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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Am I mad for thinking of making an offer without viewing it myself?

28 replies

MadIady · 11/08/2022 18:15

NC because I fully expect to get slated for even asking this.

Is this a mad idea?

I am a FTB.

I was going to view a property this weekend. I completely forgot about the train strikes when I booked the viewing for this weekend and I cannot drive (it’s a six hour drive so can’t really ask a friend). I also cannot go next week as I’m covering for someone at work so no chance of last minute AL and then have a work conference from Friday to Monday.

I’ve seen the online tour. It needs a bit of work but nothing major (new bathroom, a bit of paint work etc).

Could I ask a reputable local tradesman to go around and pay them to draw up a cost breakdown and offer them first dibs on doing the work if/when I buy the property? I’ll also pay them for their time.

Or am I being mad? Obviously I would want to view it myself but it’s such a reasonable price and property in the area so rarely comes up. I really don’t want to miss out! Would it even be allowed by the estate agent? I would then view myself at the earliest opportunity.

OP posts:
Ulovememore · 11/08/2022 18:17

Yes. Totally insane. View it!

LightandMomentary · 11/08/2022 18:18

Honestly, you can't tell what they're like online, that's your problem. I've seen many many houses that looked wonderful online but don't actually show the neighbour that is so close they could move in at the rear of the property, or the 150 foot leylandei that the neighbours have to the other side of you, etc, etc. Coach?

Skinnermarink · 11/08/2022 18:19

i’ll be incredibly surprised if you can get a tradesperson to go round and do that on the off chance you’re mad enough to put an offer in without viewing.

HSKAT · 11/08/2022 18:19

Photos compared to the actual property can be worlds apart in my experience.
Mega bus?

Skinnermarink · 11/08/2022 18:20

Can you not travel late Friday night? Stay somewhere cheap? Yeah there are train strikes for when you need to get home but that doesn’t mean there are no trains at all in most cases, I’ve had to travel on two strike weekends recently.

Original poster
MadIady · 11/08/2022 18:24

Haha. I thought it was a bit mad. Glad to have it confirmed.

The coach is 12 hours and as someone who suffers from awful motion sickness I’m not sure I could tolerate it @LightandMomentary

@Skinnermarink I did look but all the trains are sold out for Friday evening. I’ve never seen sold out trains before but I guess the more savvy travellers booked ahead.

OP posts:
PseudonymPolly · 11/08/2022 18:26

it’s such a reasonable price and property in the area so rarely comes up

In the current market and sought after areas there's going to be a very good reason it's on for a reasonable price.

I wouldn't dream of buying anything without viewing, I think you'd be mad op.

What if there's an awful smell just outside the property that permeates everything? What if next door is a crack den with pumping music 24/7? I could literally think of 100 more.

spirit20 · 11/08/2022 18:29

Definitely do not make an offer without viewing it. For all you know those photos are 5 years old and the place has fallen apart since then. I've just recently been viewing places myself and it's incredible how different some places can be from the photos.

If the house is priced less, or more reasonably, than other similar properties in the area, then there is a very good reason for that. They won't offer a price at a lower value than they think they can get for it, so for me that's a red flag in itself that something's wrong with it.

Cervinia · 11/08/2022 18:34

Your naivety is like a beacon glowing on the hillside.

  1. not viewing it
  2. thinking you can get someone to look at it for you
  3. Thinking that this tradesman would be delighted to have first dibs on work
  4. assuming someone is reputable when you live 12 hours away
Original poster
MadIady · 11/08/2022 18:36

Thanks guys. I did realise it was mad but was secretly hoping someone would say it wasn’t a bad idea 😂

According to the estate agent it was owned by some old dear for a number of decades. No major issues she was aware of, just quite dated and in need of a bit of renovation but of course you never know with seeing it yourself!

Really annoying timing though!

OP posts:
Original poster
MadIady · 11/08/2022 18:38

@Cervinia Yeah I know. I have a friend who is a property flipper who offered to put me in touch with a team he has worked with that could be trusted.

OP posts:
LividLaVidaLoca · 11/08/2022 18:38

Yep, you need to see it in person.

