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Safety, noise and smells are main buyer concerns

Tuesday, 10 January 2012 1:10 PM

Estate agents rarely tell home buyers the main things they want to know before committing to a purchase, according to a survey by 1st Property Lawyers.

The conveyancing firm found that 93 per cent of more than 1,200 buyers surveyed would like information that is not normally flagged up by the agent.

Top of their list is wondering whether the neighbourhood is safe (87 per cent) followed by asking if the neighbours are noisy (84 per cent).

And 81 per cent would like to know whether there are any problems with the property's plumbing or electrics.

Concern about noise and smells accounts for the next three on the list of questions, with 79 per cent wanting to know if there are unpleasant smells from a nearby sewage works, 74 per cent if there is excessive noise from nearby roads or train lines and 69 per cent if the neighbours have noisy parties.

The final three questions are whether the road is used as a cut-through, if the property is under a flight path and if the road is used for parking by non-residents.

Mark Montgomery, commercial director at 1st Property Lawyers, said: "We believe that estate agents should be more proactive in providing more detailed information to the buyer on the property, neighbours and neighbourhood during a viewing.

"Buyers shouldn't feel uncomfortable about doing what is needed to investigate a property and an area in more detail.

"On the contrary, estate agents should be encouraging this behaviour from buyers and could help further by suggesting a buyer visits the property at different times of the day, as well as at weekends, to help gauge the levels of noise, traffic and other activity they can expect were they to move in."

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