Part I: Buying a flat? 10 questions you must ask

Buying a house is an emotional decision. But it needs to be a practical decision too. And, need I say, it is time consuming one as well.

Here, we give you tips on what to look at when scouting around for a house.

Scrutinise the apartment

Visualise yourself in the apartment. Do you see yourself making a home here?

Do you like the layout of the rooms? Are you happy with the long corridors or passages? Where will you dry your clothes? Does it bother you that there are no balconies? Or that all the balconies are enclosed? Is there a lot of wastage of space? Would you be able to renovate the apartment according to your taste? Do you find the rooms too small?

Look at the wiring and the switch board. Do they need to be changed? Will you have to make many more plug points?

Does the house desperately need a new coat of paint? Is the plaster peeling? Do you spot any leakages? What about the tiling?

What about the plumbing? Do the pipes look totally rusted? How many outlets (taps) are there for water? How many bathrooms and toilets? Do they need to be totally redone?

The greater the amount of renovation, the more you can bargain for a lower sale rate. So get a proper estimate of what your renovation will cost before you start negotiating on the sale price. 

A word of caution here. If your renovation includes touching any of the load-bearing pillars, you will have to obtain municipal permission.

If you don't, the managing committee of the society can object to the changes; in some cases, some societies have even ordered that the work be stopped.

After all, changes in the civil structure can affect the building and may also create cracks and leakages.

If you want to enclose a balcony or do some plumbing work, it is sufficient enough to get the society's permission (in such cases, you do not need municipal permission).

Other work like replastering or a simple paint job do not require permission.

Take a good look at the building

Giving the building a low-down.

Does it look shabby? Does it look like it will collapse any time? Are there cracks in the pillars or beams? When was the last time it was repaired and painted?

If the society has not made any changes recently, they may do so in the near future and you may be asked to contribute to it. They do this by asking flat owners to make staggered (spread over a few months) or lumpsum payments for major repairs or paint jobs.

Is the staircase clean? Do they have an elevator?

The locality matters

If your building does not have ample ground for children to play, see if there is a park nearby.

A friend of mine lives with an ailing mother and so ensured that the place she looked for was not too far from a hospital or nursing home. Another friend said that school proximity was more of an issue.

Is there a market in the vicinity? Are there a few grocery stores around?

Is it very close to the main road? Is the noise a problem?

How accessible is the home to public transport? Is the nearest bus stop or train station miles away? Are taxis or auto rickshaws easily available? It may be a quiet and serene location but will it be a tedious effort getting to work? Of course, if you have your own transport, it will not be an issue.

Is it under construction?

If the building is under construction, it is a good time to renovate your apartment and make changes. Maybe you want a door to your room opening in another direction. Or, you want to merge two rooms? Maybe you want numerous plug points across the house.

Check on the builder too. Is he reliable? Does he complete his work on time? Home loan companies have pre-approved properties which they finance. If a builder features on this list, it generally indicates a good track record. However, this is no guarantee that the property will be constructed on time.

The last word

Make at least two trips to the place before you decide to buy it. Don't just decide on the first visit. 

Finally, always visit the apartment during the day. You must see the house in natural sunlight. Also, if buying an apartment already constructed and occupied (resale), you will be able to see the state of the apartment and building more clearly.

Part I: Buying a flat? 10 questions you must ask
Part III: Are you ready to buy a home?