How many did you view before buying

Cuilean

Must have viewed about 20 over the course of 8 months. Barely a weekend went by when we didn't go viewing. Offered on 3. One fell through when we were messed around by the EA, another one we were gazumped on, and then found a gorgeous non-standard construction house. Unfortunately, that one fell through when the owner couldn't produce the certificate to prove he'd had it "repaired", and when our solicitor saw the paperwork, we were advised to walk away, which we did.

Turns out that these things happen for a reason though, because suddenly we wound up with a massive lifestyle change which required relocation. Viewed one in the new town and knew it was the one. Offered and moved in within 10 weeks.

Davesnave

Cuilean wrote: »

Turns out that these things happen for a reason though, because suddenly we wound up with a massive lifestyle change which required relocation. Viewed one in the new town and knew it was the one. Offered and moved in within 10 weeks.

I love that. It happens all the time on here; people speaking as if some magic force intervenes on their behalf.

Yes, things do happen for a reason: it's because we make them happen, or because someone else makes them happen, or because the natural forces in the world make them happen.

If we believe in free will, there can be nothing loading the dice for us, but sometimes we do get lucky!

audigex

4, but none really matched what I wanted: they all either needed too much work for the money, were in the wrong location for me, or just didn't "feel" right. I just couldn't "see" my stuff in them or me coming home to it and relaxing.

I ended up buying my mum's house. It needs work but I got a discount (And ended up borrowing 30% less!) and I've lived there most of my life and am happy with the location, know the neighbours etc

BarryBlue

We viewed around 10 properties before we bought the one we are living in now. We knew the area we wanted and our budget so got lots of details from agents, sifted out the non-starters and got on with it.

We never viewed more than 2 or 3 in a day so as not to get them merged into one another. Some viewings were very swift, including one where we never got beyond the first room, so bad was the stink of smoke throughout the place. I really wish agents would state in their details that houses are "smoked in".

It may be a clich! but when we viewed the one we ended up buying we just knew it seemed right within a couple of minutes. My wife and I had the same feeling so it had to be right.

lazer

11 i think

1 - Viewed an apartment - decided that that it wasn't what i wanted changed search area

2 - 3 bed ex council house behind my parents - nice house, but overpriced

3 - Chalet style house, 3rd bedroom downstairs with patio doors out to garden and next to kitchen - more like a dining room - also very cluttered

4 - Viewed a cheap terrace house jsut to make sure i was doing the right thing in looking at dearer ones - and i was

5 - Lovely 3 bed relatively new house, at edge of an estate - offered but my offer was well below asking price and wasn't prepared to go near asking price and they weren't prepared to drop the price

6 - Old house, lovely plot, viewed it a few times, never put in an offer but asked to be kept informed of offers, went out of my price range and think it was too much work

7 - Lovely house, phoned to put an offer in but sale had already been agreed between viewer and vender the night before

8 - Big 3 bed house with garage - again lovel house but back garden backed onto main road - so noisy and the yards were all sinking - house was fine as built on stilts but the land around the house was sinking

9 - New Build - nice location, well finished house - was a definate contender

10 - 3 bed semi rural location but no bath, and wrong room layout

11 - 3 bed semi rural house, lovely country side location, on edge of hamlet with a good pub & restaurant - as soon as a seen it i loved it so made an offer and 8 months later finally got it!

First viewing was well over a year before, when i changed the search area, i think it took over months to find the house

seven-day-weekend

Before we bought our bungalow, we'd looked at loads online, about fifteen drive-bys and through the windows of two we knew were empty, but physically only viewed one other. We knew the areas we wanted, so that narrowed it down.

We are looking for a holiday home now and are viewing three apartments in Pembrokeshire next week.

Emmylou_2

About 15, I think.

Took us three or four to realise what we actually wanted, then about a dozen very similar houses within a half mile radius, including 3 in the street we actually bought in.

onlyroz

Not sure exactly, but probably around 15. It's amazing what a wide-angle lens can do to pokey little grot-holes.

chelseablue

onlyroz wrote: »

Not sure exactly, but probably around 15. It's amazing what a wide-angle lens can do to pokey little grot-holes.

That's what we're finding, looking at pictures and thinking something looks nice and suitable, get there and its too small

Paully232000

chelseablue wrote: »

That's what we're finding, looking at pictures and thinking something looks nice and suitable, get there and its too small

We found the opposite, we had discounted a house as it looked small, dark and not very nice from the pictures. Only went to see it because was next street up from a house we wanted to see, and on with the same agent. Thought we may as well go and see it, even if for 5 mins.

Turned out was better, and bigger than the pictures gave credit for. Pictures taken at night for some reason, and not very flattering. It is the house we now live in, and after 12 months of decorating and fixing as just perfect for us.