House hunting horrors

Research released by Smile Mortgages has revealed the nation’s strangest house hunting experiences.

From the discovery of stray pets to sightings of the supernatural, the research uncovers an array of quirky incidents; with 1 in 4 people (23.5%) reporting that they experienced an unusual encounter in their search for the perfect home.

Top 10 Strangest House Viewings:

Discovered that the owners had given each of their pets their own bedroom
Arrived to find the roof had fallen in
Experienced a spooky ghost like presence
Split up with a partner due to an argument over a potential house purchase
Ended up making friends with the people selling
Looked around the wrong house
Got locked in the house whilst viewing
Found someone in the house sleeping it off after a drinking session
Found a stray pet left behind
Walked in on a couple together in the bedroom

Other bizarre findings, which not surprisingly put off prospective buyers, included the discovery of the sellers sex habits posted on the fridge, a dead pigeon found in the bathroom and a discovery that someone asleep upstairs had already purchased the house John Barker, Head of Mortgages at Smile comments “Searching for a house can be a stressful experience for many people. However if people plan ahead with regards to their finances, it will enable them to feel much better prepared for when they do eventually find their perfect home.”

It is perhaps therefore a relief to many house hunters that the research shows the majority of people view less than 5 houses (43%) and take less than 3 months (33%) before they find their ideal house. However at the other end of the scale there are some dedicated house hunters who devote years and end up visiting over 100 properties (1%) in search of their dream home.

Smile recommends that house viewers should make a checklist of their priorities before visiting any properties, taking into account factors such as the location, size, local amenities, surrounding areas and council tax banding of the property.

John Barker adds, “Although it is all too easy to get carried away when we finally find the property we want, it is important at this stage to consider what may happen in the future. Choosing a flexible mortgage for the new property will provide peace of mind for any life changes such as moving jobs, marriage or children.”