Our 11-step guide to buying a property in the Maghull area

Finding your next home can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. You could be making one of the biggest purchases of your life, and you want to make sure that you’re doing the right thing.

For you, it might all be about those all-important period features, or maybe an extra bedroom or a bigger garden – but it’s important to remember that what’s important to you might not be as important to other potential buyers.

Some features will be must haves, whilst other features might be more negotiable, so understanding what your requirements need to be will make it easier to find the home of your dreams.

Let’s look at my top 11 rules you need to consider when buying a property in the Maghull area.

1. Location, location, location

They say you should buy a property for the things you can change. There’s lots of things you can change about a property, but location isn’t one of them.

Go and visit the different neighbourhoods in the area. Don’t just drive through them, walk through them at different times of the day. Look at weekdays as well as weekends. Think about transport links with access to bus routes and main roads, as well as amenities. If you have children (or are planning to), think about school catchment areas for schools.

2. Bedrooms

Did you know there are 32,847 bedrooms in Maghull?

The number of bedrooms is a significant consideration when buying your new home. If you need bedrooms for your children, the location of the bedrooms could be an issue. Depending on the age of any children, you might not want them to be a long way or on a different floor to the master bedroom; or if the children are teenagers, the opposite could be true. Bedroom size is also important. Is there enough space for children to study or have wardrobes? Do you need bedrooms for an office? If office space is required, you might want to consider a property with one less bedroom and one more reception room – and it could be a little cheaper.

3. Potential future house price growth

The type of house you buy will determine how it increases in value in the future. Now this shouldn’t be the main consideration, but it is important to consider.

Since 2001, the different types of property in Maghull have risen by different percentages.

• Detached properties have risen by 166.6%
• Semi-detached properties have risen by 175.6%
• Town houses & terraced properties have risen by 168.1%
• Apartments & flats have risen by 158.8%

If you’re a landlord in the area then the level of rent and yield are important considerations. There tends to be an inverse relationship between capital growth and yield (i.e. Maghull properties with higher capital growth tend to have lower rental yields). If you are a Maghull landlord and have any questions on this (or any point), drop me a note.

4. The overall interior size of your future Maghull property

On average a person only views five houses before they buy, and only spends around 20 minutes viewing each one. With that in mind, I think it’s worth having a good idea about the size of the home you require before you start your search. If you have a big family you are going to need a bigger house obviously, yet you still need the budget to afford to buy the bigger home. Will your family needs change – more kids, space for guests or accommodating an elderly relative?

The period the property was built in matters too - the general rule of thumb is the older the house, the more you get for your money. But remember that bigger houses tend to cost more money to run with utility bills and council tax. You can get an idea of the size of the house either from the floorplan on the listing or the EPC.

5. The price you will have to pay for your next home

In the last 12 months the local property market has remained buoyant as Maghull residents were forced to spend more time at home. Many looked for more space - but what did they have to pay for that privilege?

• 62 Maghull detached properties have sold for an average £290,900
• 134 Maghull semi-detached properties have sold for an average £205,100
• 29 Maghull town house/terraced properties have sold for an average £187,000
• 7 Maghull apartment/flats have sold for an average £112,600

Look at the property portals (e.g. Rightmove, Boomin, Zoopla and OnTheMarket) and search for houses that are both available and sold subject to contract. Get a feel for asking prices of the properties that are sold subject to contract as these will give you a good idea what they roughly sold for.

6. Bathroom(s)

Check the bathroom for water leaks. Do the toilets flush OK, do the taps drip? Is there any mould? Separate bath and shower? And do you need more than one?

7. The living room

You will undoubtedly be spending a lot of time in your new living room, so it needs to be right. Do you need a dining area? Does the design and layout of the room suit your lifestyle? Will you need new furniture? Are there enough electrical sockets? What are the carpets like? T

8. Central heating

What type of central heating system is in place, and does it meet the requirements of you and the home? The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) will tell you how energy efficient the property is and how much it will cost to run. You would be amazed how few buyers ask to see the full copy of the EPC – yet you have the right to view it – always ask the estate agent for a copy or download it for free from the Government website.

9. The outside

The outside space of your future home is also something you need to think about before you start your search. What sort of back garden do you want? Do you want low maintenance? Do you want a bigger garden? You also need to ensure the outside of your next Maghull home is in great condition. Or, if it’s a ‘do’er-upper’, does the price leave enough for those works to be done?

10. The loft & cellar

Another thing to consider when buying a property is the loft (or even the cellar/basement if it has one). Look for water damage and evidence of pests that could mean problems in the future whilst in cellars/basements, a musty smell could be poor ventilation meaning dry damp could be an issue. Also check for insulation in the loft - the Energy Performance Certificate will tell you if it’s up to standard.

11. Garages and parking

How many cars do you have in your family? Can you park them all on your drive? Visit the property during the day, the evening, and weekends to see how the parking siutaiotn changes. If the property has a garage, can it be used for something else?