Buy now or wait until new year?

EmJ6

How do you know when you found the 'right' house. Me and my partner have just started viewing properties, the first was one I wasn't too keen on before viewing but my partner liked and I could see the potential. It's an 80s house that needs modernisation, is pretty much in the middle for work and family but the garden is an awkward shape and sloped (also doesn't have the kitchen diner I wanted but I can overlook that). The second was a no from both as although it had more character and curb appeal it was too small and not in a great area. 

My question is should we wait to January and see what else comes on the market? We have a really limited budget and there aren't many 3 bed semis in our price range. The first one we saw did tick alot of our boxes (drive, garage, 3 beds, quiet location etc) so part of me thinks we aren't going to get much more for our budget even if we waited.

youth_leader

I read somewhere that you should write a list of must haves, would like to haves, and nice to haves.  If the house ticks the majority of your must haves, and the location is good, I would offer.  

GoingOn30

I think another helpful question to ask yourself is how would you feel if someone else offered and it was taken off the market tomorrow? Also what's the situation you're in now and how keen are you to move? 

EmJ6

youth_leader said:

I read somewhere that you should write a list of must haves, would like to haves, and nice to haves.  If the house ticks the majority of your must haves, and the location is good, I would offer.  

Thanks. We actually did this last night and it does cover most of our list. Think I'm just nervous as we haven't been able to view much. 

coachman12

After viewing just TWO houses, it does seem a bit daft (no offence) to think you have to choose one of them. Why?  If you look at the list of properties in your bracket/area coming in over the January period, you are likely to get a wider selection and have a much better idea of what is just right for you. View as many as you can, even if they don't sound your cup of tea from the EA's details.
Good luck in your new home in 2021.

EmJ6

GoingOn30 said:

I think another helpful question to ask yourself is how would you feel if someone else offered and it was taken off the market tomorrow? Also what's the situation you're in now and how keen are you to move? 

It would definitely be a shame as the location is handy for us. It's been on since August (I think the garden/decor is maybe putting others off).
We're currently renting.
I think we're going to book in for a second viewing 👍

ic

When I searched for my first house in late 2005, the market was hot like it is now, houses would sell fast.  I viewed perhaps 18 houses in three weeks.  I moved to offer on two houses that seemed right, but was beaten by other stronger offers.  I finally fell up on the house I've lived in for almost 15 years.  It was a stretch of my budget, but was just right - and I knew as soon as I arrived at it.  In retrospect I'm so glad I didn't get the other houses I offered on - if I had, I seriously doubt I'd have been in them as long as I have this one.

Now I'm about to move into my next home.  This time I wasn't looking, and simply in idle look on Right Move spotted a house I'd seen previously when out walking had just dropped in price.  We booked in for a viewing, and offered a few days later after a second viewing - it was spot on and resolves any thing we can't do about the current house (garden direction, traffic on the road, number of bedrooms, etc).  

Yes a list is necessary - musts like number of rooms, condition, location, driveway, running costs, etc., but be prepared to consider the stuff you can't necessarily list - the outlook from the house, the style, the neighbouring properties.  Until you find that right house, its hard to explain how "you know".  Your home isn't just a box tick exercise - and if you have to convince yourself to like it, you might be looking at the wrong house.  Don't just rely on listings, go view houses - get to know what you do and don't like, and give agents honest feedback so they can bear you in mind should something that fits the bill is newly listed - don't just say a house was "nice but not for me".

Remember also, there will always be more houses should you miss out on one.

thegentleway

Buying a house is likely the biggest financial decision you’ll make in your life; I wouldn’t rush it. Well worth viewing lots of properties and taking your time. 

MFWannabe

I agree with others reference view a few properties however I would also say don’t discount the one that ticks most of your boxes just because you’ve only seen two houses. 
We bought the first and only house we viewed 😂 but we had very set criteria, budget and area and house had everything else we wanted, good size, cul de sac, garage 

Davesnave

How well do you know the area? I don't  mean are you familiar with it, but have you walked it several times at different times? If you haven't, you don't know it.

I bought the first house I ever saw inside, but it was what was outside that counted most, as everything inside can be fixed, provided the price makes it possible.Location cannot be fixed, though it might improve over time, or go the other way!

I'd done research over many months, so I knew which roads were the best for my budget, and even which side of the road was preferable. The viewing was just to get a feel for the house and to check it looked as straight on the inside as outside. It did, and so the rest was just staking out the neighbours. Apart from the fussy couple who complained that I hadn't cleaned my windows for a while (!) it was all good, and even they relented when I showed them what was happening DIY-wise behind those windows.

We stayed in that small area for 31 years, though we eventually decided to move to a house in the next road with a drive, because the cul-de-sac which had seemed so quiet and serene in 1977 had become filled with cars by 1987 as a result of the council's higher charges for city parking. It's not possible to predict everything!

RelievedSheff

If I were you I would certainly go and view some more houses, even ones which don't on the face of it tick many of your must have boxes. The more you see the more you will realise what you do and don't want and what is important to must have.

It is difficult to describe the feeling when you find the right house, but you will know when you do. It will just feel right.

We viewed 80 odd houses before we bought our first house back in 2007, but this was of course pre Covid and viewing homes was much simpler.

When we finally moved again last year we viewed just the one house as we had a much better idea of what we wanted from a home and this new build ticked almost every box on the list.