Getting property under contract before viewing

[Brittany Hannon]

Hi all, newbie here. I have a 4 plex near Ventura, CA that I am interested in purchasing as my first investment property. When I contacted the real estate agent he informed me that I could not view the interior until a contract was in place. Is this normal? How can I estimate repairs if I can’t see the interior of the units? Thanks for your help! Brittany