How many properties did you view before buying?

Chuchi

We viewed about 30. We had the same problem with EAs. We dealt with it quite often by finding a few properties in a similar area and going without an appointment just to look on the outside - whether it looked in good condition, what the street was like/garden etc. Obviously this is not perfect but can make you decide whether you actually are interested to look inside.

onlyroz

I think I viewed about 20 in the space of a month. We offered and nearly bought one, but pulled out because the vendor was a kn0b and we decided that we didn't like the house anyway. We offered but got turned down on another, and decided not to bid higher because the house needed quite a bit of work doing. The one was on for £259 having been reduced from £269. We offered £250 and wouldn't budge any higher due to the stamp duty threshold, and we were accepted after a bit of um-ing and ah-ing on the part of the vendor.

thestens

Looked at lots on Rightmove over several years but only one actual viewing - it looked right on line and it was in reality!

snaffs

Last house I just viewed one and bought it, walking in I just knew it was going to be my home and I spent many happy years there.

This time 'I' bought as part of a 'we', which made the process far more difficult.
We probably viewed 40+ houses over an 18 month period before we found something which ticked enough boxes for both of us without compromising our budget.

Anatidaephobia

12 houses (13 viewings) over a two month period.

Prior to that, we had been looking at houses online on a daily basis for two years while saving. Once we started viewing houses, we also spent a lot of time driving to houses we were interested in to check out the area and we ruled out the majority of them this way.

We offered on three houses. The first was the first one we viewed; offered below asking price and it was rejected, offered above asking price and it was rejected again then they told us their ideal price and said they'd accept it if we offered it - so we offered it and they said no and announced they were taking their house off the market. Quite frustrating, especially as after the second offer we made, they told us they were going to need a WEEK to think about it and make their decision and kept us hanging on. They finally got back to us on Thursday night before a bank holiday weekend so we had to wait until Tuesday to make the third offer.

The second house that we offered on didn't work out due to the incompetence of the estate agents who mucked us about for nearly two weeks and repeatedly lied to us.

The third house we offered on accepted within an hour and the sale went incredibly smoothly (but I was stressed out the whole time waiting for something to go wrong after the problems we had experienced with the previous two houses).

Dazedandconfused

About 20 I think. Some of which were dire.
I had second viewings on 3

pinkteapot

Four.

Very, very few come up for sale on the estate we wanted. We viewed two in other areas, but it just confirmed we wanted this area. One finally came up which we did view but it was brutally overpriced (still hasn't sold six months on, when usually things sell in a few days here). The next one that came up, we bought. We couldn't be too picky as we were so specific on an area that hardly anyone moves out of!

BillJones

perbinder wrote: »

Doing our head in. But just moved down to Portsmouth from London. No idea which areas are good. Looked all over. We have 4 viewings tomorrow evening after work and saw 3 today. Most are overpriced and need lots of work doing to them.

If I was moving to a new town, I'd probably rent for six months to a year while I worked out where I wanted to live, tried out the commute, etc.

It'd feel a bit cavalier to pile in and buy a property and only then try living there.

Reue

We only viewed about 8 places. We knew the exact size and area we wanted so were able to filter out alot of places on rightmove.

anotheruser

Woolwich_Kim wrote: »

Also, what's a decent website to check on crime rates?

police.uk is the official one I believe.