What to check before you make an offer on a house
Compare the asking price with what similar homes nearby sold for, and read the energy certificate. Check the flood risk, and whether the home is listed, in a conservation area or in a coal mining area.
Then ask the agent how long it has been on the market, why the owner is selling and whether there is a chain. Most of these checks are free.
The checks, in order
None of these replaces a survey or your conveyancer's searches. They help you decide whether to offer, and how much.
| Check | Where to look | What it cannot tell you |
|---|---|---|
| What similar homes sold for | HM Land Registry sold prices, or our free check | The condition of those homes, or what was included |
| Price per square metre | Asking price divided by the floor area on the energy certificate | The value of a garden, parking or a better street |
| Energy rating and floor area | The energy certificate register | The condition of the boiler, windows or insulation |
| Flood risk | GOV.UK in England, Natural Resources Wales in Wales | Whether this building has flooded |
| Coal mining area | Mining Remediation Authority online search | Whether this home is affected |
| Listed or conservation area | National Heritage List, Cof Cymru and the council's website | Whether past work had the consent it needed |
| Planning applications nearby | The council's planning website | Plans that have not been submitted yet |
Is the price right?
GOV.UK advises comparing the price with similar homes nearby. Sold prices are better than asking prices, because they show what buyers actually paid.
Look for sales of the same type of home, on similar streets, in the last year or two. Then compare price per square metre to allow for size. See how to find out what a house sold for and how to tell if a house is overpriced.
Our council pages give the median price for each type of home in a council area, with ten years of history and its postcode districts ranked. In Leeds, the median price of standard sales from September 2024 to August 2026 was £248,000.
Once you have a range, our guide to how much to offer on a house turns it into an opening offer. Then check the stamp duty or Land Transaction Tax at that price.
The building
The energy certificate gives the rating, the floor area and an age band for the home, which our free check shows. An older home may need a more detailed survey, and the rating hints at running costs.
See what an energy rating of D means. If the home is listed, read what to know before buying a listed building, because the duty to put right changes made without consent can pass to the new owner.
Ask what the walls and frame are made of. Homes with concrete or steel frames, concrete panels or some timber frames can count as non-standard construction, and each lender and insurer sets its own rules.
At the viewing, our viewing checklist takes you through the condition of each room, the boiler and the signs of damp.
The area around it
Check the flood risk from rivers, the sea and surface water. The result is for the area around the home, so read what the flood risk levels mean and how to find out if it has flooded before.
Check whether the home is in a conservation area, a coal mining area or a radon Affected Area. All three affect what your conveyancer will look into, and conservation areas affect what you can change.
Look at planning applications on the council's website for the street and the land next door. Searches do not usually cover development on neighbouring land.
Then look into the neighbourhood: school places, the crime rate, broadband and mobile signal and the council tax band.
The sale itself
GOV.UK suggests asking how long the home has been on the market, and why, if it has been more than three months. Ask whether there is a chain and whether earlier sales fell through.
Ask what is included, such as carpets, curtains and appliances. Under consumer law, agents must not leave out information that you need to make your decision.
Our questions to ask the estate agent let you build and print your own list, with why each answer matters.
If it is leasehold
Ask how many years are left on the lease, what the service charge and ground rent are, and how they can change.
GOV.UK says that when 80 years or less remain, the cost of extending a lease increases significantly. Ask for the lease length in writing before you offer, and see how many years should be left on a lease.
After your offer is accepted
Your conveyancer orders searches, and you arrange a survey, because the lender's valuation is not one. See what searches are done when you buy a house and which survey you need.
Our guide to making an offer explains each step from acceptance to completion.
Ask the agent
- How long has the home been on the market, and has the price changed?
- Why is the owner selling, and is there a chain?
- Have any earlier sales fallen through, and why?
- What is included in the sale?
- Is there anything I should know before I offer?
Related questions
Is an offer legally binding?
No. In England and Wales neither side is bound until contracts are exchanged. Until then, the seller can accept another offer and you can withdraw or change yours.
How long does it take from offer to moving in?
The government says it takes around 120 days on average from an accepted offer to completion, and that around one in three sales fall through.
Should I get a survey before I offer?
Surveys are usually done after the offer is accepted. Before you offer, look closely at the condition yourself, and use the viewing to decide whether you will need a more detailed survey.
Sources
- GOV.UK, How to buy a home
- GOV.UK, Home buying and selling reform roadmap
- GOV.UK, Extending, changing or ending a lease
- GOV.UK, Search sold property prices
- HM Land Registry, Price Paid Data
- GOV.UK, Check your long term flood risk
- GOV.UK, Check if a property is affected by coal mining
- legislation.gov.uk, Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, section 227
- legislation.gov.uk, Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, section 43