First ever house viewing! Advice please!
Discussion
Hi Guys
Very excited as we are going to our first ever house viewing on Saturday morning! We weren't going to be going out looking for another few months whilst we built our savings up a little, but we've seen something that (on paper) ticks almost every box for us, so we decided we'd take the plunge and go for it!
I've been informed that the seller is still looking to find a place to buy, so it could actually work in our favour, as an extra couple of months wait would be no problem at all.
Just a few questions, as I'm really nervous/excited but want to make the best of the viewing opportunity!
- Are there any MAJOR do's and don'ts that I should be aware of? I like to think I'm a pretty sensible guy, and I'm quite particular, so I like to think I'll be quite thorough, but would still appreciate any tips!
- How long is usual to wait before making an offer (if we wanted to). We are viewing Saturday morning, and we will know within an hour of getting home whether or not we want to make an offer. Would you call the EA the same day? Does that look too keen and put you in a weak position?
- I'd also considered the idea of attempting to establish contact directly with the seller after the viewing. Is that an absolute no-no? All I was hoping to do was introduce ourselves, let them know that we are as genuine as they come, first time buyers looking to start a family, and that we would be as flexible as they need us to be in terms of completion - we wouldn't be pushy at all for them to get on and find somewhere.
Appreciate any tips you guys can give me.
Cheers!
Very excited as we are going to our first ever house viewing on Saturday morning! We weren't going to be going out looking for another few months whilst we built our savings up a little, but we've seen something that (on paper) ticks almost every box for us, so we decided we'd take the plunge and go for it!
I've been informed that the seller is still looking to find a place to buy, so it could actually work in our favour, as an extra couple of months wait would be no problem at all.
Just a few questions, as I'm really nervous/excited but want to make the best of the viewing opportunity!
- Are there any MAJOR do's and don'ts that I should be aware of? I like to think I'm a pretty sensible guy, and I'm quite particular, so I like to think I'll be quite thorough, but would still appreciate any tips!
- How long is usual to wait before making an offer (if we wanted to). We are viewing Saturday morning, and we will know within an hour of getting home whether or not we want to make an offer. Would you call the EA the same day? Does that look too keen and put you in a weak position?
- I'd also considered the idea of attempting to establish contact directly with the seller after the viewing. Is that an absolute no-no? All I was hoping to do was introduce ourselves, let them know that we are as genuine as they come, first time buyers looking to start a family, and that we would be as flexible as they need us to be in terms of completion - we wouldn't be pushy at all for them to get on and find somewhere.
Appreciate any tips you guys can give me.
Cheers!
Just do what feels right.
If you like it put an offer in. It's gong to make no difference whether it's today or tomorrow.
The agents will have seen every negotiation tactic that will no doubt be suggested. My suggestions is being nice to deal with will pay dividends. Do bear in mind that they are acting for the vendor - not for you.
Getting in touch with the vendor directly will p
s off the agent. Personally I think it's not a bad idea in the long term, but probably not appropriate until after offer agreed.
If you like it put an offer in. It's gong to make no difference whether it's today or tomorrow.
The agents will have seen every negotiation tactic that will no doubt be suggested. My suggestions is being nice to deal with will pay dividends. Do bear in mind that they are acting for the vendor - not for you.
Getting in touch with the vendor directly will p
s off the agent. Personally I think it's not a bad idea in the long term, but probably not appropriate until after offer agreed.BRISTOL86 said:
Hi Guys
Very excited as we are going to our first ever house viewing on Saturday morning! We weren't going to be going out looking for another few months whilst we built our savings up a little, but we've seen something that (on paper) ticks almost every box for us, so we decided we'd take the plunge and go for it!
I've been informed that the seller is still looking to find a place to buy, so it could actually work in our favour, as an extra couple of months wait would be no problem at all.
Just a few questions, as I'm really nervous/excited but want to make the best of the viewing opportunity!
- Are there any MAJOR do's and don'ts that I should be aware of? I like to think I'm a pretty sensible guy, and I'm quite particular, so I like to think I'll be quite thorough, but would still appreciate any tips!
- How long is usual to wait before making an offer (if we wanted to). We are viewing Saturday morning, and we will know within an hour of getting home whether or not we want to make an offer. Would you call the EA the same day? Does that look too keen and put you in a weak position?
- I'd also considered the idea of attempting to establish contact directly with the seller after the viewing. Is that an absolute no-no? All I was hoping to do was introduce ourselves, let them know that we are as genuine as they come, first time buyers looking to start a family, and that we would be as flexible as they need us to be in terms of completion - we wouldn't be pushy at all for them to get on and find somewhere.
Appreciate any tips you guys can give me.
Cheers!
