To think this isn't going to happen and we should pull out?

[BittyBatHats]

We placed an offer on a house that had been on the market for over a year. It is jointly owned by a now divorced couple. Part of their divorce settlement was that the house needed to be sold by June 2021. The ex-husband is living in the house. They clearly hate each other deeply. Our offer was accepted by the ex-wife but the ex-husband has refused saying he now wants to buy her out. Our offer was the asking price they had mutually agreed. The ex-wife doesn't think he actually intends to buy her out and this is a ploy to make our offer go away. They have been back to court apparently and the judge asked for our offer in writing which we supplied. Now they go back again next week. Is there any chance the court will force the sale even if he wants to buy his own house now? He's had 4 years to buy it off her if he wanted to.

I wouldn't pull out, but I'd start viewing other properties just in case.
Hopefully the judge will see sense and for a sale in x weeks. The Judge will have seen ut all before and not take kindly to a last min offer from husband but I dont know if he has the power to refuse the husband.

My XH did this.

Judge forced him out.

Good advice upthread, good luck.

agree with previous poster. Wait the week for the court hearing and ensure he has exited the house prior to exchange. In the meantime keep your options open and view other properties, if she see something else suitable go for it.

Great advice on here.
I viewed what was unknowingly a repossession property, due to both parties in a divorce not paying the mortgage. (There was no reference to it in the details and it looked great on paper).
When I viewed, the husband had ripped out radiators and damaged the electrics in the property - I didn't make an offer.

All I've had from the agents now is "it's going to take a month to get a decision from the court and do we want to stay in the process". I don't even know what the process is or if the timeline is real. Arrrgh.

We had this with a beautiful equestrian property last year. After months of empty promises and the husband playing silly buggers we ended up withdrawing as whilst it sounded highly likely the courts would force the sale there was no telling how long that may take given due to covid delaying things. For us walking away was the right decision, we’ve ended up with our dream home for significantly less than what we would have paid for the one that got away. As for the house, it’s recently come back on the market at significantly less than it was up for last year and has just gone under offer, I really hope for the wife’s sake it actually sells this time as I know she was desperate to move on with her life and finally be rid of the ex.

Cut your losses - it will be hassle from start to finish.

I hope the judge forces the sale, but for your own situation, think you should have a plan B in case it does fall through.