Viewing houses when you live far away

Neil49

Doodles said:

Thanks everyone for ou, that's reassuring.

I am looking to buy.  Decent sized deposit and have had a couple of mortgage in principles so know my budget.

That's a very good point about travelling between properties - was just thinking of getting a cab between them or even asking the EA to give me a lift (or would that be terribly rude to ask?)

I've a friend in Harrogate who might be able to help though.

I've been living up in Dewsbury West Yorkshire for 12 years, but temporarily living down South (due to marriage breakup :-(  )
So I want my next home to be in a nice, safe area and a home for me for the next 20 years. Hence I want to get this right!

I have a couple of weeks off beginning of August so that's when I'd be planning to travel, so how much before that would you recommend me approaching estate agents please?

Taking it from the top of your response. 


Had you considered moving up and renting short term in order to get to know the area and be in a position to view as soon as properties come on the market. As you want to get it right for the next 20 years then a few months renting could be worth the upheaval.

With regards to travelling between properties I doubt that the agents would be happy to drive you there given the current covid situation. Additionally, you could be involved with a number of competing agents so I doubt that agent A would take you to a property marketed by agent B. As mentioned above, this is a good opportunity to see what public transport is like. 

I would approach the agents now and give them details of what you are looking for. If a good property comes up you will be one of the first to know, possibly even before it gets onto Rightmove. Agents love to be able to tell potential sellers that they have people on their books looking for a property and ready to go. Also with the shortage of properties for sale at the moment you will need to be quick off the mark.

gettingtheresometime

Why not rent first ? That way you can get a true feel for an area as well decide on what area a)you really want to live in b)what area suits your new lifestyle

gingercordial

Remember these days some agents do not do viewings, the home owners do them with no agent present to reduce the number of people there.  So there may not be an agent around to give you a lift.

If an agent is present, pre-Covid they would most likely have taken you between properties they were showing you themselves but not then on to another agent's property.

Can you hire a car for a couple of days or use a car club?

Suseka97

I agree with all of the above having recently relocated 200+ miles from where I lived.  Its vital that you do as much online research as you can about the area/street the house is situated in, as well as the level of public services and access to medical care etc., given that you do not drive. 

We created a long-list and short-list over several weeks before putting our house on the market and as soon as we were under offer we contacted EAs to start booking in a series of viewings over a long weekend.  Now this was during the height of Covid and so viewings were a little more difficult than I imagine they are now.  I will say that you'll need to be somewhat flexible to work around a vendors wishes about viewings (days/times) and an EA's availability.  We had to alter our plans to travel on a particular weekend because we were finding it difficult to get bookings, but we did find the EA's were as helpful as they could be - after all its in their interest too.

When you view go with a clear sense of what you would be prepared to compromise on and the things that the house needs to have and take pictures.  This is so when you are trying to remember different aspects of those you like you can look back at them.  The house we achieved an agreed offer on had one of those 3D walkthrough videos which was a great help as we moved towards exchange and completion - especially given that we were unable to then return for a 2nd viewing due to more restrictive lockdown measures and distance involved.

Above all, it is doable - you just need to be well-organised and plan ahead as much as you can.

Doodles

Thanks everyone, I'm glad I asked the question as that's given me food for thought :-)  

Not keen on renting if I am honest, as doing so here in Hampshire.