How many houses should you view before buying?

Viewing houses can be very time-consuming, and may even be demoralising if you don’t do your research beforehand. After all, no-one wants to book time off work or lose hours of their weekend with viewings that simply aren’t worthwhile.Before you book any viewings or visit any show homes, use online searches to find suitable homes in your chosen area, and be honest about your must-have criteria. If you absolutely need three bedrooms, don’t waste your time viewing two bed houses. If a utility room is a must, check the specifics before you make an appointment or think about adapting existing space, so that you can include one. While it’s a good idea to be flexible and open-minded, it’s only really worth viewing houses that tick all the right boxes.

Strike a balance

When you’re buying a new house, there’s a fine line between viewing too many and too few houses. If you don’t get a good idea of what’s on the market, you could miss out on finding your dream home by making a decision too quickly. But on the other hand, if you take your time viewing lots of different houses and are too picky, your favourite might already be reserved by another buyer before you have the chance to put in an offer. To get it right, you need to strike a balance by viewing enough houses to get a good feel for what’s out there, without viewing so many that you feel overwhelmed. Trust your gut instinct when you find a house that ‘feels right’ as well as meeting all your criteria, so you don’t miss out.