First Ever House Viewing! Advice Please!

Bristol80

dirty_magic wrote: »

We didn't have an AIP and our offer was accepted. We did get one a couple of days later but they just said give it to us when you have it. We deliberately didn't get one because although we'd seen the mortgage advisor, we were told their AIP is only valid for a month and we didn't know how long it would take us to find somewhere. We didn't want repeated footprints on our credit files if it took forever.

OP you sound just like I was, I was so excited to be looking and I thought I'd fall in love with the first one we viewed. I didn't though because it didn't feel right. With this house, which was about the 8th we viewed, we both knew straight away.

We did everything wrong really, we didn't even have a second viewing. We had to wait until the Monday to put the offer in because the agent was closed on the Saturday, but we would have offered straight away if we could! I don't regret it, but I think we could have got it a bit cheaper if we hadn't been so eager and worried about losing out to other buyers.

The thing is, this property's asking price is at the low end of our budget and is already decorated almost entirely to our tastes. If we come away loving it, I won't have a hesitation in offering at the asking price as we know it's well within our affordability, and ticks 19/20 boxes that we have (although our tastes are very similar, we're quite particular)

So personally I'd rather pay £5k over the odds over 30 years than lose out on a house I love because I was trying to be cheap. Of course we all love a bargain but it's a false economy to save £10k on the purchase price of another property and spend £15k over a few years bringing everything how you want it!

Of course this is all wildly theoretical and assuming we will actually like it in person. Big assumption.

I can only hope that our FTB status in addition to relaxed attitude about completion timescales would work in our favour. I'd almost be tempted to pop a note through the door once we've made the offer outlining just how flexible we are prepared to be....worried that might come across as a little bit stalky though!

pickles13

We had an entire day of viewings booked in 2 weeks ago (have been looking since November) and there was one house that we were booked in to see that we were convinced would be the one- I was hassling the EA to get me a viewing even sooner and just could not see anything wrong with the house....well, as soon as we arrived at the viewing, we knew this was not the the house for us and inside was even worse. The following house that we were booked in to see, I had to drag my OH to see it (he even tried to insist I cancel the viewing on the way to it as he said we were wasting everyones time), however, I think we must've been in the house less than 20 seconds when we just knew it was the one we had to have! So definitely try not to get too excited about the ads! Good luck!

Mickygg

kinger101 wrote: »

Do yourself a favour. A least try negotiating with a below asking price offer. It's an easy way of saving several thousand pounds.

All well and good, but if they receive an asking price offer and accept, then you risk losing the house for the sake of trying to save a bit.

Bristol80

pickles13 wrote: »

We had an entire day of viewings booked in 2 weeks ago (have been looking since November) and there was one house that we were booked in to see that we were convinced would be the one- I was hassling the EA to get me a viewing even sooner and just could not see anything wrong with the house....well, as soon as we arrived at the viewing, we knew this was not the the house for us and inside was even worse. The following house that we were booked in to see, I had to drag my OH to see it (he even tried to insist I cancel the viewing on the way to it as he said we were wasting everyones time), however, I think we must've been in the house less than 20 seconds when we just knew it was the one we had to have! So definitely try not to get too excited about the ads! Good luck!

Yeah I'm trying to stay calm

It's been such a long time coming for the OH and I that we just can't wait for the day that we can say "we've done it", we've found our house.

At the end of the day we're both pretty discerning, we'll know in no time if it feels right or not. If not, then nothing lost, and a bit of experience in house viewings and dealing with EA's nonsense! It's also opened our eyes to a neighbourhood that we weren't familiar with. Having driven around it for a while tonight, I can really see us there.

So it will all be positive even if it turns out this one isn't for us.

Bristol80

Mickygg wrote: »

All well and good, but if they receive an asking price offer and accept, then you risk losing the house for the sake of trying to save a bit.

My very point. There are houses on the market for the same price that would need £10k of decoration for me to be happy with. What's the point in trying to save a few K over 30 odd years and losing out?

kinger101

Bristol80 wrote: »

My very point. There are houses on the market for the same price that would need £10k of decoration for me to be happy with. What's the point in trying to save a few K over 30 odd years and losing out?

But you can always ask whether there are other viewings/any offers when you go round. Given you're planning on putting in an offer 7 milliseconds after the viewing, it's difficult to envisage how this other mysterious higher offer can appear.

Are you going for a 30 year mortgage? That might put be off as a vendor. I'd be worried your mortgage might not get approved.

kinger101

Mickygg wrote: »

All well and good, but if they receive an asking price offer and accept, then you risk losing the house for the sake of trying to save a bit.

If they'd have received an asking price offer by now, then they'd most likely have accepted it already. I suspect OP is just being giddy about a first house viewing to be honest. It soon subsides.

dirty_magic

kinger101 wrote: »

I have one valid for 90 days for Nationwide.

I know it's possible to get longer ones but for the mortgage we wanted with the cheapest rate they only offered it for 30 days.

kinger101 wrote: »

Are you going for a 30 year mortgage? That might put be off as a vendor. I'd be worried your mortgage might not get approved.

I think 30 year mortgages are pretty standard now tbh. This wouldn't put me off at all! I think the OP said they were applying for a 95% mortgage though and this would put me off a little. It doesn't mean they wouldn't accept an offer though!

barbiedoll

OP, I do hope that the house lives up to your expectations and that your mortgage agreement sails through but please do be careful when viewing your "dream" house.

Buying a property just because you like the decor and because it has white goods included, is not always a good idea. Many vendors decorate just before putting the house up for sale in order to hide cracks in the ceiling, damp on the walls and other nasty defects. And paying £5K extra, just to inherit a sub £200 Indesit washing machine may be false economy when you're counting the cost of a new kitchen floor after a flood!

Do go in with a clear head and check everything. Don't be dazzled by shiny new floors (cheap laminate, self-installed?) or a sparkling kitchen (a new boiler is better than a new fridge)

I don't really know the correct protocol for contacting vendors directly, we did, but then again, we moved in after exchange but 6 weeks before completion (don't ask!) so I'm probably not the best person to comment on that!

Good luck with your viewing, let us know how it goes.

rosie383

I'm glad you've brought your viewing forward if it is a fast moving market. Around here many houses have gone before they are even showing up on RM. Good luck with it. I hope it really is as good as you hope. Many aren't once you see them in the flesh so to speak.