How to Find Out When a House Was Built

If you’re selling your home, you may need to find out when exactly the property was built. Finding out is usually very easy. But, sometimes, limited data is available about when a property was developed – so you may need to do some digging.

Thankfully, there are multiple ways to find out when a property was built to help you when you’re selling your home.

If you need to know when your house was built, here’s an overview of some of the different ways you can find out the exact year.

1.  Contact HM Land Registry

One of the most reliable ways to find out when a house was built is to contact HM Land Registry. They keep records of land ownership and can usually provide information about who bought the land and when – which can tell you the approximate age of your home.

2.  Contact the Local Authority

Sometimes, local authorities hold archives around when planning permission was requested on the land to build your home, which can help you find out when your home was built.

3.  Check Previous Mortgage Surveys

If the property has a mortgage and a survey was undertaken, this will usually contain information about what year the property was built.

4.  Ask the Previous Owner

Another great way of finding out when your house was built is to ask the previous owner. This is especially helpful if you can’t find any records online about your property and its history.

5.  Speak to Neighbours

It’s not uncommon to have neighbours who have lived in a house all their lives, so they may know exactly when your house was built. If there are homes similar to yours nearby, speak to your neighbours to see if you can find out a date.

6.  Ask a Local Historian

If you want to know more than just the year your property was built (like the exact date, who built it and more information about the previous owners), you can ask a local historian or someone that specialises in researching the local area.

If you have an older home, this can be particularly helpful to understand more about its history – which can be a great talking point with potential buyers!

7.  Ask an Estate Agent

As your local estate agent, we have a wealth of information about properties in Hackney, Walthamstow and surrounding areas. If you’re selling your home and need to know when it was built, ask us for advice and we will do our best to help.

Need Property Advice in Walthamstow?

If you need help finding out when your Walthamstow house (or a house you’re interested in buying) was built, Amar Mustafa - The REAL Estate Agent is your local property expert. I will be happy to help answer your questions about properties in the area.

Get in touch today for a chat or to book a valuation by calling me on 020 3150 5007 or sending an email at amar@therealagent.co.uk.