At what point do you start viewing?

[JumpingJackSprat]

Should you wait until you've got an offer on yours before you start viewing houses to buy?

[LadyGardenersQuestionTime]

Start looking so you can get a feel for what you really want, kind of get your eye in.

[MrsJamin]

Look at the properties which have been on the market for a while as they may still be available when you have accepted an offer. It's tricky though as you don't want to fall for something and then be frustrated even more by not selling.

[MrsTaraPlumbing]

IMHO only go view when you have an offer on your property, otherwise you are wasting everyones time.
But of course you should study properties on the internet and drive down streets if you are not sure of the area.

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

I don't agree you're wasting everyone's time. I'm happy to show people my house before they've sold.

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

We had to view 5 or 6 houses before we realised what we really wanted/what was a deal breaker.

I don't think you are wasting anyone's time. If the house is slow to sell it will still be on the market once yours is under offer, if it goes quickly it will have gone. The seller doesn't lose out either way. It's not like you are going to be nosy.

Good luck.

[Madmog]

Once you have your place on the market, then I'd view one or two that you feel are a real possibility and tick quite a lot of the boxes you think you're looking for. That way you know if they're suitable, but also some of the things you thought were important might not be as important as things you realize when you're looking around a property.

It's also a good idea to know exactly what's around, as you don't want to delay the chain. It look a week to negotiate on our sale, as we wanted more so lady submitted three offers, then just over a week on our purchase as vendors again wanted more.

[Follyfoot]

I think it depends on the market in your area. If properties are taking a long time to sell, then you might be wasting other people's time by viewing very early on, as you arent in a position to do anything about it. Have a look round areas and get some details to give you a feel, but I wouldnt go any further than that until I'd had a sniff of a sale. If you are in a buoyant area, then it makes sense to start looking round sooner.

[hifi]

Get on as many agents books as you can. Im in London and lots of houses have offers on them before they even hit the internet.Estate agents don't really take you seriously until you have an offer on yours.We sold ours in 5 days, before any photos were taken, the agents had over 30 people around to view. I then had call from agents daily with up and coming properties that were just about to hit the market.

[JumpingJackSprat]

Thanks everyone some very useful opinions here. We are just decluttering ours so it's in a fit state to have photos taken before it goes on the market. I have been a bit silly and looked at zoopla, saw one that would have been perfect to view and its just gone sstc after being on the market for months so I don't want to be complacent! Have signed up to some estate agents today so going to get the ball rolling :)

[CrapBag]

We are doing this now. Ours is up for sale and we haven't even had a viewing but I am looking because actually it is different to looking online. One I thought I would love, I instantly didn't like so it's off my list, one I thought I wouldn't like I actually didn't mind. I've also decided that a utility room is now high on list of priorities or the capacity to have one or a conservatory built. I'm glad I am getting my research in now rather than rushing later when we have an offer and ending up just settling for something that's not quite right.

I save the properties I like on right move so I can check in with them. If they are gone then never mind, there will be more. You also get a good feel for what you can get for your money when you view and you can never really tell how big it is from the photos.

[TheArticFunky]

Houses go very quickly round here. I would view as soon as the house is on the market that way if you see one you love you can put an offer on as soon as you have an offer on yours.

[NotJustACigar]

I would say view a few before the house goes under off, then ramp up afterwards. We are interested in a house at the moment but the vendor hasn't even started looking and we find that off putting. She might take ages to find something or might realise she can't afford anything she wants so end up staying. Is a factor in our decision whether to offer.

[CrapBag]

not just a cigar makes a good point. I would think twice about making an offer to someone who wasn't even looking yet, you could be waiting months for them to find somewhere. I know someone who has been looking for over 8 months and still hasn't found somewhere. We were supposed to be buying her house but I'm not going to now because of the time she is taking.

[foxdongle]

we saw ours before we put our old one on the market, just to have a look at what was out there. it was exactly what we were looking for.
so we put ours on the market and the first viewer bought it , full asking price.
they said it was just what they had been looking for, for months. slightly unusual and unexpected - I suppose we were just lucky.