. While added together, these are all important, there are some other less obvious things to look at when viewing properties. Here are some of our tips for things to consider but may have otherwise overlooked.

Don’t let décor put you off

Our opening tip is tough to avoid, but try to look past the decorative elements of any home you’re visiting. After all, interior design elements are generally not too expensive to change, plus decorating allows you to put your own stamp on a property. Try to ignore fittings and focus on the things that aren’t so easy to rectify, like the layout, location and whether amenities like plumbing and electrics are all working properly.

Stay open-minded

You may well be going into the house-buying process with a concrete idea of what your ideal home will look like. You may be picturing a big garden, a central island in the kitchen, a certain type of bathroom or how your furniture will fit in the living room. But the truth is that your dream home might not exist! That’s why you should explore all potential properties in your area. After all, you might be pleasantly surprised!

Don’t take the opinions of others too personally

It’s a tough and personal process, finding your home — only you know exactly what it is you need from your future abode. While it will be helpful to have another pair of eyes look over a property, be it a friend or relative, remember that ultimately, it’s your decision. Don’t allow them to talk you into buying a property you’re uneasy about, nor let them talk you out of buying something that’s perfect for you. This is also true of estate agents — don’t fall for their patter!

Check the small things

There will be some small checks you can do to a house during a viewing to avoid any potential annoyances down the line. We spend an awful lot of time on our mobile phones these days, so it’ll be worth checking your phone signal while in the property. You’re bound to be using your phone while taking photographs, so maybe try and send a message to a friend while doing so to test the signal! We also recommend checking water pressure by turning on the taps and shower. There’s nothing more infuriating than a weak shower and it’s not an easy fix either!

Consider self-storage to make the process easier

If you’re considering making the move, self-storage could really help make the process easier. If you’re moving in with your partner for the first time, you might find you have too many belongings; that could be true if you’re downsizing too and want to store some things while you can figure out what to do with them.

The storage needn’t be long term as self-storage is also helpful during any sort of move. Nearly a quarter of all self-storage is used by people going through a house move and it can make the whole process easier, offering you a place to keep your things while you sort out the finer points of your move.

With our central location just off the A30 dual carriageway near Bodmin, we’re easily accessible for people moving in together across the whole county of Cornwall. If you think that storing with us might help out your group, give us a call on 01726 890880 and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.