Good work on getting on to the housing ladder!Very excited as we are going to our first ever house viewing on Saturday morning! We weren't going to be going out looking for another few months whilst we built our savings up a little, but we've seen something that (on paper) ticks almost every box for us, so we decided we'd take the plunge and go for it!
I've been informed that the seller is still looking to find a place to buy, so it could actually work in our favour, as an extra couple of months wait would be no problem at all.
Just a few questions, as I'm really nervous/excited but want to make the best of the viewing opportunity!
- Are there any MAJOR do's and don'ts that I should be aware of? I like to think I'm a pretty sensible guy, and I'm quite particular, so I like to think I'll be quite thorough, but would still appreciate any tips!
- How long is usual to wait before making an offer (if we wanted to). We are viewing Saturday morning, and we will know within an hour of getting home whether or not we want to make an offer. Would you call the EA the same day? Does that look too keen and put you in a weak position?
- I'd also considered the idea of attempting to establish contact directly with the seller after the viewing. Is that an absolute no-no? All I was hoping to do was introduce ourselves, let them know that we are as genuine as they come, first time buyers looking to start a family, and that we would be as flexible as they need us to be in terms of completion - we wouldn't be pushy at all for them to get on and find somewhere.
Appreciate any tips you guys can give me.
Cheers!
As is so often, the answer to your questions depends on the circumstance and personalities involved.
My advice would be to always remember the agent is working for the home owner to get them the best price. They should be listening to everything you say to try and establish how far they can push you if/when you offer.
For example, the number of people that say to me "My opening offer is" or "I'll start with £xxxx but will go up if they say no" is astonishing. It's a guarantee your offer will be rejected by even intimating you value the house more, or could pay more.
Whilst on the viewing, try not to appear too excited or in love with the place if it immediately strikes you. Let the agent know at the end of the viewing it is certainly a house you'll consider seriously.
If you know it is the house you want, get home and call the agent (I would personally take a few hours to mull this over as buying emotively isn't always wise) to let them know you'll be sending an offer in writing to them. In the offer, put your amount, financial situation, reason for buying the house and that you are willing to meet with the vendor should they feel it appropriate. Open, honest but not overly keen/enthusiastic.
It sounds like you have a good understanding of the house and vendor, so just enjoy the viewing and let us know how it goes.
Oh, and be nice to the agent. If they like you, they'll help you. Be rude, insulting or condescending and it could cost you the house, or a lot of money in the final price.
Edited by FrankAbagnale on Tuesday 31st March 13:42
Do you have a mortgage offer in place? If not that could put you at a disadvantage or cause someone elses offer to be accepted if they have theirs in place. It's a reasonably lengthy process these days. Hopefully your vendor is understanding and as you say he's still looking can wait a while but its something to bear in mind.
Good luck, get one bought as soon as possible. Not sure what area you are in but competition is fierce around us so be prepared to have to fight for it if you really want it.
Good luck, get one bought as soon as possible. Not sure what area you are in but competition is fierce around us so be prepared to have to fight for it if you really want it.
FrankAbagnale said:
As is so often, the answer to your questions depends on the circumstance and personalities involved.
My advice would be to always remember the agent is working for the home owner to get them the best price. They should be listening to everything you say to try and establish how far they can push you if/when you offer.
Whilst I agree with what is written above remember that the agent can often work for you as the buyer as well. For example, if a house is up for £300K and the seller wants at least £290K but you offer no more than £270K and the agent thinks that it will not achieve more than £275K then the agent will frequently try to broker a deal in the £270-275K region by putting a lot of pressure on the seller.My advice would be to always remember the agent is working for the home owner to get them the best price. They should be listening to everything you say to try and establish how far they can push you if/when you offer.
I assume you're on top of the parking! If it's on-street then worth re-visiting one evening when people aren't all at work to see how much space there actually is.
Police.uk to see crime in the area. Google the streetname to check for local papers reporting scroats living there. Look at how well kept the other houses, gardens and cars are to help judge the area.
Police.uk to see crime in the area. Google the streetname to check for local papers reporting scroats living there. Look at how well kept the other houses, gardens and cars are to help judge the area.
Personally I would want to view 3 or 4 more houses to give the property you're keen on same frame of reference. I think you'd be nuts to make on offer on the only property you've ever viewed.
We exchanged last week and over the course of a year looked at many houses that looked ideal on paper and yet within seconds of parking the car it was obvious that they were no good whatsoever.
It's not always easy to do, but it's one of those times when you really can't afford to let the heart rule the head.
We exchanged last week and over the course of a year looked at many houses that looked ideal on paper and yet within seconds of parking the car it was obvious that they were no good whatsoever.
It's not always easy to do, but it's one of those times when you really can't afford to let the heart rule the head.