It’s like online dating. Not real until seen.

FanSpamTastic · 11/08/2022 18:45

Can you ask the estate agent to do a live viewing over FaceTime for you? You won't be able to test any smells but you will get a better idea of the property and can ask them to zoom in on bits and walk you outside etc.

Do you have friends or family in the area you want to buy in? Could they go and do the viewing for you and FaceTime you?

Do you know the area well do that you would know what the local area is like?

LoobyDop · 11/08/2022 18:53

It’s amazing how flattering photos can be. We viewed a house a few weeks ago. Online, it looked incredible: stylishly decorated, great character features, light and airy. In real life, the vendor had clearly done the work himself and totally bodged it. You could see damp rising in the cellar, and huge holes in the external walls. A bit where he’d put in wooden steps from one room on the ground floor to another, and there was literally nothing behind the steps- just a gap in the floor. A security camera- a proper one, not a Ring doorbell- over the steel front door, which he couldn’t really explain the need for but definitely wasn’t because he was worried about burglary. We went in fully intending to make an offer and came out laughing because it would have been such a money pit. You’d be insane not to see somewhere for yourself.

Smidge001 · 11/08/2022 18:55

I bought my first flat without seeing it, so I don't think you're mad. But I knew the area well, and got my mum to view it.
No regrets!

IglesiasPiggl · 11/08/2022 18:59

As a seller I would also not accept an offer from a buyer who hadn't viewed the property. It is more likely to fall through further down the line as things come up that they would have seen themselves at the viewing.

Harridan1981 · 11/08/2022 19:01

Tbh I would make an offer now, then if accepted make a 'second viewing ' appt in the next few weeks when trains are ordinary and pull out if needs be.

Skinnermarink · 11/08/2022 19:05

I saw what I thought was a lovely flat. The neighbours had stunk out the immediate outside area with skunk even though it was about 10am and I saw mouse traps littered about everywhere.

HappyHappyHermit · 11/08/2022 19:08

It is a bit mad, but we did it! It was lockdown and we couldn't go in the house, we asked for a video as well as photos and we drove by and saw the garden etc, but we didn't get to go in the house until a long way down the line. It is doable, but make sure you have a detailed survey if you do do it.

tirednewmumm · 11/08/2022 19:13

Where's the property? Maybe Mumsnet can at least advise on area and surroundings?

2bazookas · 11/08/2022 19:24

You're overlooking the fact that for SELLERS, the marketing, sale and conveyance of one property AND purchase of the next is a complex financial and legal juggling act they don't want messed up. There's a well-worn protocol to avoid disastrous loss.

I would not even entertain any offer from a FTB who hadn't viewed the property.
Because that tells me, you don't know what you're risking FOR ME, and you don't have a competent honest lawyer advising you.

CatherinedeBourgh · 11/08/2022 19:24

You could get a buyer's agent to look at it for you. I used one once when I was living far from where I wanted to buy. Not a substitute for seeing it yourself ultimately, but someone who will give you an honest opinion and can save a lot of wasted travel for viewings which are a non starter.

Brighteyedtriangle · 11/08/2022 19:28

Theres a house near me that pops up on market every few months. The photos dont show the huge pylon practically in the back garden.
Sorry you need to view

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 11/08/2022 19:37

Yes you need to view - a tradesman or friend or a video will not see the things that matter or don’t matter to you.
for example. Dh bought this house as it has a garage. Me - “ is the garage big enough for either of our cars?” Dh - “yes it’ll take either”. Me on viewing it myself - surprise! The garage is too small for either car….
Cue me sat on the internet researching the best way to deal with a knackered too small garage….not something I had budgeted for.

sarahc336 · 11/08/2022 19:46

Oh god please don't do this!!! Rightmove photos always make a house look in better condition if it needs work in my opinion, we recently moved in to our new home and even after viewing our house we're still discovering stuff we hadn't noticed so please don't rely purely on rightmove. We viewed some houses that looked nothing like the photos or they did but we just didn't feel right in the house. You must always view a house op xx