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Original poster

FTB- how many properties did you view before you found ‘the one’?

28 replies

WhyDidntIGetAnySoup · 21/08/2025 07:14

As above really 🙂we’re in the early stages, have had four viewings and this has at least started to give us an idea of what we don’t want or what we might get for our money. We are on a fairly low budget (£385k max) for our area (southeast England, but not London). I’ve been told things will pick up in terms of new listings after summer hols - is this true?
The last time we were having to look for a rental (less than two years ago), we had to view 25+ properties before we found the one we are in now. Which makes me think if it was that difficult to find a rental, without the long-term commitment we would be making as buyers, what the bloody hell will it be like this time around (although many of those rentals were fine and we would have taken them, but the LL chose someone without a dog or small child as we have).
I just want to find something NOW! 😏
So, how many viewings did you have before you found your home? 🏡 thanks!

OP posts:

PermanentTemporary · 21/08/2025 07:20

This time, I think it was about 8. But for once in my life I had a budget that was enough, so we had a fair bit of choice and we could be fussy before even going to see anything - it was a very short list that we actually viewed physically.

We also had the problem that once we’d seen the house we live in now, we couldn’t like any of the others.

The good news for you is that it’s a buyers market in a lot of areas. You can make offers and be picky. What sort of area/county are you looking at?

PermanentTemporary · 21/08/2025 07:21

I remember also feeling that ‘we’ll never find the right place’ panic, until we did. I looked at the house as we arrived and knew I wanted to live there.

Original poster

WhyDidntIGetAnySoup · 21/08/2025 07:29

Thank you, that’s reassuring and actually what a lot of people have said (re the ‘knowing’ but then there’s also the worry of being gazumped if you really love somewhere 😫 I was even disappointed the other day when I saw a new listing and rang the EA to book a viewing (ad had only just been listed, I’m checking sites every 3-4 hours atm!) and he said they’d already had an offer!!).
Being a renter I know gives us advantage as no chain (for us at least). It’s just so stressful and disheartening and we have even got to the offer stage with any.
We’re Adur/West Hove kind of area.
Thank you for taking the time to respond.

OP posts:

tealandteal · 21/08/2025 07:43

The first time, 8 or 9? We had a much wider area but fixed budget. This time, 3. We had a higher budget but a very small area. That was over a couple of months, there just weren’t many properties that suited for sale. There is a house out there for you!

TheDandyLion · 21/08/2025 07:52

All being well and this sale completes we viewed only 1 property and had the offer accepted. We did loads of research beforehand of the area and specific streets and 2 houses next door to each other came on the market at the same price. Both slightly over our budget and overpriced. But our vendor wanted quick sale so dropped by £15k which was when we made an offer. We didn't want to just fall in love with the first house we saw but it ticked about 10 more boxes from our wants list that we would have compromised on.

Venalopolos · 21/08/2025 07:55

As actually FTB, we bought a flat and only viewed the one we bought (we already rented in the same building). When we bought our house we couldn’t sell the flat so felt like FTB again, and we bought the 4th house we viewed. I’d have bought the first but DH didn’t like the garden.

HarryVanderspeigle · 21/08/2025 08:02

First time it was the third or fourth. I called the estate agents soon as I got home from the viewing to offer. I liked it, so why wait?

Sellenis · 21/08/2025 08:17

The third house, but I already knew the town and barely ten houses were on the market in my bracket. So that's practically the optimal.

Secretary problem - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretary_problem

distinctpossibility · 21/08/2025 08:22

Each time we've bought a house we have only viewed 2 or 3. For our first house, there was a specific estate of about 200 houses so we viewed the 3 that were on the market. Each subsequent time has had specific size / area requirements so it's been an easy choice to make. I think if you have much broader parameters it must be harder.

So my only tips would be to write down perhaps 6 or 8 features you want (things like driveway, cul se sac location, walking distance to your mum's, whatever) and grade them in order of importance to help you prioritise what to view. Also add if there are any firm vetoes, like a house needing a lot of work or one without a garage or whatever.

25+ viewings for a rental is an awful lot so putting the legwork in now might save a lot of deliberation and stress going forward.

