How many houses should you view before buying?

Finding and buying a house is an exciting milestone, but without the appropriate research and preparation, it can be very time-consuming. You don't want to waste time viewing houses that aren't a suitable option for you. 

To avoid this, make a checklist of your non-negotiables, for example, a home with three bedrooms. If you absolutely need three bedrooms, you shouldn't waste time viewing two-bed houses. Equally, if a utility room is a must, check the specifics before you make an appointment or think about how you can adapt the existing space to include one. 

It's also important to confirm your chosen area to narrow down the search. Before you book any viewings, go online and research suitable homes in your preferred area. Following this, you should only see the houses within this location that tick all the right boxes. While it's a good idea to be flexible and open-minded, it's only worth viewing homes that realistically work for you. 

There's a fine line between viewing too many houses and too few. If you don't get a good idea of what's on the market, you could miss out on finding your dream home by deciding too quickly. 

However, if you take your time viewing lots of houses, your favourite might already be reserved by another buyer before you have the chance to put in an offer. You should view enough houses to get a good feel for what's out there without viewing so many that you feel overwhelmed.