Emotionally, we fall for looks and location, but practically, the first thing to check is overall structural and legal soundness. Before worrying about wall colours or kitchen style, you want to know: is this house actually solid and legitimately owned?
On the physical side, look for cracks in walls, uneven floors, damp patches, sagging ceilings, doors or windows that don’t close properly – signs that something deeper might be wrong. A professional home inspection, where available, is worth its fee because it sees beyond fresh paint.
On the legal side, make sure the seller really has the right to sell. That means proper title documents, approvals, and no obvious disputes or unpaid dues. This part is boring but crucial; a beautiful house with shaky paperwork is a headache waiting to happen.
So yes, check location, sunlight, room sizes and so on, but let your very first serious filter be: “Is this house legally clear and structurally sound?” The cosmetics you can always change later.
