Seller won't move for three months...

[Karbea]

dh and I had an offer accepted on a house the last week of may, the seller has dragged her feet since then, and dh and I are now living in a back room of his parents house with four Persian cats who cat go out (it's hell), we've been pushing this week to get the mortgage survey done and we wanted to view at the weekend (gone) to measure up. Anyway, she couldn't see us or commit to a date for the survey.
We heard on monday that her mil has come over from America and has been rushed into hospital for tests. The agent has just called me to say the elderly person needs tests which will go on for three months, and our sller won't budge till then!!! Arghhhhhhh!!!

So dh and I need to have a big chat tonight.

We need to live near heathrow, but have hunted right move and can't find anything :( any ideas of places we might not have thought of so I can try and inspire dh (he is mega pee'd off at the mo!) :(

If you can't find somewhere else to buy straight away can you rent somewhere for a few months. That way you can keep this one as an option, look for somewhere else and have your own space rather than squishing into the parents' house.

There will be other houses. Why is the survey only being done now ? I'd find something else before you waste any more time or money.

Where abouts have you looked, what are your other requirements and what is your budget?

I can completely understand about you both being hacked off. If this is the way the seller is behaving now you can expect her to be the same all the way through the process.

Renting might be a good way to take the pressure off and give you time to find the right house. Prices aren't going up so there's no big rush to buy somewhere right now.

I would ring the agent and say you are going to make other arrangements.

Just spoken to dh's parents and they suggest we see if she'll exchange now and complete in 3 months, none of us can quite believe that if you are sick you would know you would be having tests for 3 months...
I think we will look at the renting option, but we've 4 Persians so that'll be tricky...

We've looked in beaconsfield, gerrards cross, amersham, that's it really. Dh wants a double garage, that's pretty much the only firm requirement. I don't want a majorly busy road.

Yes pull out and rent while you look
Don't exchange now and complete later

I have 2 persian cats and §we had to rent last year and it was tricky as fluff everywhere!

Some places won't rent to you if you've got pets.

Cj why wouldn't you complete later? I doubt she'll be up for that anyway tbh.

But by the sounds of it you are nowhere near exchange anyway - mortgage offer in place, fixtures and fittings agreed, searches completed, contracts signed etc - so it has already dragged on. If the vendor is really concerned about her sick relative then the last things they will prioritise is finding a new home and doing the admin to enable you to move.

we moved a year ago and our search area was based around heathrow. We looked at your areas, also - Sunbury, Shepperton, Esher, Teddington, Twickenham...

Lizs If the chap went in and did the mortgage valuation we could exchange next week. The original plan was that she would move in with her parents, we were told the house was effectively chain free, but then this was at the end of may...

Normally that is one of the first things done - what if he undervalues or finds a problem with the property ? Does your solicitor really have all the other pieces of the puzzle ready inlcuding the signed contract ? I too doubt the vendor will exchange with a delayed completion , noone can really know how health issues may pan out.

Yes that's all that needs to be done. The problem is mid 80s and there are other properties in the close for more money so shouldn't get a lower valuation.
I don't think she will either, but then I'm not sure there IS a sick relative at all tbh.

But the problem is that it could now take you 3 months to find and complete on the sale of another property, if starting form scratch. And you will lose the investment you have already made in survey and there will already be some solicitors costs, presumably?

Suppose you gave them an ultimatum: exchange within a few days with a complteion date of no longer than 3 months or you will pull out.

I don't think that any of my house purchases have taken less than 3 months, start to finish. I don't know how other people manage it so quickly!

WALK AWAY!

She isn't serious about moving, walk away and start somewhere else.

OP, Do not burn your bridges and pull out at this stage, keep that option on the back burner. Go quiet, with their EA. You are not committed until exchange of contracts. In the meantime, don't waste your time, put your engergies into looking around elsewhere. It could be that vendors come running to you, or you could in the meantime find something else. You are in a really good position, as you are chain free.

Whoever said about surveys being done first, lots of mortgage companies do them last now, saves timewasting.

I would tell the estate agent you are looking for a new property and will not proceed unless you can complete within a week of exchange which you anticipate should be in the next fortnight.

I'm with feckwit on this one. I would also start asking the agent you have offered on this house through what they have in the area. That will also show the vendors hand.

Hello,

We went back to her today and said could she exchange now and complete in 3 months, and she came back and said no she couldn't commit. So it's off. So we are back to house hunting... We need phil and Kirsty there is nothing available at our budget :(

What is your budget? How many beds etc?