r/Glasgow Tools

1. If you find yourself choosing between two houses that are the same price - one smaller but in a nice area and one bigger but in a crap area - go for the smaller house in the nicer area. Bad neighbours and anti-social behaviour don't make up for the extra space. If in doubt, drive around an area at 10PM at the weekend. Listen for shouting and loud parties in houses.
2. Don't worry about getting a longer mortgage (30 or 35 years instead of 25). You can always overpay the mortgage if you've got extra cash. You can't underpay the mortgage if you don't.
3. If you can overpay, do it. Especially in the early years. Each £1 you overpay in the mortgage can save you £2 in interest, and interest on that interest, and interest on that interest, over the years.
4. Don't buy a new-build and expect the value to go up if you sell after a few years. New-builds are sold at a premium to begin with. You might even lose money.
5. If the house is empty but there are still pictures hanging on the walls, look behind them. It's not "free artwork the old owner doesn't want". It's covering up missing wallpaper or water damage.
6. Beware of old homes with a back boiler and water tank. Converting that to a modern combi boiler will cost you a couple of thousand. 30 year old Baxi Bermuda back boilers aren't efficient and are expensive to run, so expect big gas bills. This mostly applies if you're buying a home that an old person lived in for 30 years and never upgraded anything.