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How long did it take you to decide on your first house purchase?

18 replies

CountessDracula · 27/08/2004 18:19

Following on from ks's thread about not being able to make her mind up about which house to buy....

We have bought 3 houses - the first was the first we'd seen and we loved it and put in an offer 5 mins after first viewing. The second we knew we wanted that sort of house and loved the location, again offered immediately.

The third, we must have looked at 40 houses, offered on two (under asking price) and got turned down. When we saw the one we are in we immediately knew it was right and offered asking price (which was a very good price anyway) and got it taken off the market.

Anyone else?

OP posts:
Levanna · 27/08/2004 23:24

The first house we tried to buy fell through after we had signed for exchange....we were later comforted by the fact that my uncle (an architect) advised us that we had probably had a lucky escape after we discussed in detail some underpinning work which the house had previously had done. Our second attempt - we saw the house, loved it, DD seemed really comfortable in it (a deciding factor!) so we drove straight from the viewing to the estate agents, offered and had offer accepted within the hour! The sale went through fine, and we're still totaly comfortable that this is the one for us (due to actually move in tomorrow - good job as it's also my EDD!). I now firmly believe that what's for you won't go by you, particularly where homes are concerned!

PicadillyCircus · 27/08/2004 23:27

The first house we bought (this one) we saw it, loved it and went and put an offer in straight away.

Now we're in the process of selling this one and buying another one and it is more complicated somehow - we know we have more compromises to make to stay in this area and have a larger house. DS (9 months) and I have looked at several houses, but none feel "right" in the way this one did.

prufrock · 30/08/2004 13:28

We put down a £500 deposit on our first property (an off-plan flat) within 5 minutes of viewing the show flat. This was after a boozy lunch in the pub down the road!

cazzybabs · 30/08/2004 15:33

2 days - because although we loved it it was way over our budget and more than we could borrow. So was had to talk nicely to dp's father and in the mean time an offer was put in. But we offered the asking price and hopefully it will be ours. Just waiting for results of damp/wood worm specalist.

Clayhead · 30/08/2004 15:42

About 5 minutes after viewing, whilst dh was at work! Excellent coming home conversation, 'How was your day?', 'Well, I bought a house!'

We both love it after several years though so I must have been right!

iota · 30/08/2004 15:45

Looked at 4, grabbed one - it was the 80's boom and prices were going mad.......sold it 3 yrs later for almost double the price we paid

WideWebWitch · 30/08/2004 16:26

2 minutes. I knew what I wanted, so called the agent who mostly dealt with those properties, asked to see one that had just come on the market(the details hadn't even been typed yet) and offered asking price as I viewed it, which was the same day. It was accepted and we completed a month later. It was a buy to let though.

sis · 31/08/2004 11:57

Withinfive minutes of viewing it - only took so long because I had to persuade my husband that we could afford it!

Fio2 · 31/08/2004 12:02

my first house was a rental flat and we decided straight away

2nd was a wreck, edwardian terrace, 2 beds but lots of original features. Loved it straight away but it went to sealed offers but we got it obviously. Was an empty property

3rd house was also a wreck 1930's semi, 3 beds, large garden etc. Phoned estate agent to put in offer when we got outside. Was also an empty property

4th hoiuse was also a wreck, victorian, 4 beds, lots of original features. Erm dh loved it, I hated it. Someone else beat us to it but couldnt get the mortgage on it. Took about 4 months before we could make an offer. was also an empty property.

So the common theme with us is wreck and empty by the look of it

Hulababy · 31/08/2004 12:05

First house was brand new one, built nbut nmot quite ready and finished. Ummed and arhed for a couple of weeks, then DH's grandad chatted to him about missing his chance, etc and we put deposit down next day.

Second home was this apartment. We looked at the paper plans - way before built - and loved the whole idea. Thought about it and looked at brochures. Concerned about cost to start with but DH asked his IFA friend, and then we put money down the following Monday having looked on the Saturday.

Third home -well, apartment is up for sale and we have to look for a new house. Will keep you posted on how long!!!

Jimjams · 31/08/2004 18:55

First we knew it was right so put an offer in the day after viewing- accepted. Had viewed about 10 other houses. Second we bought off a friend. Third we saw on the first day of looking, it was our dream house- was on at a good price so offered full asking price half an hour after viewing (accepted).

ks · 31/08/2004 18:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

zebra · 31/08/2004 19:19

We agonised every time... but it came down to simply had to buy something, time was running out. Neither house was 'perfect', neither did I "love", but I had to make a decision & that was that.

codswallop · 31/08/2004 19:20

I thought this was ks

my friend looked at 80 flats in s london

Fio2 · 31/08/2004 19:21

80??? i bet her legs ached

Chandra · 31/08/2004 19:33

First, saw 3 houses and made an offer immediatly, 2nd... I was looking for about 18m (seeing rhoughly 2 houses per month), even had a map of the city with all the streets we liked highlighted in yellow!

Piffleoffagus · 31/08/2004 19:56

Prev to Dh I bought my own 2 up 2 down and saw hundreds in my price range, knew as soon as I saw mine. offered within 4 hrs.
Now with Dh and I having bought our first house together (we move in next w/e) we saw 5 houses first out of a possible 35 for that week... We loved it as soon as we saw it but never told each other, we discussed it all w/e and offered the next Monday
We got it!!!
Will let you know if it was right choice LOL

codswallop · 31/08/2004 19:57

*I know 80!
I kept saying to her " Eight z ero"
not "one eight?"

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