When you are house hunting, the whole process can feel like a long, drawn out affair, often you feel like you’re never going to find your perfect home and this may make you start considering the option of settling for one of the better one’s of the properties you have so far discarded. This is a mistake, you should never just settle on a house, you should love it, especially if you are going to be spending the next 10, 20 or even 30 years there.  Therefore, before you rush into buying any property make sure you give it proper and thorough consideration. Are there any questions I can ask the real estate agent or the seller?•    Has the property been on the market for a long time?•    Why is the property being sold?•    Has the house had many viewings?•    Have there been any offers placed on the property?•    Have there been and renovations or modifications made on the property?•    Have there ever been any damages caused to the house?  And if so, how were these fixed? What materials were used?•    What band is the property in in terms of council tax?•    Has subsidence ever been an issue with this property?•    How old is the boiler and when did you last have it checked?•    Are any of the fixtures and fittings included in the sale of the property?•    Is there any problems in the local community or with the neighbours?•    Has parking at the property ever been an issue?The real estate agent and the seller might not be truthful, is there anything else I can do? Of course, you should always consider the answers given to you by estate agents and sellers, and think about how genuine they seem, make sure they answer your questions directly instead of skirting around them.  Here are some other things you can do: •    Whilst you are viewing the property make sure you have a look outside the windows at the garden and the surrounding houses, make sure you have a clear view and look out for any houses that are having building work completed or are constructing anything that might block your view. •    Visit the property a few more times, at different points of the day to get a better idea as to what the house is like all day and all week round, you’d be surprised how a property can be different at a different point of the day. Think about if there are any noisy roads or transportation devices nearby that could put you off living there. •    Research the area that the property is in, check to see what the crime rates are like, how many problems the community has seen, whether there is a neighbourhood watch scheme in the area. Speak to people to find out what it is like to live there and ask them questions about the house, like if they have seen any problems with the house being repaired. This may highlight something the seller and/or the estate agent has failed to mention. •    Check out the local area for yourself, drive around and find out where the things are that you will need, this includes the local hospital and doctors, dentists etc. and things like shops, libraries and the pick-up points of the public transportation system. •    Check what the utility bills of the property are like and if moving here would mean an increase in how much you need to pay in bills.