Important Questions to Ask During a Home Tour
Environment
What do the neighbouring plots look like and how far are the neighbouring buildings from the property?
Who lives next door? Are the future neighbours sympathetic and open? Do you fit into the new environment yourself?
How do you perceive the atmosphere on site?
Are there any other noticeable noise or odour influences?
Distances
How often do trains, buses, post buses run? From what time does the public transport run in the morning, until what time in the evening?
Is there a bus or train stop nearby that allows you and the children to get to important places?
Could the bus line, train line or postal bus connection be discontinued in the future?
Where is the nearest motorway connection or the next main road? What about the risk of traffic jams?
Has the distance to your workplace increased? How long does the journey from door to door take?
Are there traffic-intensive roads, an airfield, noisy or highly disturbing trade or a farm nearby?
Are roads, railway tracks, industrial buildings planned nearby? Will the settlement be further expanded? Are changes to flight routes planned that could have an impact on the neighbourhood?
How far do you live from your new home? Are you ready to give up the familiar environment? Are contacts with friends and family members lost due to the distance?
Infrastructure
What is the offer of nurseries, playgroups, after-school care and schools? Does the school have a good reputation?
Can the children go to school on foot, by bike or public transport? How safe is the way to school?
Are there children of the same age in the area (prerequisite for a child-friendly climate)? Is there a playground nearby?
What does the range of shopping opportunities, including bakery, butchery, etc.?
Are there doctors, pharmacies, hospitals on site?
What is the range of restaurants, cinema, theatre, sports leisure activities etc.? Which clubs are eligible?
Are there excursion destinations and recreation areas nearby?
Are there a garage or enough parking spaces (busist parking) available? Are the parking spaces large enough for your car? Is there enough space for a second car or motorcycle and bicycle?
Is there a bike room or storage room available?
Control
How high will the tax burden be at the new location?
Site
How is the property located? At most on an unfavourable hillside location without a view? What are the light and sun conditions? What about noise levels?
Are there certain conditions?
Construction zone
In which construction area is the property located? The construction zone in which the property is located determines, among other things, how high the utilisation rate (maximum permissible living space) and the number of floors may be. In addition, the permitted boundary distances are also defined in the building ordinance and in the zoning plan. Such factors are particularly important for later conversions and extensions and can also influence the sale value of the property.
Soil and substrate load
Is the soil and substrate contaminated with pollutants?
Need for reorganisation
Can walls be removed or retracted? Which walls are load-bearing? Can the house be expanded?
Can there be contaminated sites (for objects built before 1990)? Were asbestos-containing materials used?
Is there a need for renovation? What exactly is in need of renovation?
Are there problems with the roof, insulation, windows, sanitary and electrical installations, heating or fireplace? At best, moisture?
How good is the building substance? Are there cracks or other damage to the facade?
Can the kitchen and bathroom be taken over or are investments necessary or desired?
Energetic state
How well is the building insulated against heat loss? New buildings: Are the materials listed in the building description?
Does it need to be retrofitted with regard to energy regulations?
Which energy source is used to heat? Does the heating system meet today's demands? What is the expected residual life? Does the installation of a new heating and additional insulation make sense?
Electronics
Which basic electronic installations were laid during construction? Would these possibly have to be torn out and re-laid?
How do Internet and TV connecters work? Is there a fibre optic connection for fast internet?
Are there enough sockets? Do the sockets work? Are TV and telephone connecters in the right place? Are there empty pipes for additional lines?
How is the cellular reception?
Protection and safety
How is the building secured? Are new locks needed? Is there an alarm system or a motion detector?
Are the protection values according to SIA standard 181 complied with (for newly created objects)? How are partition walls to neighbours or between the rooms? Is the footfall sound insulation good? Are there possibly sound bridges?
Is the house listed as a monument? Are there any other requirements?
Do the interiors meet your needs?
Do the number, size and floor plans of the rooms meet your needs? Are the rooms favourable to each other?
Do you have room for cabinets behind the doors? Can furniture be arranged differently? Does your furniture have space or do you need to buy new ones?
How bright are the rooms? How are they sunnised?
Can the rooms be well ventilated and heated?
How does the quality of the interior design affect? Does the extension meet your optical and functional requirements? Are repairs necessary?
Are there enough wet rooms?
Does the kitchen meet your requirements? Does it offer enough space and work surface? Are all the desired devices available?
Are the floors in order? Do the floors (carpet, parquet, stone slabs, etc.) meet your own requirements or are investments also necessary here?
Does the house have enough storage space (screed, cellar, built-in wardrobes, hobby room)?
Is the property still habitable in old age? Can you live only on the ground floor? Can the house be divided and sold as two apartments?
