Checklist for viewing a houseso you don't miss anything

Before the viewing

• Have you read the property brochure (Exposé), floor plan and energy performance certificate (Energieausweis)?
• Have you researched the standard land value (Bodenrichtwert) and comparable prices for the location?
• For flats: have you requested the declaration of division (Teilungserklärung), the budget plan (Wirtschaftsplan) and the minutes of the last three owners' meetings?
• Have you clarified your financing limit with the bank?
• Torch, folding rule and smartphone for photos with you?

Location and surroundings

• How noisy is it – road, railway, businesses, restaurants and bars?
• Parking, public transport, the journey to work, nursery and school?
• Shops, doctors and a pharmacy nearby?
• What is the neighbourhood like – well kept, lively, quiet?
• Are there building projects in the area (development plans, vacant plots)?
• Is the plot in a flood area?

Exterior and façade

• Cracks in the façade or base?
• Condition of gutters, downpipes and roof overhangs?
• Does the plot slope towards the house (water during heavy rain)?
• Condition of the garage, carport, fences, paths and terrace?

Cellar

• Smell: musty or neutral?
• Damp patches, efflorescence, flaking plaster?
• Condition of the utility connections, fuse box and water pipes?
• Is the cellar heated or approved as living space?

Roof and loft

• Age and condition of the roof covering?
• Is the top floor ceiling or the roof insulated?
• Water stains on beams or ceilings?
• Is there room for a loft conversion?

Interior

• Is the layout practical? Ceiling heights, light, orientation?
• Cracks in walls and ceilings, crooked doors?
• Windows: year of manufacture, glazing, seals, roller shutters?
• Floor coverings: condition, material, the screed underneath?
• Bathrooms: age, ventilation, grouting, water pressure, mould?
• Sockets: enough of them? Earthed? Is there a residual current device (RCD)?

Heating and energy

• Type of heating and year of installation? Maintenance records?
• Consumption in recent years (bills)?
• Energy performance certificate: efficiency class, demand-based or consumption-based certificate?
• Hot water, photovoltaics, solar thermal?

Questions for the seller

• Why are you selling?
• Which modernisations were carried out and when – with invoices?
• Has there been water damage, mould or pests?
• Are there third-party rights (right of way, right of residence)?
• What is included in the purchase price (kitchen, furniture)?
• When is handover possible?
• For flats: how much is the monthly service charge (Hausgeld) and the maintenance reserve (Erhaltungsrücklage)? Are special levies planned?

After the viewing

• Write down your impressions straight away and sort your photos.
• A second viewing in different light – and, for older houses, with a surveyor.
• Send any open questions in writing to the seller or agent.

More tips on older houses: Buying an old building. The whole purchasing process is explained in How a property purchase works.

Reading the warning signs correctly

Not every crack is a drama, but some signs deserve a second look:

Owner-occupied flat: additional checks

When you buy a flat, you also buy a share of the common property. So pay attention to the building as a whole:

• Stairwell, cellar, roof, façade: Does the building look well kept? Is there a visible backlog of repairs?
• Lift: Year of installation and last inspection – replacing it can easily cost the owners' association €80,000 or more.
• Minutes of the owners' meetings: Were major works approved or repeatedly postponed? Are there disputes?
• Maintenance reserve: How large is it in relation to the age and size of the building?
• Separate ownership and special rights of use: Do the parking space, cellar compartment and garden share really belong to the flat?

Covered in detail in our guide Owner-occupied flats, owners' associations (WEG) and service charges.

Documents you should have seen before buying

This list largely matches the Checklist for buyers.

Regional checkpoints in Upper Franconia

Some issues play a bigger role in our region than elsewhere:

• Flooding and heavy rain: Plots on the Main, Regnitz, Saale, Rodach or smaller streams may lie in designated flood areas. Check the location in the UmweltAtlas Bayern and ask about natural hazard insurance (Elementarschadenversicherung).
• Radon: In parts of the Fichtelgebirge and the Frankenwald, the natural noble gas radon can enter cellars and ground floors from the granite subsoil. Bavaria has designated radon precaution areas; the Bavarian Environment Agency provides information on them. A measurement over a few months is inexpensive and gives you certainty.
• Winter viewings: Snow hides the roof, garden and paths. Ask for photos from the summer – or view the property a second time in spring.
• Heating oil and wood: Many older houses in rural areas are heated with oil or wood. Check the condition of the tank, the chimney connection and the obligations under the Heating Act.

After the viewing: a simple rating

If you look at several properties, it is easy to lose track. Rate each property from 1 to 5 straight afterwards:

In the end, what counts is whether the purchase price plus the necessary investment fits your budget. Your limits are clarified in the Financing guide.

The second viewing: targeted checks

The first viewing is for the impression, the second for checking. Bring:

• Folding rule or laser distance meter
• Torch for the cellar, loft and boiler room
• A simple moisture meter (or the surveyor)
• Floor plan to compare the measurements
• List of open questions from the first viewing
• Smartphone with a compass app (orientation of the garden and balcony)

This time, check systematically room by room and take your time over the technical areas: boiler room, fuse box, loft, cellar. Open windows and doors, turn on taps, operate the roller shutters. Small things show how well a house has been looked after.

Questions about the neighbourhood and surroundings

What no property brochure tells you is often best found out on site:

• What are the neighbours like? A short chat over the garden fence says a lot.
• Are there plans for building projects, roads or businesses nearby? Ask the building authority about development plans.
• What is the traffic like at rush hour, and the parking situation in the evening?
• Can you hear the railway, motorway, farming or restaurants – especially on summer evenings?
• How far is it to the nursery, primary school, bus stop, supermarket and GP?
• What is the mobile reception like in the house, and how fast is the internet at the address?

For flats: getting to know the building's community

With an owner-occupied flat, you buy not just rooms but also a community. During the viewing, look at the stairwell, the letterboxes, the bicycle storage and the bins – they show how carefully the building is looked after. Ask about the property manager and read the minutes of the last owners' meetings. Frequent disputes, many changes of owner or a high share of let flats are signs you should factor into your decision.

Video viewing

For buyers who cannot be there in person – for example from abroad or from other German states – we offer live video viewings. We walk through the property with a smartphone, answer questions in real time and show specific details such as windows, heating or the cellar. A video viewing does not replace a surveyor, but it is a good way to pre-select. More under International buyers.

After the viewing: preparing the decision

Sort your photos on the same day and write down your impressions while they are fresh. Compare the property with your must-have criteria and your price ceiling. Get any open answers in writing and plan the second viewing with an expert. Only then comes the offer.