Homebuyer Report
Escritt Barrell Golding Guide to Home Surveys
Click on the image above to see an example Survey
A mortgage valuation is not a survey, it will not tell you about the potential problems a property may have.
The new RICS Home Buyer Report (HBR) is a survey report and has been designed to give you clear information about the condition of a property, and advice about any serious risks or problems.
It will also give you a valuation of the property to help you decide what is a reasonable price to pay.
About the report
The RICS Home Buyer Report uses a clear traffic light coding system to describe the condition of each area of the property, and highlight any problems your surveyor has identified.
The report is written in plain English and broken down into the following sections:
What is included and how the inspection is carried out
A summary of condition ratings and the surveyor's overall opinion of the property
Features of the property
Elements outside of the property
Elements inside of the property
Services, for example electricity and gas
Garages, permanent outbuildings and grounds
Issues for your legal advisers
Risks to the building (for example any damp, timber and structural movement), grounds, people and other areas
Market value
What to do next
Maintenance tips
A house diagram
For buyers
Benefits of the HBR to buyers
To help you make an informed decision on what is a reasonable price to pay for the property, and renegotiate the purchase price where
issues are flagged before legal commitment to purchase has been made.
To help you to make an informed decision on whether to go ahead with buying the property taking into account any repairs or replacements
To help you to make an informed decision on whether to go ahead with buying the property taking into account any repairs or replacements
the property may need, and so helping you to avoid an expensive mistake.
To alert you to any further specialist advice you may need to consider before exchanging contracts.
To alert you to any further specialist advice you may need to consider before exchanging contracts.
For sellers
Although primarily intended for home buyers the HBR can also benefit home sellers.
If commissioned before the property is put on the market the HBR may alert owners to problems which could later hold up the sale.
Benefits of the HBR to sellers
To make you aware of any issues you may want to resolve, or further investigations to take, before putting your property on the market.
To prompt you to get estimates for any repairs, replacement works.
To help you establish a realistic selling price based on the surveyor's opinion of market value and so reduce risk of price being renegotiated after future mortgage valuation/buyer survey.
