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Original poster

When you're choosing a house...

30 replies

Thewayis · 09/06/2022 15:56

...are you 100% practical in terms of box ticking when considering a house, or do you wait until you step inside and get a 'feeling/knowing'?

I've been waiting for that goosebump moment but I'm wondering if I'm being ridiculous. 50+ houses viewed and none of them felt like The One.

OP posts:
grey12 · 09/06/2022 16:24

Depends how desperate you want a house 🤷🏻‍♀️

Have a small list of things you REALLY need/want and a secondary list of things that would be lovely to have.

If the house fits all of the first list amazingly and a few of the second (maybe even with possibly to improve) then go see it again and imagine yourself living there, where you'd put your sofa, hang your pics, ....

KangarooKenny · 09/06/2022 16:30

I always go for location. Most things in a house can be changed, but location can’t.

TheNoodlesIncident · 09/06/2022 16:47

Like Grey12, this is how we find looking for holiday destinations, we have a list of criteria that it must fulfil plus additional things that would be good to have but not essential. Like location is very important/essential, proximity to schools maybe, but things like transport links or good local shops are handy.

Once you've done that sort of assessment on a house, you feel it'll be right for you or it definitely won't. I have viewed quite a few houses in my time and seen some absolute monsters (pre-internet, when you just got particulars which was a written description and a photo of the front outside of the house glued on) which I wouldn't have bought if they were a fiver. Others, which I did buy, I loved from the view inside through the letterbox (the EA forgot to attend that appointment) and another, five minutes in the sunny rear garden Blush So maybe there is a "the One" feeling as well, 90% practical and 10% heart?

tokyotea · 09/06/2022 17:01

I didn't get the goosebumps feeling when viewing either. I know the house we've gone for ticks a lot of boxes and I know we will make it a home. It's in our ideal location and it was within our budget with some left over for improvements. But I don't get the whole 'dream home' thing people get. But I'm looking forward to making it our own though and redecorating etc. I think it'll help.

BlueMongoose · 09/06/2022 20:42

Even before t'internet we only ever viewed one or two before deciding, I narrowed them down from the paperwork. Saves wasting my time and raising false hopes in sellers. Now, with websites and Google etc, it's even easier to do your homework. This time I must have looked at the best part of a hundred over two or three years. We only viewed the final one, and we bought it....it was exactly what we wanted in so many ways, and we knew it would look and feel awful because it was a wreck needed so much doing to it. Viewing was just looking for real dealbreakers structurally for us.
I used Google Earth to work out the size of the garden, for example (agents never know and are always to idle to measure them up). I could also check that it had a north-facing room I needed to have. I also workd out the floorplan (ther wasn't one) by sitting down with some graph paper, the photos, and the room dimensions. Turned out spot-on, and revealed that extending the bathroom wouldn't be possible....something I suspect even the vendors didn't know.

Paranoidandroidmarvin · 10/06/2022 16:09

I knew. My current house I knew when I had only walked through the front door. But when considering. I always say … a house that u love will end up just being a house to u. And then all ur left with is ur compromises. Make sure u can actually live with those compromises full time.

Crikeyalmighty · 10/06/2022 17:07

Well we rent nice houses- but if anything we Are even fussier as we rent long term and you can't change anything! So everything has to fit from the word go- location, size, decor, layout.

If we were able to buy then I think we would be less fussy and it would come down far more to location (can't change that) and price and condition - as many other things can be changed- albeit at a cost!!

BeyondMyWits · 10/06/2022 17:18

50+ viewings... wow, what are you using to pre-sift? I'd suggest it isn't working.

Here there are maybe 20 houses that are in our price range in the areas we like. Of those 10 are not suitable (layout, state of the place, size of garden etc,) . Another 6 don't have a second loo, or a big enough 3rd bedroom for our needs. Leaving 4 to view. We chose the best fit, the one we could see ourselves living in.

With 50+ it sounds more like you want to think about moving, not actually move.... like my hobby is supposed to be knitting, but really I just collect wool...

Desert76 · 10/06/2022 17:26

50 is a lot!

DH and I have moved 9 times (7 rentals, 2 purchases). We have viewed a total of 11 additional properties across all those moves that we didn’t end up renting/buying - so 20 viewings in total ever.

For the purchases, we did just “know”, it was a feeling both times - though we did shortlist carefully beforehand looking at property listings.
As first time buyers it only took one day of viewings to decide.
Second time round we were looking for about 3 weeks.

For the rentals - we were only both present at a viewing once. All the other times just one of us went - so more practical, though we also trust each other’s judgement.

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 10/06/2022 17:35

50 Grin bloody hell, if you keep going you'll have seen all the houses in the UK before long, and then you'll have your answer.

I do think though that you won't get a 'feeling' now that you've seen so many houses. I suppose it's a bit like speed dating - not that I've tried it, but I imagine if you'd spoken to 30 or 40 people already, you could easily overlook your soul mate without ever knowing.

DreamingofItaly2023 · 10/06/2022 17:42

The practical stuff should largely be taken care of when doing online sifting so viewings should be largely feeling imo. We ignored the feeling last time and went for the more practical choice, very much regret now as turns out practical house isn’t that practical. Will not make that mistake again. However if you have never felt the feeling perhaps it just isn’t something you feel?

