Spring is here. And young nest-makers are on the wing looking for that first-time home to buy. But how do you go about looking for a property? If this is your first time in property buying you may find it useful to know what to do when you go to view one…

Despite a recent Halifax report that homes in nine out of ten UK towns were now 'unaffordable' for first-time buyers, 29% of people buying homes last year were doing so for the first time, many buying older properties that need a careful looking at so maybe a little nerve-steadying advice on what to do when you go to see one will not go amiss.

And that's just what a new website from Skipton hopes to help with.

The website includes a set of checklists to take with you when viewing a property, covering what to look for inside and outside, as well as what to consider regarding location and what to ask the owner about bills, neighbours, etc.

First up has to be affordability and Skipton have calculators to work out just how big a mortgage you can afford.

What you can buy with the mortgage varies from place to place, and so location or type of property is probably the biggest item you can alter easily. The next biggest item is the deposit. According to Halifax, the average deposit put down by a first-time buyer was £26,455 in 2004.

This represented 20% of the property's value compared to 18% (£19,999) in 2003. First-time buyers have been putting more equity into their homes than in the late 1980s. At the height of the late 1980s boom, in 1989, first-time buyers put down a deposit accounting for 12% of the property's value.

As you'd expect, the largest deposits are made by first-time buyers in the highest priced regions: Greater London (£48,364), the South East (£34,995) and the South West (£31,277).

Although deposits are lower elsewhere – with the lowest in Northern Ireland (£13,366) and Scotland (£14,568) – there has been a substantial increase in the amount put down since 2002 in all regions. The biggest percentage increase in the deposit made by a first-time buyer between 2002 and 2004 was in the North (157%), followed by Wales (103%).

Before you look for property make a list of your ‘must haves’. Consider location, style, size, age, etc. Aim high to start with by all means but be aware from the start that you may have to revise this decision several times over.

Now you are into searching for, and viewing properties. Skipton have a list of items to think about under the general heading including:

• Ask the estate agent how long the property has been on the market.
• Visit the property at different times of the day.
• Walk or drive past the property before going inside.
• Don't view too many properties in one day.
• Don't be put off by internal decoration. You can change this.
• Establish what is included in the sale – land, garage, furniture, fittings, etc.
• Ask why the sellers are moving.

Skipton also say to check the cost of bills such as electricity, water, gas and council tax. These will help with your budgeting. Don't be afraid to ask for these things - they make you look more positive in the eyes of the seller, which might be useful if there is another purchaser interested. But if you feel a little self-conscious or meet resistance, ask the estate agent to find out instead. Beware of taking a single quarter's value as representative for the whole year though.

When viewing an area make sure that it has the features you definitely need, and sometimes more importantly, does not have things you don't want. It may seem like you've been searching for ever, but if the home you find is not suitable for a major reason, then you won't be happy there.

Skipton have a list of location items to check such as:

• What are the local amenities like?
• How good or near is the public transport?
• Are the local schools good?
• Are there any known plans for development in the area?
• Is the surrounding area run down?
• What condition are the neighbouring properties in?

A lot of general neighbourhood information including crime statistics can be got from websites like upmystreet.co.uk/ but there is nothing quite like visiting at different times of day including early in the morning and late at night. Check if the property is on the route to pubs or industrial estates which might mean there is disturbance late at night or in the early hours.

You should also ask if the property (or any nearby ones) has ever been burgled and what the neighbours are like. Be direct - don't just ask if the neighbours are nice, ask direct questions like are the neighbours noisy? Have the owners ever had a dispute with anyone in the street?

Skipton have also put together a range of suggestions for checking the outside the property such as are there any slates missing and are the windows double glazed, what state the frames are in etc. Ticking off all the points on the list will enlighten you to the real state of the property and ensure you are not whisked along by the excitement of finding a property that's otherwise suitable. Don't hesitate to ask your estate agent for for advice if any point is suspect or not well understood. Remember though, the agent's loyalties are to the seller, but the agent should still be able to help or put you in touch with a specialist.

The sort of thing that is often forgotten about is parking spaces (check the situation on a wet Sunday when everybody is home and visitors are struggling to find a slot.) Also, trees look lovely in the garden, but they can be disastrous to the building if they are large. A recent survey by consumer champion Which? estimated that about 70% of all subsidence cases are blamed on unmanaged trees.

When a tree removes moisture from the soil through its roots it can reduce support for the building’s foundations. This can go unnoticed until there is ground movement, such as a tremor or even a large vehicle passing by, which can cause significant structural damage.

Check for cracks in the walls to see if anything has moved and if the property has been recently rendered make sure you specifically ask why it was done and mention cracks. While you are checking for cracks, look to make sure soil (or anything else such as paving slabs or rendering) has not covered the damp proof course anywhere around the property.

When inside the property check the age of the heating system and when it was last serviced and who serviced it. A gas installation should be serviced by a Corgi registered engineer. While on the heating theme look at the type of external doors to assess droughts and check the loft has insulation all over.

Do any of the rooms feel damp or is there any sign of wallpaper peeling? Do any of the doors stick? Subsidence or movement can distort fames.

Ask yourself whether the house has sufficient storage space for your needs and check what equipment is being sold with the property.

Other key points are to check the taps for water pressure, how long it takes for the hot to come through and is there sufficient ventilation in bathrooms and showers. Skipton also gives a checklist of items like electric plugs and will your furniture fit in.

The website also has a printable list of the tips with spaces to write the answers plus a moving home checklist and who to contact checklist. Altogether a neat little package. Good hunting! Skipton's checklist is to be found at www.firsttimenerves.co.uk