Aaaah 2 weeks before completion vendors just announced sale is dependent on their purchase but not found anything yet!

[secretskillrelationships]

Was told by agents that they were happy with a quick sale and would move into the house he has rented to be near to work.

Just got the contract which says that any sale is dependent on their purchase and that they are 'house hunting' at present.

Solicitor has confirmed this with their solicitor and the statement we have received suggests that they are still looking. Also, that they had no knowledge of the suggested completion date.

I had notified both agent and solicitor of my preferred move date and had been assured that this was okay shortly after a price had been agreed.

So, on this basis I have had a survey done and all legal stuff none of which I would have done if I had known they were not proceedable. I will have spent something in the order of £1400 on a purchase that could happen never, money that I would never have spent had I known the situation.

Add to this the fact that I am still in a house I rented with my H who left me after 21 years together last summer. I've been trying to move for 10 months. I really wanted things to be sorted before DS started new school in Sept too. God, poor kids have had enough to deal with without this, they were all so excited as was I. I'd been so careful to manage expectations but I really thought it was all systems go.

Nothing really that anyone can say but really needed to vent.

Have organised viewings on 2 properties tomorrow (both chain free, according to the agents) but this is really just clutching at straws.

In law, as I understand it, nothing is set in stone until you exchange it's all buyer beware until then, unlike the Scottish system where, once a sale has been agreed, everyone has to go through with it.

Vendors were straight, I think, agents just hadn't bothered telling them I was hoping to move quickly. Their solicitor knew but probably thought that talking about dates so early was unrealistic as s/he knew their position and assumed I did etc etc.

Unfortunately, having pulled out as no-one was telling me what was going on, vendor went back to his employer and re-negotiated terms and now doesn't need to move at all!

Had a real run-in with the agent for the other property who is trying to argue that the house is reasonably priced. It's been on the market for over 18 months and hasn't come close to being sold! What planet is he living on, a house is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. So far, no-one is willing to pay what they want for it. He only stopped arguing when I pointed out that they wanted £10k more than the house I'd lost which was in a much better location, detatched and with a garden twice the size!

The vendors probably have unrealistic expectations of what they will get. Every house has its price and as you say, its only what someone is willing to pay

The divorcing- house sounds like a nightmare, to be honest. Well done you for sticking up for yourself with the agent. Of course it's not reasonably priced if it hasn't sold. You're absolutely right, a house's value is what it will sell for, not some notional, imaginary figure (or worse, the figure that's needed by the vendor because they've got money problems/ negative equity situation etc.) Don't budge, honestly. Otherwise you risk being shafted and ending up in negative equity yourself further down the line.

The stuff about having another buyer with whom they had 'almost' agreed a price, load of stuff and nonsense. A classic EA ploy to try and get you to up your offer - but bet you know that anyway.

Hope you find something suitable soon.