Bidding wars

I went into Belfast Friday to have a second look at a property we put a bid on. We are in a bidding war and David thought it was worth having a second look before raising our offer. Much to my surprise, I did not like it on second viewing. The first time, I was charmed by the architectural detail and the potential, once the kitchen and bathroom were sorted. It's a south-facing Victorian townhouse, so the bay windows will capture any sun, and the rooms are generously sized and have original wood floors, which we rarely see.

On second viewing, it looked like a dump and a money pit. Two front rooms had nice moldings and fireplaces but the rest of the rooms had no moldings or fireplaces and were sorely in need of repair. How could I have been so blind on visit one?

One reason is that the seller, Henry, showed us around on visit one while an estate agent, Fiona, was there for visit two. When an owner shows you around, it's difficult to look at everything closely and critically. I always aim to be polite, so I was there as a guest on visit one, not as a detective. Henry has lived there for 25 years and it is a quirky, shabby, somewhat charming place--like him. The second visit was early in the day, not late, and the brighter light was more harsh, revealing all kinds of horrifying things. On visit two, I was not distracted by his pater and anecdotes and I realised I do not want to spend the next two or three years doing a room-by-room makeover.

Fiona asked if I wanted to see another townhouse on North Parade. I had seen it before and been unimpressed, but she was offering so off we went. I got my second shock of the day when I found I liked it very much. How could I have been so dismissive on visit one and charmed on visit two? My "mental map" entry is a bit about how I process--or don't process--information, and this seems to be more evidence. My first impressions are emotional and visceral--but not informed by a critical analysis that could save me time, money, heartache. I guess I need to look at every house twice before I make a bid.

My 180 on the second townhouse had something to do with the fact that it is already fixed up. It is in move-in condition, as opposed to Henry's house, which could be the source material for a TV makeover special. Also, all the rooms retained their moldings and fireplaces, not just two of the rooms. And the wood floors are in good shape. The first time I visted, I was put off by the small size of the rooms. It was the first Belfast townhouse I looked at and I wasn't happy with the space available in each room. The second time, I think I was more accustomed to how the townhouses are laid out and how you can use the space to suit your needs. One bedroom can become a closet plus bathroom, meaning no wardrobes in the master bedroom.

So, how to proceed? Monday I'm going to go on a second visit to a third townhouse on South Parade, a block away. Given my track record, I will not predict how I'll react to this one.
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