"When the windows are thrown open to let in the spring breeze it's easy not to notice that they're single-glazed with little in the way of thermal insulation."
Charlie Rearden of Stacks Property Search, says: “As a buyer, it's important not to be seduced by the vibrancy of spring and to look beyond the trees in their early freshness, the bursting peony buds, the dramatic tulip displays, and the immaculately sown raised beds.
“It's like Chelsea Flower Show on a domestic level – this is the season the English garden is groomed for.
“Look past the trees in full leaf – what's the view when the branches are bare? Privacy is one of the most important commodities when it comes to property and neighbours hidden by lush foliage in the summer. It can become very evident once autumn kicks in.
“Where and when will the sun rise and set at the winter solstice? If the house faces north-west it will be in deep gloom for at least four months of the year.
“If there's a magnificent southwesterly view, it will come at the expense of a biting and incessant wind for much of the winter.
Rachel Johnston of Stacks Property Search, adds: “It's not just gardens that seduce in the summer months. As a buyer, you should look at every element of the property and try and picture it in the winter."
When the windows are thrown open to let in the spring breeze it's easy not to notice that they're single-glazed with little in the way of thermal insulation. If a property is in glorious isolation down a private track, imagine it when it's been raining for a week and is only accessible in a 4x4. (Also imagine the cost of regular resurfacing.)
Despite the fact that we spend the winter fretting about the size of utility bills, it's easy to forget the pain of a cold property when the mercury rises. Ask the agent and vendor for a history of utility bills, whatever time of year you're buying.
Clare Coode of Stacks Property Search, says: “Spring gardens in Cornwall are a huge deal, they bloom earlier than the rest of the country due to the mild wet climate. Cornish houses are literally transformed in the summer months but winter on the southwest peninsular can be a wet affair. There's always a huge influx of property coming onto the market from March onwards for the summer when the county and its gardens cover itself in glory.”
Anto Clay of Stacks Property Search, concludes: “We will always aim for a bad weather day for a second viewing; it's just not realistic if a buyer only looks at a property when the sun's shining. Look out for things that will certainly affect a property in different seasons, or even the week or day.
"For instance, schools that will be busy in term time; pubs that will be noisy at weekends; local woodland that may host regular shoots in the winter; farmland that will be busy with tractors during harvest time. Think about what you can't see!”
