How do people make such quick decisions?

hazyjo

Another one that helped me, was how would you feel if you lost it?


I was trying to decide between two houses in pretty much the same street (well, different ones, but literally round a bend on the same side). First one I saw wasn't ideally what I wanted. It had a thru-lounge and tiny square 'hall' (more of an internal porch), and a north facing garden. The second one ticked all the boxes (two rooms, period features, hallway, nicer gardens, easier parking, etc), but it didn't feel like the right house for some reason. I really had to rush a decision once I got a buyer as it was a seller's market and I was worried about losing both!


In the end, I thought about which I would be most upset at losing and the first one won hands down. Was one of my happiest houses! The thru-lounge suited me as a single person at the time - I'd prob have been sitting in a small lounge and rarely using the dining room! As it turned out, I had loads of space and used it all.

Linton

My experience...


You look around dozens of houses. Most are no hopers, the rest merely depressing. Finally you find one that ticks a bare majority of the boxes. So not wanting to view another house ever again you immediately make an offer.

julicorn

I think almost everything has been said already, but I just wanted to add that by not acting, you are also making a decision (and that is not to buy it). Try and be intentional, and make a choice for every house you look at, rather than turning it into some sort of 'let's look at 100 houses and then pick the best' exercise. It sounds like you've looked at a few in person, you've probably looked at a fair chunk online, so you'll have context. Be clear on what you want. If what you're looking at isn't what you want, fine, discount it and move on. But once you come across it, act fast rather than faffing about.

Rambosmum

ginger_chocolate wrote: »

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!

So what sort of people are you? If you are head people, then draw up a list of non-negotiables - things you would need a house to have, or refuse a house with. Some will be obvious before a viewing so do all that research before you view. Then put an offer on one that hits your non-negotiable list unless you have a gut feeling otherwise.

ProDave

For me it has always been dead easy

First house in 1983 when house prices were rising more each month than I earned. "Can I afford it ? " Yes, buy it before it goes up any more.

4 years later when moving up to a larger house, my main reason for moving was to gt a bigger house in a better location with a garage, or space to build one. Aftr looking at probably 30 houses all totally unsuitable, eventually I found one that had the space I wanted. The house was in a poor state but that didn't matter, that could (and was) fixed. But this was the first one I had seen in nearly a year of looking that had the space and access I wanted

Next move was to buy a building plot. We spent a week looking at all the plots on the market at the time. The last one we looked at was the largest, flattest, in a quiet location and for some rason the cheapest, so we made up our mind in a few minutes.

I guess if you are not practical, not willing to change or adapt a property, them it may take longer to find "the one" but surely you will know it as soon as you see it?

Bass_9

I used to feel the same way as I'm pretty risk averse, however after experiencing the same issue as yourself I was forced to become very decisive very quickly.

The house we got was put on the market late morning, we viewed in the evening, and we put in an offer 9am next morning which that was accepted. I wasn't particularly comfortable with that approach but if we hadn't, we never would have gotten anywhere.

We saw plenty of houses before we found our house (probably 30?), and thoroughly researched the area. We also drew up a list of 'must have' and 'nice to have' which was helpful.

MysteryMe

ginger_chocolate wrote: »

OH still feels we need to compare it against more viewings to check it really is the best we can get though - and it'll probably be gone by then!

You can't go through life putting off decisions because of "what ifs." If you have viewed several properties and see one you really like then go for it. Don't wait on the off chance something better will come along. As already mentioned you can do much of the legwork by sitting in front of a computer screen. There should be no need to be viewing tens of properties, you just end up with information overload and confuse/doubt yourself more and more

Slithery

ginger_chocolate wrote: »

OH still feels we need to compare it against more viewings to check it really is the best we can get though - and it'll probably be gone by then!

You are absolutely correct.


Please remember that even if you make an offer and it is accepted you are in no way legally bound to buy the property. You can pull out for no reason at any time before you exchange contracts.


If you continue never putting in any offers then you're never going to buy a house.

YoungBlueEyes

I'm in the process of buying a house, and I viewed so many houses online and in the flesh. I'm not a 'dream house/ oh my god wow factor' kind of person. I've a logical, fact-loving brain

This is unlikely to be how most people buy a house but here's what I did.
I decided I want to move. Complete fresh start. Anywhere in England. I wanted a nice market town so I googled market towns in England. Got a list. Started looking on Rightmove. Some were far too dear sadly. That narrowed it down. Made a list of must haves/will not accepts. That narrowed it down again. Rang round EA's to book viewings (after organising them all like a military operation. I did them in bunches in various areas of the country). That knocked another load off the list. Got a second viewing of a few (after spending time researching them/the areas online). None of them made the grade.

Then I was driving up from Cambridge to view in Ashbourne and Matlock, took a wrong turn somewhere outside Derby and ended up in Belper. Parked up and went for a wander. Lovely town, has the shops I like, none of the ones I don't use (bargain booze/brighthouse etc), people are friendly, roads are good, streets are clean. Could I see myself living and working here? Yep I could. Popped into an EA to see what's for sale. Arranged 3 viewings. Only 1 ticked enough of my boxes.
I spent literally hours researching it when I got home. Flood risk, crime maps, employment in the town etc. I drove round the streets on streetview. Looked at the house's history, and the neighbours, to see if they were constantly up for sale and turning over too quick. I thought about it overnight. Offered the next morning, a very cheeky offer. Refused. Upped it a wee bit. Refused. Upped it a wee bit more. Accepted.

When I walked into the house I already knew that it ticked some of my 'must have' boxes, and there was enough of them to outweigh the bad bits. I didn't want shared access but I really didn't want a downstairs bathroom. This is upstairs bathroom, but shared access across the garden. I can live with it. It's good enough.

Look at the things you can't/won't change, that's what will help you most. I didn't want a south facing garden cos I'm no fan of the sun. I wanted a shop within walking distance. Decent neighbours in a nice area. Freehold. No double yellows outside. A garden with real grass and soil in it, not some slab paving 'low maintainence' nonsense. Have your list ready, then tick the items off as you're walking round. If it's good enough to put an offer in, even just to stop you losing it, put an offer in.

Then when you find something you like enough and want enough, do not keep going on RM!

Gosh that turned into a long post :eek:

ginger_chocolate

Can I just say I am so glad I started this thread. Apart from the advice (thanks!), people's stories about their decision making are genuinly fascinating.