Offer without viewing?

Bart1

Seen a place on RM that I know I want to buy (it was my childhood home) it's a two hour drive from where I am now so am thinking of making an offer without viewing first.

Will I be taken less seriously if I do that?

I don't intend to reveal my previous connection to the property to the agent/vendor

Malibusmash

How wonderful that your childhood home has come available for you at this time!

I don't think you'll be taken any less seriously should you make an offer without viewing first and you're under no obligation to explain yourself to the Agent.

Having said that, are you sure it is a wise decision? What if the property has deteriorated since you last saw the inside of it? What if there is structural and/or other damage that you are unaware of?

I would strongly advise you view it first before committing yourself.

missis_amber

Would you go and see it if your offer was accepted? And then if it wasn't to the standard you expected would you withdraw your offer? Do you think that is fair on the seller?

Landofwood

missis_amber wrote: »

Would you go and see it if your offer was accepted? And then if it wasn't to the standard you expected would you withdraw your offer? Do you think that is fair on the seller?

Given that it's perfectly normal to revisit properties AND have a survey done, yes I consider this perfectly fair on the seller.

The OP has seen pictures and used to live in the property. As far as I'm concerned they have viewed the property.

Anything else that materializes post offer which may affect the offer, is standard.

LeoTLion

We had someone do this on our last house and we flatly refused, but that was more to do with the price they offered rather than the method they used.

If I had a choice of buyers who had offered the same amount I would probably accept the offer from the one's who had viewed, as they would seem, to me, less likely to turn up at a later date, view it and then change their minds.

A lot will depend on the circumstances of the seller I guess.

Davesnave

About 5 years ago, I had the opportunity to buy not one, but two of my childhood homes.

Because I knew them so well, I wasn't the slightest bit interested in either!

They still have the same basic, insurmountable problems that they had 50 years ago.

Surrey_EA

It would worry me as an EA, in the same way I'm reluctant to take an offer for a home when one half of the couple buying has not viewed.

However, if you make an offer the EA must pass it on the the vendor. How seriously it will be taken depends on the exact circumstances of the seller.

oystercatcher

Surely you'd still want to view the property to assess condition and value so you didn't pay more that it is worth?

If I was selling then I think I would accept an offer from someone who had viewed over someone who hadn't.
However, if I was selling and knew that you'd lived there and loved the property then I would be more likely to accept your offer though, as long as the offer was financially acceptable .

A two hour drive doesn't seem much compared to the amount of money involved in house purchase.

Bart1

Many thanks for the replies.

Enough of you have suggested you would be put of as sellers to convince me to view before offer. Nice weather for a motorbike ride anyway

fairy_lights

Landofwood wrote: »

The OP has seen pictures and used to live in the property. As far as I'm concerned they have viewed the property.

No, they viewed the property as it was x amount of years ago, and through a child's eyes. I'm sure the OP didn't spend their child hood thinking about room sizes and inspecting the brickwork!

SplanK

I would avoid for now letting them know its a childhood home. This could scupper negotiations and they vendor may push you for a much higher offer knowing there is more 'emotion' attached to the purchase.