Additional costs
What are the additional costs?
What do the neighbouring plots look like and how far are the neighbouring buildings from the property?
Who lives next door? Are the future neighbours sympathetic and open? Do you fit into the new environment yourself?
How do you perceive the atmosphere on site?
Are there any other noticeable noise or odour influences?
Distances
How often do trains, buses, post buses run? From what time does the public transport run in the morning, until what time in the evening?
Is there a bus or train stop nearby that allows you and the children to get to important places?
Could the bus line, train line or postal bus connection be discontinued in the future?
Where is the nearest motorway connection or the next main road? What about the risk of traffic jams?
Has the distance to your workplace increased? How long does the journey from door to door take?
Are there traffic-intensive roads, an airfield, noisy or highly disturbing trade or a farm nearby?
Are roads, railway tracks, industrial buildings planned nearby? Will the settlement be further expanded? Are changes to flight routes planned that could have an impact on the neighbourhood?
How far do you live from your new home? Are you ready to give up the familiar environment? Are contacts with friends and family members lost due to the distance?
Infrastructure
What is the offer of nurseries, playgroups, after-school care and schools? Does the school have a good reputation?
Can the children go to school on foot, by bike or public transport? How safe is the way to school?
Are there children of the same age in the area (prerequisite for a child-friendly climate)? Is there a playground nearby?
What does the range of shopping opportunities, including bakery, butchery, etc.?
Are there doctors, pharmacies, hospitals on site?
What is the range of restaurants, cinema, theatre, sports leisure activities etc.? Which clubs are eligible?
Are there excursion destinations and recreation areas nearby?
Are there a garage or enough parking spaces (busist parking) available? Are the parking spaces large enough for your car? Is there enough space for a second car or motorcycle and bicycle?
Is there a bike room or storage room available?
Control
How high will the tax burden be at the new location?
Site
How is the property located? At most on an unfavourable hillside location without a view? What are the light and sun conditions? What about noise levels?
Are there certain conditions?
Construction zone
In which construction area is the property located? The construction zone in which the property is located determines, among other things, how high the utilisation rate (maximum permissible living space) and the number of floors may be. In addition, the permitted boundary distances are also defined in the building ordinance and in the zoning plan. Such factors are particularly important for later conversions and extensions and can also influence the sale value of the property.
Soil and substrate load
Is the soil and substrate contaminated with pollutants?
Need for reorganisation
Can walls be removed or retracted? Which walls are load-bearing? Can the house be expanded?
Can there be contaminated sites (for objects built before 1990)? Were asbestos-containing materials used?
Is there a need for renovation? What exactly is in need of renovation?
Are there problems with the roof, insulation, windows, sanitary and electrical installations, heating or fireplace? At best, moisture?
How good is the building substance? Are there cracks or other damage to the facade?
Can the kitchen and bathroom be taken over or are investments necessary or desired?
Energetic state
How well is the building insulated against heat loss? New buildings: Are the materials listed in the building description?
Does it need to be retrofitted with regard to energy regulations?
Which energy source is used to heat? Does the heating system meet today's demands? What is the expected residual life? Does the installation of a new heating and additional insulation make sense?
Electronics
Which basic electronic installations were laid during construction? Would these possibly have to be torn out and re-laid?
How do Internet and TV connecters work? Is there a fibre optic connection for fast internet?
Are there enough sockets? Do the sockets work? Are TV and telephone connecters in the right place? Are there empty pipes for additional lines?
How is the cellular reception?
Protection and safety
How is the building secured? Are new locks needed? Is there an alarm system or a motion detector?
Are the protection values according to SIA standard 181 complied with (for newly created objects)? How are partition walls to neighbours or between the rooms? Is the footfall sound insulation good? Are there possibly sound bridges?
Is the house listed as a monument? Are there any other requirements?
Do the interiors meet your needs?
Do the number, size and floor plans of the rooms meet your needs? Are the rooms favourable to each other?
Do you have room for cabinets behind the doors? Can furniture be arranged differently? Does your furniture have space or do you need to buy new ones?
How bright are the rooms? How are they sunnised?
Can the rooms be well ventilated and heated?
How does the quality of the interior design affect? Does the extension meet your optical and functional requirements? Are repairs necessary?
Are there enough wet rooms?
Does the kitchen meet your requirements? Does it offer enough space and work surface? Are all the desired devices available?
Are the floors in order? Do the floors (carpet, parquet, stone slabs, etc.) meet your own requirements or are investments also necessary here?
Does the house have enough storage space (screed, cellar, built-in wardrobes, hobby room)?
Is the property still habitable in old age? Can you live only on the ground floor? Can the house be divided and sold as two apartments?
Additional costs
What are the additional costs?