Our 6 tips for visiting homes

Searching for a Luxembourg home, optimizing visits

Would you like to live in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and quickly find the ideal home? Are you already living in Luxembourg and looking to rent or buy another property?

Here are our 6 tips for quickly finding the ideal house or apartment for your family. Conduct your home search and visits like a real estate professional!

Prepare your visits in advance so you don't miss a thing

When you're not used to visiting properties, it's sometimes hard to leave anything out! Indeed, when you're looking to buy or rent, you don't necessarily think of everything when you visit.

Changing home is not something you can improvise. Whether you're buying or renting, you need to make sure that the new home meets the needs of the whole family.

To do this, it's crucial to determine in advance all the elements that will help you make the right decision, or not, when it comes time to act.

In fact, beyond the aesthetic aspect or even the "coup de coeur", we mustn't forget the practical, but also the economic, energy and, of course, budgetary aspects.

Prepare your visits in advance so as not to let a potential crush take precedence over very important criteria.

Follow your list of criteria when choosing your home

Looking for a home is a serious matter. You don't want to waste your time on useless visits. To ensure that you only visit properties that are likely to be of interest to you, make sure that they meet all your criteria.

Beforehand, you'll have drawn up a list of the characteristics of the property you're looking for. To make sure you don't get bogged down in your search and visits, draw up a checklist of all your criteria beforehand .

Rank them by degree of importance (we're often forced to make concessions). Are these criteria major or minor? 

These are all important things to take into account before signing the lease or sales agreement. But in the euphoria of the search, it's easy to forget the essentials.

When you make an appointment to visit a property, make sure that it meets your criteria, or at least those that are most important to you. If the proposed property doesn't meet your criteria, is a visit necessary? Perhaps not.

Equip yourself when visiting a potential future home

Visiting a property is not something you can improvise. You need to take a few useful tools with you.

Without a measuring tape, how can you be sure that your family's wardrobe will really fit in that lovely living room? Without photos of the positive and negative points you noticed during your visit, how can you usefully recall your visit and then make an objective decision?

For all these reasons, we recommend that you take the following with you on your visit:

  • the list of your criteria. At the end of your visit, take a look at it. This will allow you to confirm whether or not the property meets your family's needs.
  • a tape measure (to take all necessary measurements). Have the size of the rooms confirmed. They may appear larger or smaller than they actually are, depending on the furnishings,
  • a camera (or smartphone) to immortalize the property you're visiting. You'll be able to think about it at your leisure. Don't forget to ask permission before taking any photos!
  • a compass to check the exposure of the main rooms and terrace. You can download the app on your smartphone.
  • something to write down. Some information and key figures are quickly forgotten once you're through the front door.

Find out more about the neighborhood atmosphere and amenities

When you move to a new place, you're not just changing houses or apartments. Above all, you're changing neighborhoods.

Of course, the characteristics of the property you're visiting play a major role in your visit. However, the atmosphere of the neighborhood in which it is located is also crucial .

The services on offer and the atmosphere of the neighborhood are of paramount importance when visiting a property. If you like a property, make sure you also feel at home in the neighborhood. You'll feel more at home there, and your integration will be much easier!

Arrive early for your appointment, and don't hesitate to take a stroll around the streets around the property you're visiting. This way, you can ask any questions you may have about the neighborhood during the visit. Ask local people if you have any questions.

Return to the area several times, at different times of the day. You'll be able to see the environment evolve throughout the day. You'll get a feel for the atmosphere of the area, and you'll see that it's just what you've been waiting for, day and night!

Compare the different districts of Luxembourg-City

Ask the right questions of your landlord and real estate agent

In addition to your own personal criteria, there are many other things to check when you visit a property. These can vary between a house and an apartment:

  • brightness of living rooms and bedrooms. This often goes hand in hand with south, south-west or south-east exposure to the morning sun,
  • insulation and type of heating. Don't forget to ask for a copy of your energy passport (mandatory and valid for 10 years).
  • electrical outlets and electrical panel. Remember to check the age and conformity of the electrical installation,
  • the condition of common areas and the amount of charges if it's a multi-family building,
  • the building's construction date. Is there a ten-year warranty?
  • type of heating. Is the boiler checked regularly?
  • humidity, especially in basement rooms,
  • ..

In addition, don't hesitate to ask why the owners or tenants are moving out.

In the case of a purchase, how long has the owner held the property? This will give you an idea of how much the property has increased in value. This can give you an indication of the room for negotiation.

Find out more about the real estate market and asking prices.

Make the most of your home visit

Have you finished viewing the property? Debrief with the real estate agent at the end of the visit, whatever your feelings about the property. What did you like, what didn't you like, what are the main points? ... This moment of exchange is important so that the agent understands your approach and can help you in your search. Don't hesitate to confirm your search criteria.

Are you ready to make an offer? The real estate agent will be able to tell you how much you can or cannot negotiate on the sale price.

If you haven't had a chance to discuss this beforehand, reassure the real estate agent of your financial capabilities. If you already have a financing plan with a bank, let them know. You'll be proving your seriousness and encouraging them to consider you for other, more suitable houses or apartments.

In Luxembourg, attractive properties go fast. Whether you're buying or renting, it's not uncommon to have to make a formal offer immediately after the visit. So don't let the formalities scare you off, make sure you have all the answers to your questions.
Need to know more? Click here for our complete dossier on housing in Luxembourg.

Have you found your new home? Here you'll find our advice on setting it up and making your move to Luxembourg easier.

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