How long did it take you to find your house?

jonners666

We viewed 15-20 houses. 

Had an offer accepted, but then the sellers decided they wanted to stay...

Went to see another 4-5 that we'd initially discounted from Rightmove, but really liked one of those in the flesh and went for that one. 

SameOldRoundabout

We viewed 4. We loved the first one we saw but didn’t want to make a mistake so we viewed more, including one that came back on the market that I was totally sure was “The One”. On viewing it definitely wasn’t and wasn’t a patch on No1. We’d viewed this house before ours was on the market, so had a tense wait. Luckily ours sold on the first viewing day with 4 offers, first thing I did was call the EA for this place before we’d even chosen who to accept! 8 weeks later we were in and I love it. Having seen several houses this time I am now a firm believer in the right property for you “feeling” right when you view. 

TBagpuss

Most recent move (about 6 years ago) I can't remember how many houses I viewed, but more than 20.

I was moving fairly locally and wasn't in a rush, so I wasn't under pressure to 'settle' - I knew in general terms what I wanted and the viewings helped me narrow down  which things I was willing to compromise on.

I did it in two waves, as with the first house I offered on I pulled out after the survey revealed some major problems, so I had to start over. 

DairyQueen

Our house was the first on which we carried out a 'drive by' just before first lockdown last spring. We were not yet on the market so unwise to view until we were in a position to offer (i.e. SSTC). It was in the perfect location, ideally situated and had the most beautiful west-facing garden. As OH and I stopped outside we both went 'oooh'.

It went under offer immediately the market started-up in May and before we were able to market our home. We SSTC in July and began viewings. 

By September - 9 properties viewed (and several more 'drive bys'), 1 offer outbid, 1 offer revoked when we discovered the plans for the industrial broiler factory nearby, 1 offer revoked on a new build when we had 2nd thoughts and, blow me!, just as we were despairing at finding something, the first house came back on the market. We viewed, we offered. Offer accepted.

A month later the EA acting for the property on which we had been outbid returned to us as that sale had fallen through. We viewed that house again. Tough call as the house was lovely but not a patch on the situation and location of property 1. 

We then had 6 months of the usual stresses with legals and covenants (vendor), and mortgages (buyer), before we finally completed in March of this year.

Property 1 was actually the 10th property we viewed, and it was exactly a year between that first drive-by and completion.

GarretC

After accepting an offer on our property, we viewed 4 properties in 10 days, bid on 3 - went sale agreed on the third.