A FIFTH of potential home-buyers spend less than 20 minutes viewing a property before putting in an offer. Some rooms receive less than a minute of inspection 

Now, following a trial in Ruislip, they can avoid the common pitfalls of such snap decisions by using new eye-tracking software. 

Rather than focusing their attention on important things, such as the condition of the boiler, water pressure or signs of damage or damp, home-buyers were found to spend time admiring items that wouldn’t even be there when they moved in. 

Despite being given a full tour of the house, Ruislip trial participants were least interested in flooring, the roof and the ceiling.

They didn’t look at radiators for longer than 0.5 seconds in any room, despite them being a crucial component of a home’s heating system.

The trial follows research from Zoopla among 2,000 homebuyers who have attended house viewings in the past five years.

It found that just half of prospective homebuyers check something as important as the boiler.

Two-fifths don’t check for damp and three fifths don’t check for condensation, according to the consumer research.

Daniel Copley, consumer expert at Zoopla, said: “It has been fascinating to use cutting-edge technology to investigate the behavioural habits of buyers. 

“For agents, the experiment provides insights on what their clients are really looking at when viewing a property.

“Buying a home is the most expensive purchase most of us will ever make.

“So, it’s crucial to make every effort to inspect all elements, to save yourself time and money further down the line.”

Zoopla has a range of online tools, including filters, to help buyers hone in on appropriate properties.

Lily Mace, senior sales consultant at Coopers Residential said: “We are always looking for ways to help buyers and sellers get the most out of their experience, so it's been fantastic to work with Zoopla on this experiment."