Monday, February 25, 2008

View 'em all!


We took another trip down to the West, and were blessed with some excellent Sun for the 5 days. Over 4 days (no viewings on Sundays) we managed to squeeze in 14 viewings.


Phew! Bloody exhausting.


But I would recommend strongly doing the same, especially if you are buying in a different location to where you are based. For us, it was getting very tiring to go up and down from Dublin to Galway every weekend or two, to see one or two new places, so we build up a load and made a proper, trip out of it.

What should you do if you are viewing a load of places?
  • Print out everything you can get on each place. You may not be near a computer/printer while viewing.

  • Staple it together (you'd be surprised how many sheets of paper are now floating around the back of my car!).

  • Staple a list of questions and feedback space to each. We did a standard set and photocopied for each viewing.

  • Space the viewings so you have about half an hour to sit, think and discuss each one - but still allowing yourself enough time to drive the distance between viewings.

  • Draw a floor plan after the viewing and fill out your notes on each one before the next. It may seem fresh in your mind but after 5 in a day they soon start to merge together!

  • See them all. I can't emphasize this enough. We thought we had decided after the first two, but changed our minds on the last day when we saw an unexpected last house on the last morning and decided we loved that more than any of the others.

  • Don't rule the rest out if you decide on one. My next post will explain that one.

  • Stay calm and if you are a couple buying together then remember you are a couple and don't get mad with each other because you are tired etc., as it is very very exhausting.

  • Do spend the few quid to stay in a hotel as you need the rest and luxury to keep focused on the task at hand.

And best of luck with it!


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