Most buyers walk into a viewing already half-moved in. They’re clocking the light, picturing where the sofa will go and quietly congratulating themselves on having found something that finally feels right.
That instinct is human. It’s also where people come unstuck.
As a buying agent, I see time and again that the most expensive problems are rarely the obvious ones. They sit quietly in the background, in the details that are assumed rather than checked, or brushed off as things that “won’t really matter”.
The quiet street illusion
A street can feel blissfully calm at 11am on a Tuesday. Birds chirping, cafés opening and parking that feels almost suspiciously easy. You start thinking you’ve discovered a peaceful pocket of London no one else has noticed.
What you’re not seeing is 8.30am, when school drop-off turns even the prettiest road into organised chaos. Double-parked cars, engines idling and raised voices before breakfast rarely feature in the viewing experience.
Properties are usually shown at times that make them feel their best, not their loudest. See the street early in the morning or early evening before committing. Buyers who don’t often discover the quiet they paid for only existed mid-morning, which can loudly dent resale appeal.
Floorplans stretch the truth
Floorplans are useful, but they’re not legal documents. That extra “bedroom” with a skylight and optimistic measurements may work perfectly well day to day, but if it can’t legally be described as a bedroom when you sell, it quietly disappears from the valuation.
A good test is to imagine the property being marketed again. If that room reappears as a study, dressing room or “occasional space”, it was never doing quite as much work as you thought.
In London markets, that distinction is rarely trivial. Ask how rooms are defined legally, not just how they’re labelled on the plan.
The roof terrace that isn’t really yours
Outdoor space has an impressive ability to switch off rational thought. A roof terrace that no one else can access feels like it must belong to the flat, and buyers often stop asking questions at precisely the wrong moment.
If it isn’t properly demised on the lease, sorting it out can involve surveys, lease variations and extended legal work. Costs can escalate and delays can be just as painful as the bill itself.
Confirm early whether outdoor space is demised on the lease and get it in writing, rather than relying on assumption.
When there is no lease plan at all
It sounds unlikely, but some very smart London flats don’t have lease plans. Properties last sold decades ago can come with paperwork that simply doesn’t exist by modern standards.
Buyers often assume this is a technicality that can be resolved later. It usually isn’t. Lawyers need official documentation, not modern interpretations, and discovering this late can cause delays, extra costs or a deal that stalls entirely. Ask whether a lease plan exists and when it was last updated, even if everything else looks straightforward.
Don’t let furniture distract you
Furniture works extremely hard during viewings. It softens rooms, hides flaws and makes everything feel reassuringly “lived in”.
Buyers focus on atmosphere rather than detail, missing damp behind an armchair or suspiciously fresh paint on one wall. Once the furniture is gone, those issues tend to look much louder and much more expensive. On the viewing, look behind furniture and up at ceilings, corners and skirting, not just at how nice the room feels.
Make sure everything that should go actually goes
Everything you see should be leaving. Old paint pots will not be useful, however confidently the seller insists they will be. Touch-ups rarely work. Proper cleaning does.
Oversized or awkward furniture is another common trap. If it looks as though a crane may have been involved in its arrival, removal will not be simple. Clarify what’s included and excluded, particularly large or unusual items.
The things buyers feel awkward about checking
Water pressure is the classic example. Buyers hesitate, as if turning on taps and showers might be impolite.
It isn’t. Poor water pressure has an impressive ability to ruin daily life and can be awkward and expensive to fix later, particularly in older buildings. On the viewing turn taps and showers on properly. Mild awkwardness beats years of disappointing showers.
Warm rooms and hidden heaters
A very warm flat in winter feels comforting, but it’s worth noticing why.
A small heater humming quietly behind a chair to counter leaky windows is not uncommon.
Proper double glazing is reassuring. Unexplained warmth, condensation or cold spots are not. Comfort can sometimes be staging rather than substance. Look for signs of recent window replacement and check for condensation or cold patches.
How the building is actually run
Flats live or die by management. Some are run with military precision, managing agents, formal notices and regular demands for money. Others are sensibly self-managed and run smoothly.
A low service charge can signal efficiency, or it can mean major works are quietly looming. Ask how the building is managed and whether any significant works are planned.
Most buyers make decisions based on what they can see. The smartest ones spend just as much time thinking about what they cannot. Enjoy the excitement of imagining life in a new home, but pause long enough to look beyond it, and remember that the most expensive mistakes are usually the quiet ones.
Nina Harrison is a buying agent at Haringtons