We are in the process of buying again after 18 years.
I would recommend that you do two viewings at least a couple of days apart.
The initial viewing gets you an overall view of the property but you will be surprised what you will miss due to the lack of familiarity and excitement.
Try to look past the furniture and personal belongings. To get a better idea of the size and layout of a room look at the ceiling, not the floor. The ceiling is less cluttered.
Look at the windows. Are they double glazed? How old are they? Look at the light switches and fittings, do they look like they have been updated (has it been rewired – if unsure check the consumer unit (fuse box) as it’s a good indicator of when the wiring was last updated)). Check the outside guttering, fascias and soffits to see if they are in good order. Ask yourself if these things look like they have been well maintained.
Look at the bathroom suite(s) - are they modern (would you feel you would have to change them) and floorings. Is the boiler relatively new or on its last legs? How about the central heating system? The cost to change these things add up.
After the first viewing, sit down with your OH and talk through the positives and negatives.
Once you have an idea of any issues and have done a little research on cost to change to what you want, then revisit and have a closer look at the property.
I would also recommend that you spend a few minutes in the street at different times of day as a property can seem ideal in the commute time but you later learn (as we did years ago) that the property you were about to buy has a footpath by the side that runs from the local pub to the less salubrious areas of the estate and at pub chucking out time there are broken bottles and plant pots strewn around.
Check things like car parking (especially in the evening when everyone is home), car insurance costs for the area, commuting times for both of you and factor these in to the suitability.
Work out a figure that you will be prepared to pay for the property.
If you have any questions don't be afraid to call the estate agent and ask them to obtain an answer from the vendor.
When you are ready to make an offer, call the estate agent and tell them you have an offer but it is based upon your observations and what you feel needs doing to the property.
It is unlikely your first offer will be accepted so it’s usual to make the first offer a little below your maximum bid. It’s a game people seem to like to play.
Unless it’s a property you REALLY want, don't be tempted to keep upping the offer.
Of course, there may be circumstances where you think it’s better to pay the asking price than risk losing the property. That's a decision only you can make.
If it is your first house it is unlikely you will EVER be in a better position to buy and often a buyer will take a slightly lower offer from a first time buyer rather then be involved in a chain as the first time buyer will be able to be much more flexible on moving dates etc.
Personally I would suggest you do a few viewings on other properties so you have some to compare against.
You will definitely get a better deal if ultimately you are willing to walk away from a property. If a Vendor or agent gets a sniff that its exactly what you want then any possible discount will diminish.
Having a back up plan (another property in mind) puts you in a stronger bargaining position.
HTH
I would recommend that you do two viewings at least a couple of days apart.
The initial viewing gets you an overall view of the property but you will be surprised what you will miss due to the lack of familiarity and excitement.
Try to look past the furniture and personal belongings. To get a better idea of the size and layout of a room look at the ceiling, not the floor. The ceiling is less cluttered.
Look at the windows. Are they double glazed? How old are they? Look at the light switches and fittings, do they look like they have been updated (has it been rewired – if unsure check the consumer unit (fuse box) as it’s a good indicator of when the wiring was last updated)). Check the outside guttering, fascias and soffits to see if they are in good order. Ask yourself if these things look like they have been well maintained.
Look at the bathroom suite(s) - are they modern (would you feel you would have to change them) and floorings. Is the boiler relatively new or on its last legs? How about the central heating system? The cost to change these things add up.
After the first viewing, sit down with your OH and talk through the positives and negatives.
Once you have an idea of any issues and have done a little research on cost to change to what you want, then revisit and have a closer look at the property.
I would also recommend that you spend a few minutes in the street at different times of day as a property can seem ideal in the commute time but you later learn (as we did years ago) that the property you were about to buy has a footpath by the side that runs from the local pub to the less salubrious areas of the estate and at pub chucking out time there are broken bottles and plant pots strewn around.
Check things like car parking (especially in the evening when everyone is home), car insurance costs for the area, commuting times for both of you and factor these in to the suitability.
Work out a figure that you will be prepared to pay for the property.
If you have any questions don't be afraid to call the estate agent and ask them to obtain an answer from the vendor.
When you are ready to make an offer, call the estate agent and tell them you have an offer but it is based upon your observations and what you feel needs doing to the property.
It is unlikely your first offer will be accepted so it’s usual to make the first offer a little below your maximum bid. It’s a game people seem to like to play.
Unless it’s a property you REALLY want, don't be tempted to keep upping the offer.
Of course, there may be circumstances where you think it’s better to pay the asking price than risk losing the property. That's a decision only you can make.
