FTBS - How many viewings before finding property?

Davesnave

silverwhistle wrote: »

Your experience is pretty much mine. I was in lodgings in the same village after a work move and had been looking some time in the area. My technique was to wander round and look at the properties from outside. I didn't have a car (although I did have a motorbike) but I used to cycle round to see the places from outside: you see a lot more that way..

I was renting on the opposite side of a small city from the area where I worked, so after work, I'd literally wander the streets and take notes.

I saw that there was an enclave of cheaper houses next door to a 'posh' area. They had parking and they were a level walk to town, entirely through parkland. I felt these houses were the best I could afford, especially in the two roads that were cul-de-sacs.

When a house came up at the head of one cul-de-sac, I knew it was right. When it went to sealed bids, I upped my offer to the maximum I could afford (plus £1) The agent said it was "very close" and I've always wondered.....£9 251 !!!

I then spent the next few years wondering how to raise the cash to put in a few luxuries, like heating, and a kitchen. :rotfl:

Happy days though. Those houses now sell for a shade under £300k. I don't think anyone sits shivering over a paraffin heater in them these days!

Jaybo10

We've viewed 11 so far and offered on 4. Still no joy...

florence4

I was a FTB 22 years ago. I bought the first house I saw, and have lived in it until now.

I feel like a FTB again because it is so long since I bought originally! I have looked at about 25 houses this time. I offered on one early on, but the vendor was holding out for the asking price and I didn't (don't) think it's worth it, so I walked away. I had an offer accepted on another about a month ago, but then got gazumped. And I have just offered on a third...

There seem to me to be a lot of over-priced houses around now. Back when I bought my first house, it cost less than 3 times my salary. Now a slightly better house is 7 times my salary, so the financial implications are more serious and the decision is harder, and I'm a bit more cautious. I think other people are doing the same.

onlyroz

I nearly bought this house around seven years ago, and I'm *so* glad that I didn't:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.323592,-0.539618&spn=0.008113,0.010117&sll=51.323626,-0.539656&layer=c&cbp=13,79.74,,0,6.87&cbll=51.323669,-0.539705&t=m&z=17&panoid=UEDVSOlA_LKjdjQgefyi1w

As for why people view a lot of places, well in my experience it's because estate agents can often make the pokiest of grotty holes look like luxury palaces in their adverts. I can still remember the sense of crushing disappointment I felt after viewing my first property. In the pictures it looked glorious, but in reality it was laughably bad. The owner was apparently a landscape gardener, but he'd tarmaced over his entire rear garden. He'd also installed a really seedy looking bar in his living room, and the third bedroom didn't even look big enough to fit a chest of drawers in, let alone a bed.

gazter

silverwhistle wrote: »

I didn't (and don't) believe in council house sell-offs without reinvesting the proceeds, but didn't see why only Tory voters should benefit.:-)

Councils were entirely at liberty to reinvest the proceeds of any sales, with the only condition that overhanging debts from housing were paid off first.

moneyistooshorttomention

onlyroz wrote: »

As for why people view a lot of places, well in my experience it's because estate agents can often make the pokiest of grotty holes look like luxury palaces in their adverts. I can still remember the sense of crushing disappointment I felt after viewing my first property. In the pictures it looked glorious, but in reality it was laughably bad. The owner was apparently a landscape gardener, but he'd tarmaced over his entire rear garden. He'd also installed a really seedy looking bar in his living room, and the third bedroom didn't even look big enough to fit a chest of drawers in, let alone a bed.

Now that I can understand - as I've seen houses that are a lot worse than they appear in the photos. I've certainly noticed a house up for sale too that appeared thoroughly desirable in the photos they had with one EA and "questionable" in the photos that were up with another EA of the same house.

My own EA refuses to do those "expander" photos as I call them - as they said that a lot of people don't study the room dimensions in EA details and turn up to view houses like that and then make comments that the house is a lot smaller than they thought it would be. :cool: My viewers, on the other hand, have made comments about the house being better than they thought it would be from the photos.

EDIT: Re that house you nearly bought - that photo had me wondering how on earth the next-door neighbour could drive onto their "space" in such a way as to park sideways on without going over that house's front "space" in the process - and suspecting that they would frequently be found with wheels driving over the neighbours front yard. I'd have visions of the plants in pots that I would put at the boundary to mark my space/stop that often getting knocked over and damaged by him still trying to do this...

seven-day-weekend

First house (1976) - looked at about five, knew the fifth was right straight away. Still have this house.

Bought investment property, looked at two, bought second Sold it later.

Bought house in Spain, looked at three, bought the third. Sold it in 2012.

Looking at the moment for another investment property, have looked at five separate ones and then about ten in the same new-build complex. Have chosen one that was about fifth of the ten. Hoping to hear about the mortgage today.

japmis

Can't remember exactly but no more than 12.

I found viewings the most stressful/confusing/frustrating/panic-ridden part of the house buying process so in the end put in an offer after a first viewing on a place that ticked all of my boxes.

nakiwala123

We viewed 8 and and offered on 1 of them. It was rejected and while we waited out for the vendors to reconsider our raised offer, house 9 came on the market and we made an offer after only 12hrs of being on RM. We complete next week

cattie

I have viewed in excess of 30 before now when house hunting, but having recently moved into a new property, I was lucky to only have to view 4 before finding what I wanted this time round.