Can you buy a home without viewing it
Who would have thought buying a property before 23rd March 2020 without an in-person viewing would be a thing! it may have seemed far-fetched or something that only an investor would do. Viewing a property has always been a traditional part of the home buying process, but since the imminent government lockdown restrictions, buyers have had to look at new ways of virtually viewing a property. So if you're looking to buy a property that you have never set foot in, don't worry, you will no longer be the first to buy a house without seeing it, and you certainly won't be the last.
However, there are some risks involved, and you should bear these in mind if you're going to take the leap and buy a house unseen.
What are the risks
You may think that photos of the property are enough to go by, but photos are taken from different angles and there will be things that they will miss. So make sure you arrange a walkthrough virtual viewing with the seller or review the 3D property movie/360 tour, read the sales literature provided by the selling agents along with the floor plan and make sure you read the surveyors home report thoroughly. Photos and video can’t tell you what kind of noise levels you will be dealing with either so arrange to do a walk by of the area on your daily walk before offering.
So how can you protect yourself
Well for one thing, Boyd Legal can advise on what trusty contingency clauses you should add to your formal written offer. Contingency clauses stipulate conditions that must be met before your offer is made legally binding. We would definitely recommend that an “in-person viewing” clause is added to your offer. The former will allow you to conduct a walkthrough viewing of the property before we conclude the missives.
What our clients said about buying in lockdown
We have recently helped our clients Christopher Bredin and Katie Thomson buy a property without seeing it in person see what they had to say to Edinburgh Evening News & Scotsman.
Seek professional help
So if you're looking to buy a house without an in person viewing you can still contact us on 0131 226 7464 or info@boydlegaluk.com should you need information or have any specific questions relating to purchasing a property.
Keeping safe
Finally, please follow the Government’s instructions and stay home and stay safe. This is a horrific virus and our actions can help protect you and those around you.
