The Art of House Viewing

Unless you are extremely lucky, you will probably spend a fair amount of time visiting endless houses in search of the perfect property. We've put together some tips which will help you save time as well as your sanity.

Selecting Which Houses to View

There is a tendency to go crazy and view every single property that looks half-decent spurred on by the worrying of missing out on the perfect house. Stop right there!

Make yourself time for viewing houses.

• Be selective. Refer back to your Perfect House and ask yourself whether the house meets all your essential points.
  

• Ask the Estate Agent how long the house has been for sale. This may tell you something about the asking price or house's potential.
  

• Ask if the house is already "Under Offer".
  

• Examine the photo - do the seasons match. If they don't, ask yourself why.
  

• Never get your heart set on a property before you've even set foot inside.
  

• Don't rely totally on the Estate Agent's description. Only you will know if the house is suitable for your needs.
  

• Be patient. Be prepared to wait for the right house and never make an offer just because you are "fed up with looking" - you'll regret it in the long run.
  

• Don't view too many properties in one go. You'll only wear yourself out.
  

• Never view a house on an empty stomach.
  

• Once you've narrowed down your selection, contact the Estate Agent or Vendor to arrange for a time to view the property.

There are several things to keep in mind when viewing the house:

• Try to create a friendly relationship with the vendor. You may end up making an offer for the house, and a good rapport between the two parties is priceless.
  

• Try to find out the reason for the sale.
  

• Enquire from the outset what comes with the house (e.g. fixtures and fittings)
  

• Always view the house in daylight.
  

• Remember that empty rooms look very spacious.
  

• Avoid bringing your kids!
  

• And if you like really it...
  

• Consider Making an Offer as soon as possible.