The estate market and UK estate agents have rapidly evolved over the years. Until a few years ago, buying a home without seeing it was an unthinkable deed. But these days with the right frameworks in place, it has become one of the greatest merits of the modern-day estate business. Whether you’re an international investor looking to buy a luxury property in the UK or a resident looking for an emergency move, sight-unseen offers have been steadily growing in prominence amongst all.

There has been a surge in making unsighted offers on homes since the pandemic hit, and the trend is here to stay. In a recent Daily Mail interview, an agent said that about 1 in 10 estate buyers bid on unseen properties these days. You should make the most of your resources so that you can purchase the best properties possible.

Things to do when putting an offer on a house before viewing it

There are benefits and hazards to making an offer on a property you haven’t seen. You might beat your rivals to the punch if you don’t waste time scheduling a visit to a recently listed home. However, if problems later emerge that you would have noticed sooner during a tour, you might regret not taking one.

Hence, here is a list of things to keep in mind while making an offer on the house without seeing it.

Get a good agent

Agents are at the heart of long-distance estate offers. They are your representatives throughout the procedure and are responsible for pointing out any discrepancies that might occur. 

Take the time to find an agent or solicitor that understands the purpose of your purchase and what you’re looking for. Staying in constant contact with them will help you get necessary updates on all the properties that you’ve shortlisted without being on-site for each one of them.

Gather as much media as possible

Technology hands-down makes buying homes possible without viewing them in person, and leveraging its power is at the core of making smart investments. Long before the pandemic’s social distance standards came into force, remote estate investors were using property floor plans and interior/exterior images to make purchase decisions. This helps people assess the condition and potential of a property without an on-ground sighting.

Ask the sellers to send you a comprehensive video of the estate or multiple pictures, at the very least. Your agent can tour the property and send you detailed images of fittings or renovations that you might have to do down the line.

Do a background check on the neighbourhood

What’s outside a house is just as important as what is inside it. Whether you are buying a property for residential needs or as an investment, running a check on the neighbourhood is necessary. While making an offer without viewing a house, you cannot look through the area in-person so use Google to ensure that it has all basic amenities within reach. You can even check reviews for the locality to find out any issues that the current residents might be facing.

Above all, discuss the past asset appreciation trends of the locality with your estate agent to obtain reliable data.

Have Clear Paperwork

Once you’ve reviewed different contingencies and are ready to make an offer, make sure that your financing methods, proposed terms, and legal documents are perfectly in place. There is no point in going through the trouble of making a long-distance offer if you cannot get it approved. Sellers can be apprehensive of people who do not visit in person to view a property since they’ve not built a connection with them. As a result, along with cordial communication, all your paperwork needs to be in prime condition.

Conclusion

According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the property industry in the UK is set to provide a 5% or more CAGR up till 2027. Now is a great time to invest in properties in the region, and geographical limitations should not stop you from milking big returns. Just make sure that the deals you sign are legitimate and protect your interests. After all, you always have the power to take back a verbal offer in case you find an issue with the house later on. So make use of the first mover’s advantage as long as you’ve got a trustworthy agent and the means to invest.