The housing market is more cutthroat these days than ever before. With such high demand and such low inventory, competition is fierce so it’s not uncommon for buyers to bid on a house the moment it hits the market. Sometimes, this even involves making an offer without ever stepping foot inside the home. While it’s certainly true that desperate times can call for desperate measures, buying a home is a major purchase, so you might want to consider all of your options before bidding on a home based solely on pictures or virtual tours. For some, there’s absolutely no way they would even consider buying a home sight unseen. For others, they may be willing to take the risk in such a competitive real estate market. If you are considering buying a home sight unseen, be sure to consider the risks of such a big financial move. Here are a few of the most common problems of buying a home without seeing it in person.

1. Pictures Can be Deceiving

A house may look amazing in pictures, but one of the biggest problems with buying a house based on pictures is the simple fact that you don’t know how much the pictures have been touched up. It’s easy to make a home look great in the perfect lighting. Pictures can also make rooms appear much larger than they actually are. Also, you have to keep in mind that only the best parts of the home will be photographed, so it’s possible there are defects that aren't visible in the pictures. Virtual tours are better, but it can still be tough to get a real feel for a home through a virtual tour.

2. You Can’t Get a Feel for the Home

Another problem with buying a home without seeing it is how the house will feel to you. As you walk through the house, you are likely to feel certain emotions and some of those feelings might not match up to your expectations. Sometimes a home feels warm, cozy and inviting and other times it just doesn’t feel like the right fit. Unfortunately, the only way to truly get a feel for a home is by walking through it in person.

3. It’s Tough to Gauge the Neighborhood

While the home itself may look fabulous in pictures, you can’t really get a feel for the rest of the neighborhood without being there in person. It’s one thing to like the house, but you also need to consider whether or not the neighborhood and location suits your family’s needs. You may not be able to tell how busy the street is or how loud the neighborhood is without actually visiting the property.

4. It’s Difficult to Determine the True Condition of the Home

Again, a good photographer can make a home look spectacular by focusing on the home’s best features. It’s unlikely that they will photograph the cracks in the ceiling or the overgrown shrubs in the backyard. Photographers know their job is to make the home look as appealing as possible so you are likely to miss issues or defects that might be present in the home. It is extremely important to request an inspection, especially if you have not seen the home in person. You want to know the condition of things like the roof, the HVAC, and other aspects of the home so you don’t get stuck with major repairs right from the start.

5. Sellers Might Not Take Your Offer Seriously

It’s one thing to fall in love with a property that you have visited in person. The sellers know you have seen it up close and can obviously imagine yourself living there. On the other hand, if you have never visited the property, the sellers might be concerned that you could back out or negotiate a ton of repairs. If this were to happen, the seller loses time and other potential offers. Many seller’s agents will advise their clients to be wary of these types of offers.

6. You May End up with Buyer’s Remorse

Purchasing a home is a major financial decision and can be one of the biggest decisions you make in your life. Therefore, you don’t want to take the matter lightly. You may feel pressured to buy a house sight unseen because of the competitive market but you may end up regretting this decision later on. Buyer’s remorse is a very important thing to consider when purchasing a home. You want to make sure you absolutely love the property so you will be happy with your decision.