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Original poster

When to view houses?

18 replies

isthesolution · 29/08/2023 06:36

Our house is about to go on the market.

When do we start viewing houses?
If we wait until there's on offer on ours im worried we will feel pressured to find something quickly. But if we start viewing now im worried we find the perfect next house and can't proceed.

Any advice? (We are north of England. Our house is v unlikely to go to a first time buyer so there is likely to be a chain when it does sell).

Thanks

OP posts:
FiveShelties · 29/08/2023 06:38

I would start to have a look now and get a feel of what is on the market and for how much.

Twiglets1 · 29/08/2023 07:32

Now your house is on the market, it is time to do lots of research. I would be viewing all suitable properties to work out how they compare and what would be a good price to pay for the sort of property you want. It will be frustrating if you see one you love and aren't in a position to buy it. But the more time you spend doing market research now, the more confident you will feel that the property you eventually buy is the best one available in your price range in the current market.

Unusualactualname · 29/08/2023 08:37

When we were buying last year, most EAs wouldn't let us view until we were under offer for our own house.

NeedTheSeaside · 29/08/2023 08:43

Start looking now, see what your money buys you, confirm what your non negotiables are etc

EA here have allowed me to view houses when mine isn't even on the market. So just look on Rightmove, find things you'd like to view then see what the agent says.

the system in England is stupid, but it is what it us. So yes, the potential for it toall go arse up is huge, but you have to be selling & looking simultaneously unless you can afford to buy without selling.

best of luck!

Original poster
isthesolution · 29/08/2023 08:52

Unusualactualname · 29/08/2023 08:37

When we were buying last year, most EAs wouldn't let us view until we were under offer for our own house.

Edited

Thanks everyone.

I had heard other people say that sometimes you can't look until yours is under offer but that sounds like it must feel a little stressful!

I'll wait until we've got viewings booked on ours and then start calling to ask agents about viewing the ones that fit our criteria. I suppose they can always decline the viewing if they want to wait until we accept an offer.

OP posts:
Twiglets1 · 29/08/2023 10:22

The market is difficult for sellers right now so I expect EAs will allow viewings as long as you can say yours is on the market

SlothMama · 29/08/2023 10:30

I'd start now as your house is on the market

RidingMyBike · 29/08/2023 10:37

I'd start viewing as soon as you're allowed to. We couldn't book viewings until under offer but market is different now.

It took 3-5 viewings to get a feel for which EA did sensible photos and which stretched them and how accurate floor plans are. And also to really work out what we wanted - although we were moving to new area so also had to get a feel for that.

User63847439572 · 29/08/2023 10:49

I’ve been honest with agents that mine is on the market but not under offer, haven’t viewed loads but just a couple, and they were happy for me to have a look. There’s one where they know if I went under offer tomorrow I would be planning to put an offer in. The way the market is a lot of things are sitting around for a while so I’m hoping the timing comes together and the one I like is still available when I am in a position to proceed. But am trying not to get too attached and know there are no guarantees.
it does help inform you as to what offer you might accept on yours too.

dewclaw · 29/08/2023 15:52

We are not bothering to look just yet- most places are taking ages to sell and don't want our hopes pointlessly raised then dashed, but are doing drive-bys of any interesting properties to get a feel for what we want/ can afford.

thelinkisdead · 29/08/2023 16:21

We sold about six weeks ago and are in the North West. Our house went on the market and we viewed three houses in the first few days. We fell in love with the third house we saw and put a provisional offer in with the vendors who accepted on the proviso ours went under offer fairly quickly. Two days later we had an offer from cash buyers which we accepted, so all in all it took 6 days total. Had we waited until we were under offer to view, we may have lost out on our dream house. We also may have been tempted to hold out for a higher offer (our buyers offered asking price but we’re fairly certain we could have got more) had we not seen the house we wanted. All in all, it worked out quickly for us, but the market has changed over the last few months (this was March).

boboshmobo · 29/08/2023 16:35

I always look before listing to see if I can afford what I want .

It has worked out for us so far but we are currently trying to sell after finding level 10 dream house so watch this space 🙄🙈

Unusualactualname · 29/08/2023 16:35

isthesolution · 29/08/2023 08:52

Thanks everyone.

I had heard other people say that sometimes you can't look until yours is under offer but that sounds like it must feel a little stressful!

I'll wait until we've got viewings booked on ours and then start calling to ask agents about viewing the ones that fit our criteria. I suppose they can always decline the viewing if they want to wait until we accept an offer.

Show quote history

Our EA advised us only to allow viewings from buyers who were proceedable - ie who had an offer on their property. We were happy with that.

XVGN · 29/08/2023 19:12

I have no idea if this will help, but consider getting all your conveyancing, searches and even a survey done on your own house, so that you demonstrate how serious you are about selling. You'll show that you have skin in the game. The £1 or £2K spent upfront could be very wise indeed.

lljkk · 29/08/2023 19:26

Why are you selling, OP?
Most people selling are afraid they won't get as much as they think their house is worth, so not a lot of sellers, they still have jobs, can pay the mortgage, don't want to sell low.

Buyers are afraid of getting locked into high interest rates & negative equity/value falling value, there's a benefit to delay for most buyers.

Original poster
isthesolution · 29/08/2023 21:17

We are selling to be mortgage free.

We won't push a sale - we'll wait years if we need to in order to get what we see as the right price.

Therefore - I know what you are saying about searches etc but I don't think it's worth it in this case. Thanks for the suggestion though.

OP posts:
lljkk · 30/08/2023 09:47

what do you mean by get the right price, is that as seller or buyer?

Original poster
isthesolution · 30/08/2023 21:37

lljkk · 30/08/2023 09:47

what do you mean by get the right price, is that as seller or buyer?

Maybe I should have said 'the price we want to achieve'

OP posts:
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