When to start viewing

[chocaholic73]

We're doing some work to our house and hope to be ready to put it on the market March/April time. It's so long since I've done the whole house buying/selling thing and so much has changed with everything being online since the last time that I'm not sure when to start viewing properly. I don't want to "fall in love" before we're ready to go. I also know how stressful it is for owners having people viewing who aren't able to commit so what is the norm these days?

If you're reliant on selling your own to purchase on then you can't really offer on a property until you have a buyer in place. To avoid falling in love and loosing out I would always recommend waiting until you are at least on the market. But I would also recommend having a good thorough search online at what's available in your budget to make sure a move is actually practical and you aren't disappointed by what you can afford/ what's actually likely to be available when you to secure a buyer.

I'm seconding Obi's advice. Maybe do some looking at Rightmove to get a general idea of what you can afford, but I wouldn't do any real viewings until you are at least on the market, as sellers won't be grateful at having to prepare a house for viewers who aren't even on the market yet. Even when you are on the market, it can be a bit gutting to view a place and love it, and watch it sell before you get a buyer (voice of bitter experience), so some people choose to wait until they've got a buyer in the bag before they do any viewings. You're also in a better negotiating position then.

What work are you having done? Speaking as someone who is viewing houses at the moment and would so much rather owners didn't "shine up" a property just for sale, I'd just go for it and put it on the market already. Unless, yknow, damp etc

Yes that was what I was inclined to think. I'm an avid Rightmover and we have very specific requirements so I know what's out there right now. Nothing major Sengah - just patching up tatty woodwork and getting rid of stuff so it doesn't look cluttered.

I've been an estate agent all of my adult life and honestly we do get people viewing who aren't on the market yet and it is a bit of a waste of everyone's time