When prospecting a house, it is advised to concentrate on the interior but not to forget the exterior. That done, look at the other facets of the property. Is there a nearby waterway like a river or a creek? It may be a source of pests like insects and rats. Is there a dump site nearby or even a church. You know, a church is a place of worship but it is a bane to the residents of the area since parking on the street is prevalent. For a residential house, the best is in a secondary street with no disturbances like passing vehicles.
One of the concerns I usually ask and take note of when prospecting a lot is the potential for flooding or landslides. Whenever I come across a property that is being sold way cheaper than I expected it to be, my "too good to be true" instincts come up. I start to ask questions about the history of the place and the experiences of nearby residents with calamities and stuff. I also prefer buying properties which are not too clogged or surrounded with houses which are too close to each other because of the potential inclusion of fire hazards.
My old house had a sewer system installed essentially in the backyard. It was just slightly outside of the property line. This was apparently known to be slated to be installed before the house purchased but also downplayed by the realtor. The city very poorly placed the ventilation, so our backyard often smelled like shit, literally.
One prime consideration when buying a house is amenities. Availability of water and reliable electricity for example cannot be taken for granted. Security is paramount. As for safety issues, the building inspectorate department should do its homework to ensure compliance. In many countries there are regulations governing environmental issues when it comes to housing. An environmental impact assessment (EIA) should be carried out to rule out potential hazards.
Oh yes, utilities are very important. I remember my husband telling his life story. When he was a boy, they moved to Mandaluyong, then a town, now a city, with no water distributor and no electricity. The water came after 6 months and the electricity after more than a year. And since the place looked remote at that time, it was scary at night for it is very dark when the moon was not around. He said that all they hear are the croaking of frogs at night when it rains. And aside from the utilities, the roads are also important. Can you imagine living in a place where the roads are dusty during summer and muddy during the rainy season?
