Always check there is atleast 4 walls, a window and a door. Check them, then it is probably a house.

ask about the roof. I don't what exactly, just ask about the roof. Roof.

that sort of thing.

Obvious re-painting in large areas.
The general state of the roof.

see if there has been any attempts at hiding things, ask a few questions and get a feel for the place. You can look closer on second viewings and obviously that's what a surveyor is for.

Local pagan cults.
Check out the attic,make sure there's nothing living there.

it may sound trivial, but one of the toilets in my old student house was really weak and it's not a good state of affairs.

try and view the house in the evening so that if there are thin walls you'll know about the noise of the TV / kids being put to bed.

if house prices continue to dip then you need to be sure that you want to stay in the area for long enough to allow them to recover.

so mostly just

Location
Size and shape of rooms, can you fit your stuff in it
Do you like the feel of it
Is it by a busy road? School? Prison?
Garden/lack thereof
Decorative state of affairs
Freehold/leasehold

have plenty boxes of coco pops in them. You can never have enough coco pops.

And make sure there's a hut for your bike and maybe a bedroom or a toilet.

possibly.

The first viewing should be a general look around, and an opportunity to gauge the room size and layout - most of these should be picked up at a subsequent visit:

Structure – check for cracks that look recent. Look for sunken doorframes, seriously bowed walls and sagging eaves and ridges. Ask about the most recent structural check and their properties insurance (no insurer will touch a house if it has a serious problem). Look for rising damp (easily solvable, but can be expensive) and see if there are any leaky gutters that have splashed back onto the walls.

Windows – check the integrity of the frames, are they single or double-glazed? How many years have they got left?

Electrics – ask how old the system is. Look at the plug sockets to get an idea of their age. Get an idea of how much work has been done by the current occupant, especially if it was done in the days before all work had to be signed off by an approved inspector.

Plumbing – how old is the system (radiators, boiler – combi or otherwise – shower etc). If the bathroom suite is a horrid colour it suggests that no work has been done in a long time. Ask when the boiler and gas fire were last serviced.

General – look for hasty repainting/decorating (or refurbishment, as the estate agents like to insultingly call it), covering over mould, and blinding you to the fact that nothing else has been touched. If you’re going to need to get the place re-wired there’s no point in paying extra for a painted property if you’re going to need to chase plasterwork.

Tap the walls - This not only makes you look knowledgable and dad-like, but it will help to establish which walls are brick and which are stud. Brick walls are usually load-bearing, stud walls not necessarily, and so potential for adaptation can be gauged. Tapping the walls can also reveal which walls have ‘blown’. This is where the plaster skim or bathroom tiles have dried out and come away from the wall, but retained their position.

Ask what is included. Does it come with a fitted fridge/freezer or cooker. Will the washing machine be left? Which storage units are fitted, and which are going with them?

None of the above issues are insurmountable with a little cash, but you should factor such things into your budget now, rather than after you place an offer.

And finally, something that you can’t really do anything about:
Location – outside of the obvious (proximity to shops, transport, parks, facilities etc.), pop onto the Environment Agency website to see if it is in a high flood risk area. Have a wander around at night too. See how many windows are broken in neighbouring properties, see how many front gardens are untended (a good indicator or rented properties), and see if you are overlooked by neighbouring property.

and a shed with shelves and stuff in.

but why buy now when you'll be able to get the same place in 3 years time 30% cheaper...?

Oh, someone's already made that joke.

:D

ur mad dude, u'll loose like 10k this year alone.

BUYING?!!?