EverardDeTroyes · 21/08/2025 08:27

I've bought 4 times in my life and each time only viewed 3 or 4 properties. I think I'm pretty good at knowing what I want and filtering out other properties on paper.

YesTHATMum · 21/08/2025 08:27

This one - one! It was the only one in the region (where I insisted we stay) we could afford which came on the market in the 8 months we were looking.

SheSpeaks · 21/08/2025 08:30

We had a choice of four. We viewed four, offered on four, and had the offer on our current house accepted. Of the four it is and was the one we liked the least.

childofthe607080s · 21/08/2025 08:33

We chose the best that was available at the time- viewed all 5 or 6 that were available in our budget. Too
much choice is a bad thing sometimes

it doesn’t have to be perfect and most people can’t afford perfect however in most homes many things can be changed to make it better over time

so focus on location and space and neighbourhood / things that are hard to change

RidingMyBike · 21/08/2025 08:34

First time, three houses. That was really about getting a feel for what was available, how estate agent pics don’t match the reality and was a while
ago so much less information available online.

Second time, bought the first house we viewed.

Third time, six houses. That was in a new area and getting a feel for the type of house in different areas.

CCLCECSC · 21/08/2025 08:35

Once we narrowed it down to the village in our case 3 or 4, with the house we bought the last viewing simply on the advice of the agent.

IMissSparkling · 21/08/2025 08:40

Eight. I was outbid on two others before buying this one. I was getting tired of looking so kind of settled for this one, as it ticked most of my boxes. I absolutely love it now though.

PestoHoliday · 21/08/2025 08:43

Had details of 82
Drove around and looked from the outside of 46
Viewed 14
Offered on 2

Everintroverte · 21/08/2025 10:56

This time we had 8 viewings arranged, walked into the first one and just knew that it was the house we wanted. Still went to the other viewings but compared them all to 'our' house.

Kitchenbattle · 21/08/2025 10:59

This time…as I wanted only a new build. I actually have PTSD when it comes to renovating and old houses.(long story) So my one requirement was that this one was a new build, highly insulated, modern day heating system etc etc and in and around my hometown. So I was somewhat limited. We viewed four.

FitnessIsTheOnlyWealth · 21/08/2025 13:49

Viewing for renting is different as you can’t change the property so you are looking for something near perfect. When buying you are looking for other things - right location / layout / size but you also know that cosmetically and beyond changes are possible. So I wouldn’t be deterred by the renting experience.
Also, not all viewings are with the aim of making an offer, sometimes I view just to see what I can get in a certain amount / location even though I may have struck out the property on paper

Nourishinghandcream · 21/08/2025 14:13

I think I looked at two (including the house I bought).

There were a couple of reasons it was so simple.
I scrutinised the EA details first (this is long before RM) and filtered out the ones that I was just not interested in regardless of what the EA said.
It was my first house (my first step on the property ladder) and I knew I would not be there for too long so I was not looking for somewhere that ticked all the boxes and/or to be my forever home.

Stayed a tad over three years.

LindorDoubleChoc · 21/08/2025 14:14

It's a long time ago but I can only remember viewing 4 including the house we bought.

tripleginandtonic · 21/08/2025 14:17

My ds just the one, told the estate agent what his max was, put an offer in for that and it was taken off the market.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 21/08/2025 14:25

We are late ftb I’m 44 and DH 41 but we looked at probably about 8 last year then stopped to save again (went on holiday!). Then looked at about 4 this year then found it! We’re hoping to complete next month.

Original poster

WhyDidntIGetAnySoup · 22/08/2025 13:15

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. Lots of helpful tips and stories which give me hope! We have another 4 viewings booked over the next five days. Two are looking VERY promising (tick all the ‘must have’ (for us) boxes) and the other two I’m not sure about as have already viewed a house on the same estate and didn’t like it so feel these will be the same, to be honest we might even cancel those viewings - thinking about what some pp said about ruling out some properties ‘on paper’. We also had a chat with another mortgage broker who has potentially found us something better, giving us a slightly higher budget, but without breaking the bank so things are looking hopeful.
thanks again everyone. My dream is that we have this Christmas in our new home 🙂

OP posts:

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