Open Day viewings: 15 mins to decide!

stardust09

I've just started house-hunting and have read a lot about going back for second viewings and having a good look around before committing to spending such a huge amount of money. However, the property that I've just enquired about is doing Open Day viewings over two days, with 15 minute slots, and then they'll accept whatever offers they get from those viewings.

How do people get the most from those experiences or are they best avoided? I mean, 15 minutes...

I am already thinking that as they want offers in excess of 250k and I wanted to get as close that figure as possible then I might as well not bother given that all their viewing slots (16 in total) are fully booked and I'm on the reserve list. It will probably go for a ridiculous sum as Bristol (where I am) house prices are hugely over-inflated anyway. It does seem that there is no room to go back for a second time because if you don't make an offer on the spot then someone else will beat you too it.

Thanks.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

I bought in Bristol about 6 months ago - 15 minute slots and everything going over asking price is pretty much the norm. No way you'll get a second viewing - generally viewings were Friday/Saturday with offers in by midday Monday. If there were a few offers the vendor liked the look of it tended to be best and final offers by Tuesday/Wednesday. All done in less than a week!

Out,_Vile_Jelly

I must have been in my house for less than 10 minutes and made an offer there and then- it helped that it's on an estate where the houses are all of a similar spec, so I knew this one had a bigger than average kitchen and a nice, square garden.

You can do plenty of research beforehand ie check over the area in person or via Googlemaps, confirm what direction the garden faces, see how easy it is to park, look up local schools etc.

I think you can usually tell quite quickly whether you generally like the feel of a place or not. Put in an offer that is financially comfortable for you and if accepted you can always go for another look at your leisure.

moneyistooshorttomention

Personally - I would put in an offer if I liked the place.

Then - when my offer had been accepted and the other contenders were out of the running - I would ask for my second viewing at that point.

If I thought better of it after my 2nd viewing - then I would cancel my offer.

I wouldnt normally agree with making an offer one doesnt/might not mean - but, in those circumstances, I can't see what else one can do if you're not going to be allowed your second viewing otherwise.

Lokolo

Go in with a list and acceptable things you can miss out on, check them off as you go round. You can research the area in advance.

Any big issues will come up in a survey.

Any smaller issues which you don't notice will likely cost little in the grand scheme of things.

Davesnave

As above. You'll probably know if it's a potential goer very quickly and nothing's set in stone anyway, till exchange.

I did some viewings of rentals in Bristol last year, and the ones I saw were all 'No' within 20 seconds, so that was 14mins 40 seconds I wouldn't have needed if I'd been on a time deadline. Rentals are just as barmy.

As a former Bathonian, I don't understand the attraction myself.

G_M

Agreed.

1 viewing / 15 minutes to decide where to spend the next 5, 10 years of your life and how to spend £100K, £500K whatever? Totally mad!

So make your offer, hope it's accepted, and then re-visit and re-think at your leisure. Hold off spending money on conveyancing, surveys etc until you are sure. You can always pull out.

marksoton

Personally i don't like being herded like a sheep.

But i guess in some areas they know they can get away with it.

Hoploz

I do all my research before booking viewings. I knew I wanted to buy the house I'm in before even seeing it. Right place, right size plot, I knew what it looked like from google aerial photos, I knew the internals from local council planning portal. All the EA had given me was the name of the house and the price. I had to wait for a week before they accepted viewings, then had to endure an open house saturday with 10 other people looking around MY house, with ogfers on the table on the monday. Then best and finals. And a load of stress, but we got it.

You know the important things are location and what's outside. That's what you can't change. Inside you can change to suit you.

hazyjo

Remember to look up and down (take notes, or pics if allowed). I always forget flooring and ceilings as too busy taking in the rest of the house.


Also check roof and chimney(s) from front and back, and look for obvious probs like stains/cracks on walls/ceilings. If built in cupboards on or around chimney breasts, make sure they're useable and not dummy cupboards, etc.


Jx

cloo

I'm not sure most people spend more than about 15 mins looking at a house anyway, even when not in a compressed slot. You either like it enough to make an offer or know you're not that interested on the whole.