How long do you take 'viewing' a property?

sterl1ng

I have found that all the 4 places I have seen I've spent only about 10mins on viewing....I'm sure if I am more into a place I would spend more time eyeing it or booking that second viewing with pen and clipboard to hand.

One thing that really annoys me is the EA chit chattering to me whilst I'm trying to check the place out, but i realise thats them trying to distract me (so I've read somewhere!).

Dan-Dan

just be sure to specify some ground rules on any 2nd viewing , i just said to the EA , we want to wander round on our own , see you in a bit...they were fine

*mudangel*

Depends on how big the property is and if there are any questions worth asking. We've been looking 3 bed properties and have probably spent a maximum of 15 minutes at first viewing.

Second viewings have taken longer, because I've gone along with a few questions based on what I thought about after first viewings.

We've tried to forget that EA is even there. Best viewings IMO are when they just let you get on with it, but they're there to answer questions.

Mezza1979

The house i'm buying was viewed by us 4/5 times and last 3 times were by just ourselves. Its a private sale (No EA) but the vendors just waited outside until we were done 'having a good nose round'

ValHaller

If you don't want a place, 10 mins is easily enough. So put up with the EA for 10 mins to see everything and if you think you like it, ask to go around again without conversation. If EA pipes up while you are going around, be quite blunt and say that you find the chit chat distracting. Have paper and pencil to hand to jot down questions and raise them after you have had your quiet viewing.

LuSiVe

I spent 20 minutes and then put an offer in.
I was shown round by the vendor who was answering all my 'second viewing' questions on the first viewing without me even asking them.
Time will tell if I'm an idiot ...

Tancred

sterl1ng wrote: »

I have found that all the 4 places I have seen I've spent only about 10mins on viewing....I'm sure if I am more into a place I would spend more time eyeing it or booking that second viewing with pen and clipboard to hand.

One thing that really annoys me is the EA chit chattering to me whilst I'm trying to check the place out, but i realise thats them trying to distract me (so I've read somewhere!).

Clipboard and pen? Are you a surveyor?

10-15 minutes is all you need to decide whether a property is right - unless you want to do your own survey.

mrsmchapman

We spent around 25 mins viewing the house we are buying, other have been anything between 15-20 mins on first view. Our ea always said 20-30 is average, however we did have a couple view our house who were here 50 mins and then 40 mins on second view, I've no idea what they looked at in that time!!!

phoebe1989seb

Agree it depends on size/type & condition of property. Usually I would guess it's at least 45 minutes for a house of 2000 ft+. We always buy *projects* - period houses to restore and some of these have been quite large and/or in need of literally masses of work so ten minutes would never be sufficient. As we always live in them whilst doing the work, there's a lot to be taken into consideration!

OTOH, we've been in and out of a few fairly quickly when it was immediately apparent they weren't what we were looking for.

We've bought privately previously and in one instance never even got to see the ground floor as the tenant in residence wouldn't allow his landlord and us access - despite this we went on to buy that one

Whether viewing with the vendor or the EA we've always managed to get some time at the end of the first viewing to wander round on our own - usually this has been offered by the person(s) conducting the viewing. This has often been the time when we've decided a house is or isn't worth a second viewing

G_M

Yes - paper and pen.

1st viewing quite quick just to see if I'm interested. Ignore the agent unless I have a question

2nd viewing I'll have a list of
* things to ask
* things to check

The checklist will include examining the outside/roof with binoculars, looking in the attic, poking around for damp behind furniture, looking at the fuse box for age, checking the boiler - it will be a long list and take 30 minutes minimum if I'm still interested.

Only after that will I decide what level of survey I think I need.

If instead of a £300,000 house (or whatever) I was buying a £5000 2nd hand car, I'd be taking it for a test drive, checking the clutch with a hill start, and looking underneath for rust.

What's the difference?

DaftyDuck

Tancred wrote: »

Clipboard and pen? Are you a surveyor?

10-15 minutes is all you need to decide whether a property is right - unless you want to do your own survey.

You serious? Spend anything from £100,000 to £500,000 or more, based on a 15-minute look?

I allow an hour for first viewings. I take a copy of the details. I check them as I go round, I add notes, I ask the agent for a second walk-round without him there, I do indeed do my first initial survey - state of d!cor, any recently-moved furniture covering up something, copper pipes everywhere, or older, and signs of leaks, wiring new or old, any older-style light pendants or dodgy fuse-box, any sign of woodworm, damp, moss in gutters, a good look over all boundary walls at neighbouring properties, check the water pressure, hard or soft, water softener, age of boiler.....

I have left a property afetr onl a few minutes, with an obvious apology that it's not right for me, and explain why (to the agent, at least).