Get vendor to budge

[bunnny]

Hi I am asking for advice again having sold my home and moving into a Airbnb for 3 weeks has I was worried about losing my buyer. I need to get the vendor of the house I want to buy to agree on a date after agreeing twice then changing her mind. Do I walk away or pursue a little longer. I am officially homeless and am beginning to panic.
anybody been in a similar position. Would be grateful for any advice please

Don't cut off your nose to spite your face - if you pull out of this sale you will be starting again with another.

Keep pushing: are there any outstanding queries or processes? Is your solicitor doing everything super-promptly? Is everything on place?

What I would do though is start to look at other properties.

well if you start again it's going to be a LOOOOONG time, so I would do both - push the vendor to set an exchange/completion date, then also start looking at other properties.

As you've already sold and in airbnb accommodation, you're in a good position to negotiate being chain free.

If you then find something else you like, give the vendor 7 days to exchange other wise you will walk away.

Is this house in a chain?

Have you even exchanged contracts?

No there’s no chain. The lady has found an empty flat had all the search’s done a few weeks ago but she won’t sign the contract. Agrees on a date then 2 weeks before cancels and says she needs more time.

You aren’t in a position to do anything aside from cross your fingers

Look for somewhere else and let your vendor know. As she's found somewhere to buy herself she surely doesn't want to lose you? Can your solicitor give you any advice?

For what reason has she needed more time?

No there’s no chain

But you can't buy from her until she has secured a future purchase. That's what a chain is.

@15.34 The OP states that the vendor has found somewhere.

@15.34 The OP states that the vendor has found somewhere

Yes, I saw that, but it sounds as if the vendor hasn't actually done anything to move that purchase forward so she isn't in a position to sell her property to OP.

The lady has found an empty flat had all the search’s done a few weeks ago but she won’t sign the contract

So the contract is ready to sign and exchange but the vendor is dragging her feet. Not unusual I'm afraid.

All you can do is set a deadline via your solicitor - state that you need to be exchanged/completed by the end of February (for example), otherwise you will be pulling out and looking for another property. Express the fact that there have already been two delays - without any reason given by the vendor - and this is now impacting things at your end (you don't have to say how or what). Your solicitor needs to send this out to her tomorrow with a response required before the end of the working week - i.e. 16 January. Play hardball - if she's ultimately going to flake out it's better that you know sooner rather than later.

I think you need to contact her estate agent and ask what’s going on? As you’re not sure if it’s going to fall through and you need to look around for an alternative property. They will soon get to the bottom of it.

This is when Estate Agents earn their fee. 1st thing tomorrow call them and ask why the vendor is dragging her feet. Also ask what similar properties they have on their books as you are ready and willing to move. They will want their money so let them lean on her.

Then I’d go against what other people are saying. She’s a time waster . You need to pull out and start again because you’re not going to get anywhere with somebody this indecisive. Your not cutting your nose off, your stopping any more time being wasted by her. Once is bad enough, twice is taking the piss. Just pull out and let her mess someone else around.

You contact the agent and ask them to set you up with new viewings

you keep your offer on the table but make it clear that’s only because uou haven’t signed another contact yet

and you make comments about declining house prices that may be to your benefit

being no chain puts you in a really strong position these days

How far in to the process are you? How much have you spent?

Solicitors fees I’ve moved out of mine hopefully on a contract date has the Airbnb is a small fortune for 3 weeks. Plus I’ve had to but my furniture in storage for 2 months. If this doesn’t work out I’ve got to go into renting also costing an arm and a leg

Do you haven’t exchanged yet? This is tough. I’d start looking. I’ve been in this circumstance and first time seller lied that she would go into rental. Second guy was good to go then silence and turns out he was ill, though after me spending another month in airbnbs, finding another place and paying to rush through the conveyancing he magically reappeared- too late buddy. Your woman doesn’t want to move.

As I say, get your solicitor to send a letter - I wouldn't faff about with estate agents at this stage of the game. You need a legal letter. She can respond how she wishes, but it will have more psychological weight.

We sold our house, put everything into storage and moved hundreds of miles away.

We found a holiday rental that was available for the winter months and stayed there for about 6 months in all, which gave us time to find another house and buy it.

In your shoes, I’d start looking for a longer term rental to take the pressure off and enable you to pull out of the purchase if your vendor doesn’t make a firm decision within the next couple of weeks.

You took a big risk and you have not even exchanged!

That was your choice though, nothing to do with the person you are selling from. In your shoes I would set and date and stick to it so say by this Friday if not exchanged then I pull out. Mean it then walk away.

What an incredibly helpful comment - I bet OP is thrilled to hear your observation.

Get on to both the solicitor and estate agent tomorrow morning and get them chasing matters and pressing for exchange - the solicitor can see if there's a hold up on the legal end but can only talk to the seller's solicitor. The estate agent can talk to the seller directly - surely they want the commission so they need to find out what the hold up is