Original poster
Thewayis · 10/06/2022 18:29

50+ is a lot, I realise! But I'm not held to location- can move anywhere in the UK so yes, seem to be gradually checking out all of the country...

OP posts:
Calmdown14 · 10/06/2022 21:48

So you are moving for a house and no other reason?

I think this approach often fails. You have too many choices and too many factors to consider.

There will always be pros and cons in every choice.

You either wait to get lucky and fall in love or try and narrow it down a bit. If you fell for an area I suspect you'd be more willing to accept the inevitable compromises that come with any house

godmum56 · 10/06/2022 21:57

the only goosebumpy house we ever viewed we didn't buy and the world didn't end. first house was what we could afford where we wanted to be. The other two and two rentals were company sponsored find somewhere quick moves. We have liked all the houses we have lived in but neither of us were "house lovers". baseline is houses are machines for living in.

godmum56 · 10/06/2022 22:00

Ps I used to work in the nhs helping people with disabilities get home. The number of people who lived in totally unsuitable houses (as in put your disabled husband in the garden shed unsuitable) and who could easily moved (well off) but couldn't leave their beloved house....it used to make me grind my teeth.

Starseeking · 10/06/2022 23:07

Whenever I've viewed houses, I've thought about what my dealbreakers are, what are must haves, and what are nice to haves.

Dealbreakers include:

  • New build
  • Main road
  • Shared drive
  • Poor location
  • Terraced
  • Not on a bus route

Must haves include:

  • 1930's semi
  • 3 bedrooms
  • Separate living room and dining room
  • Within 10 minutes walk to school
  • Extension potential up and back
  • Downstairs loo/potential for one
  • Off-street parking

Nice to haves include:

  • Huge garden
  • Garage
  • Extension potential side and back

The house I'm buying has none of my dealbreakers, all of my must haves and none of my nice to haves. I didn't bother viewing any house with even one of my dealbreakers; it would have been a complete waste of my time.

My nice to haves were the compromises I made to be in the location I want with 90% of the things I'd like. I expect I'll upgrade in 10 years, hopefully to somewhere that has both the must haves and the nice to haves!

If you make a similar list OP, you should find something you like. 50 houses is far too many to have viewed without liking one enough to offer on. It's possible you are seeking perfection, and/or need to increase your budget.

worriedaboutmoney2022 · 10/06/2022 23:33

My friend is up for sale at the moment and she's convinced people just like a day out!!

Kite22 · 10/06/2022 23:58

50+ does seem extreme.

I mean, I would narrow down a list of places to look at through the 'ticks enough of my boxes criteria, but then I have been lucky enough to walk into our current house and get 'the feeling' - even though it was almost like "the mystery house" in Escape to the Country - we only looked at it because the EA persuaded us whilst we were with them for the morning, to look. My previous 2 properties didn't set me tingling, and I was very, very happy in both of them.

As a pp said though, the fact you don't have things limiting you to a fairly tight criteria (schools, or work, or commute, etc) possibly makes it harder. I would think most people will only look in a relatively small area and soon realise they need to choose.

mobear · 11/06/2022 08:18

We looked for 2 years, mainly because my partner didn’t take it seriously until we knew DC was on the way, but for us it was very much a box ticking excercise because we planned on renovating. If a house has ‘good bones’ and you’re planning to stay a while most other things can be fixed.

orangeisthenewpuce · 11/06/2022 08:24

I think that tingly goosebump feeling doesn't exist apart from on tv shows.

whimsicalwillow · 11/06/2022 08:27

KangarooKenny · 09/06/2022 16:30

I always go for location. Most things in a house can be changed, but location can’t.

Absolutely. We knew what roads we wanted to live in and when a house came on the market we bought despite having 'no feeling' when we viewed.

cupofdecaf · 11/06/2022 08:39

I wouldn't say goose bumps but both houses I've bought I was left with a pleasant happy feeling after the viewing. Our current house I wasn't expecting to like much from the online information but we were under a bit of pressure to fine somewhere. We left the viewing and DH and I both just felt it was really nice, a proper family home. It still has a good feeling to it. It lacks curb appeal but the layout and garden are great. Also I feel at home here.
We saw better looking houses that suited us on paper but honestly we just didn't get the same feeling.

Dinosaur975326788900864322456778899900754543 · 11/06/2022 08:42

I’m looking for potential and views.

Paddingtonthebear · 11/06/2022 10:02

I think it depends on your budget and circumstances. We are buying our first house at the moment. Its taken a year. We don’t have the budget for feels and tingles 🤣. Our purchase is a practical choice, ticks a few boxes and it’s within our price range. I need about £250k more to get the feels and to live in my desired area.

SpidersAreShitheads · 11/06/2022 10:14

The house we're in the middle of buying is a bit run-down and unloved, and needs lots of DIY. Lots. But it has good bones, lots of land - and as a super bonus, a very good friend lives in the next street!

When we saw it, I knew. Even though it's a mess. It felt right. That was the same with the house I'm in now - and I've been here for 15 years.

Maybe it helps if you are really clear in your head what you actually want. I mean really want. I think if you're not absolutely certain what you're looking for, you just end up with a procession of nice houses without any of them really standing out.

What a PP has is a good idea - must haves, deal breakers, and desirables. That might help you focus.