There's a quick answer to this one. No!
In Ireland, there is no onus on the Estate Agent or Vendor to disclose any issues about the property or area. This means, it is entirely the buyer's responsibility to do their own due diligence!
No one is going to tell you about issues with the property... So it is vital you do your own research and hire your own experts.
How can I research an area?
If you are buying a home in an area you are not familiar with, there are a number of things you can do while researching:
Explore local establishments!
Drop into the local shop and strike up a conversation, mention you are thinking of buying nearby.
Or, have a pint in the local pub, hang out in the local cafe, pop into a local book shop (even if you don't read books!).
You'll find a lot of local people are more than happy to share what they know...
Be cheeky, call into a neighbour or two!
This strikes fear into some people, but some house buyers actually call into neighbours and guess what - nothing bad will happen!
Pick a house at random which looks like it has someone home. Knock and when they answer just smile and say "Hi, my name is <name>, this is a bit random, but we are thinking of buying in the area and I really wanted to get a few opinions on what it is like?" After a few seconds, you'll know if they are interested in taking. Then they'll start by being polite and saying all the good things, but after a few minutes you'll get the juicy gossip!
Take a walk!
Grab a coffee and take a walk! Explore the local streets and parks.
Are the lots of people about? Are there families and dog walkers or is the place abandoned and in a poor state?
In just a short walk you'll get a great sense of the area, it's people and you might even pick up on the local "feeling of community".
How can I research the house I am considering buying?
There are 2 things you need to figure out about the property.
Is it suitable for you and your family?
Is it in good condition?
Is the property right for you and your family?
For this one, you need to do as many viewings as you can before the agent blocks your number. As you are viewing the property you need to picture you and your family living there.
Does it meet your basic needs like number of bedrooms and any additional must have like an office space?
Does the garden suit your lifestyle?
Is there room to extend for your future plans?
And so on...
A bonus tip, is to get a Home Hunter Report for the property. This will do a bunch of research for you and in just a few minutes you'll have a 20+ page report packed full of information about the property, the location and some risks.
How do I find out if the property is in good condition?
This is one we know all about... GET A PRE PURCHASE SURVEY! Every single week, we find several issues on surveys we conduct that are serious enough for the buyer to pull out of the sale.
These are issues which were not disclosed to the buyer by the vendor or estate agent and issues which the buyer had not identified themselves.
A surveyor will inspect the property and look for any signs of structural defects or issues caused by poor maintenance and just general wear and tear that comes with every second hand house or apartment. They'll also check a few other items upon request like boundaries and comment on whether or not any alterations to the property require a certificate of compliance or exemption.
If you are spending your life savings on a deposit and committing to owing a bank for decades, it is vital you take every step to reduce the risk of buying home with serious defects and a pre purchase structural survey is the best way to do that.
To book your survey, just go to GetHouseSurvey.ie and select the property type (house or apartment).