If it is your first house it is unlikely you will EVER be in a better position to buy and often a buyer will take a slightly lower offer from a first time buyer rather then be involved in a chain as the first time buyer will be able to be much more flexible on moving dates etc.
Personally I would suggest you do a few viewings on other properties so you have some to compare against.
You will definitely get a better deal if ultimately you are willing to walk away from a property. If a Vendor or agent gets a sniff that its exactly what you want then any possible discount will diminish.
Having a back up plan (another property in mind) puts you in a stronger bargaining position.
HTH
A few other things to think about;
Is there a bus stop within a 20 metre radius?
Are there speedhumps in the road?
Neither are good.
Are there any developments under planning consideration?
Is there anything that affects the neighbourhood at different times/ days? School traffic for example wouldn't be present when viewing at a weekend. Football traffic wouldn't be there during a weekday.
Can you walk to the pub? Needs to be far enough away to not be a nuisance but near enough to not be a pain.
Is there a bus stop within a 20 metre radius?
Are there speedhumps in the road?
Neither are good.
Are there any developments under planning consideration?
Is there anything that affects the neighbourhood at different times/ days? School traffic for example wouldn't be present when viewing at a weekend. Football traffic wouldn't be there during a weekday.
Can you walk to the pub? Needs to be far enough away to not be a nuisance but near enough to not be a pain.
Take a trip down there late Friday / Saturday night & also in the evening after work. This will give you an idea of whether or not it gets a bit "fighty" come kicking out time, or if you have to park your car several streets away after work.
One of the places me & the OH looked at many, many years ago looked ok during the day and had a little pub round the corner. At 11.30 on Saturday night, the 2 people fighting in the road and the car on fire nearby put us off.
When a mate of mine bought her 1st place she checked everything everyone on this thread has mentioned - boiler, carpets, kitchen cupboards etc. She had also done several visits but only ever during the day - never in the evening. Working shifts meant she often didn't get home until 9pm, by which time there was literally nowhere to park on her road.
Daft stuff really, but worth thinking about.
One of the places me & the OH looked at many, many years ago looked ok during the day and had a little pub round the corner. At 11.30 on Saturday night, the 2 people fighting in the road and the car on fire nearby put us off.
When a mate of mine bought her 1st place she checked everything everyone on this thread has mentioned - boiler, carpets, kitchen cupboards etc. She had also done several visits but only ever during the day - never in the evening. Working shifts meant she often didn't get home until 9pm, by which time there was literally nowhere to park on her road.
Daft stuff really, but worth thinking about.
Try not be really "nervous/excited". It's not good for decision making.
Visit at different times of day to observe local traffic flow and how light effects the interior spaces.
Consider local schools if buying a family sized home even if you don't have kids yourself.
Ignore superficial deco
Pay attention to condition of major stuff like boiler and electrics, roof etc
See a range of properties and approach objectively.
Follow your instincts but do not allow yourself to 'fall in love' with a property and be drawn into overpaying.
P.S. Having bought and sold a few my last negotiation was very quick and simple, it went something like; "Here is my offer. I like the property and am placing my maximum offer on the table in the hope of securing it. I don't want any messing around and will move quickly without further ado should the vendor accept"
The vendor went with us straight away and ignored two slightly higher offers as the agent did a good job of conveying I was genuine and "no nonsense" - that is worth something. So once you have decided to make a bid make it confidently and clearly and give the impression you are not the sort of prat to start quibbling over the chattels at the 11th hour.
Visit at different times of day to observe local traffic flow and how light effects the interior spaces.
Consider local schools if buying a family sized home even if you don't have kids yourself.
Ignore superficial deco
Pay attention to condition of major stuff like boiler and electrics, roof etc
See a range of properties and approach objectively.
Follow your instincts but do not allow yourself to 'fall in love' with a property and be drawn into overpaying.
P.S. Having bought and sold a few my last negotiation was very quick and simple, it went something like; "Here is my offer. I like the property and am placing my maximum offer on the table in the hope of securing it. I don't want any messing around and will move quickly without further ado should the vendor accept"
The vendor went with us straight away and ignored two slightly higher offers as the agent did a good job of conveying I was genuine and "no nonsense" - that is worth something. So once you have decided to make a bid make it confidently and clearly and give the impression you are not the sort of prat to start quibbling over the chattels at the 11th hour.
Edited by DoubleSix on Tuesday 31st March 16:22
FrankAbagnale said:
One thing I forgot to mention.. Make sure to wear a suit, preferably with a tie and some shiny black shoes. Carry a briefcase if possible.
The agent will take you a lot more seriously if you look like a working professional.
Don't forget the clip board with checklist. Need to lift all carpets, check for cellars and spend an hour in the loft.The agent will take you a lot more seriously if you look like a working professional.
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