How do people make such quick decisions?

ginger_chocolate

So we started our house hunt three weeks ago, around the same time as accepting an offer on our flat.

Perhaps naively, we thought that the house hunting process would go something like this:
Arrange some viewings over the course of about 1-2 weeks
Make notes on likes and dislikes about the various properties
Compare and shortlist, maybe arrange a second viewing on favourites
Make an offer and have it accepted or rejected a few days later.

I've now discovered that for most people it seems to go more like this:
view a property
Make an offer a few hours later
Have it accepted the same day

As a consequence, a lot of places we were interested in have been swiped from under our noses. Good houses rarely seem to be on the market for more than a week. We obviously need to change our approach and be able to get in there a bit quicker, or we'll never find anywhere.

But how do people make such snap decisions about something that costs literally thousands of pounds and will affect every day of your life for some time to come? Surely you need time to at least sleep on it and weigh up the options? Even if you have a good sense of what you're looking for (which we do). A few people have said to me that when you find the right place 'you just know' but I'm a bit skeptical of this to be honest - I dislike taking major decisions on a vague emotional reaction or 'instinct'.

I suppose this is partly just a rant about the frustrations of house hunting, but does anyone have any tips on coming to a sensible and confident decision more quickly?!

ACG

The flip side is that it will cost tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds and will affect every aspect of your life - when you walk in there if you have to think about it, it is probably not the one for you.

Its not a phrase I like, but how many times on here do you see people say "dream home" if you walk in and are not smiling when walking around (even if it is only internally to not give anything away) there will be someone who is.

Ozzuk

I've bought a number of homes, tend to move every 3-4 years at most. I've known within minutes of viewing if I want the house, and often offer on the spot. But I do a lot of research before hand, google is great for this - looking at streets/area. There are sites to look at property stats- crime etc. I'll often download the title plan for the site to make sure I know what I'm buying (it's only £3).

bxboards

I've viewed two houses within the last 5 years viewed at 4pm, offer was in before close of play, off the market by 10am next days and had the keys around 6 weeks later.

I can't really see the point in messing around, you either want it or you don't. If you don't know you want it, you probably don't.

Comms69

You can always withdraw later.... so there’s no consequence on pffering

ginger_chocolate

The flip side is that it will cost tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds and will affect every aspect of your life - when you walk in there if you have to think about it, it is probably not the one for you.

This is what I find difficult/confusing. I really can't imagine ever walking into any house, even one I really loved, without at least wanting to mull it over for a bit.

I suppose I'm just wondering is there actually some kind of speed-logic method that people use that allows them to shortcut to that sense of certainty?

davidmcn

As above, you can do the bulk of your research in advance of the viewing rather than afterwards. And buyers will tend to be viewing the same sort of properties in the same sort of area, so there'll probably not be a vast amount to distinguish the different choices.

SeasideSally

My husband and I have been talking about this a lot, as we're about to start the whole moving business. We've drawn up lists, gone through Rightmove listings, checked pollution levels in areas, etc., but we both have to admit that the only thing that's counted in the past when looking at properties is that gut feeling. Either you have it or you don't. My husband (the hopeless romantic), who's moved a lot more than I have, says it's like falling in love; if the world doesn't shift a bit when you view a house, it isn't 'the one'.

NeilCr

I've bought my two places on the day and after a first viewing.

I knew the areas and had a strong idea of what I was looking for. I've also got good gut instinct which I trust. For me, once I start thinking it becomes harder to make a decision as I tend to get caught in a vortex of pros and cons.

A lot of things like transport, shops etc can be covered before. Where I am now I concentrated mostly on one particular part of town (a chat with a friend who lives down here sorted that out) where I knew about facilities etc etc.

eddddy

Comms69 wrote: »

You can always withdraw later.... so there’s no consequence on pffering

Yep - I know somebody who did that quite a few times.

Now there are probably 3 or 4 EAs who have effectively black listed him - i.e. written him off as a time-waster.

ginger_chocolate

My husband and I have been talking about this a lot, as we're about to start the whole moving business. We've drawn up lists, gone through Rightmove listings, checked pollution levels in areas, etc

Yep - we've done all this

., but we both have to admit that the only thing that's counted in the past when looking at properties is that gut feeling. Either you have it or you don't. My husband (the hopeless romantic), who's moved a lot more than I have, says it's like falling in love; if the world doesn't shift a bit when you view a house, it isn't 'the one'

.

This is what troubles me - I'm not the kind of person who has "gut feelings" (neither is OH, which isn't helpful!). I feel like I might never find a house if we wait for that!