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Original poster

Offer accepted, short chain. Can we complete this side of Christmas?

22 replies

Primafacie · 26/10/2011 00:33

We got an offer in today from a cash buyer which we will accept tomorrow. We've also offered on a house, the seller is not in a chain. We've got our mortgage certificate and have already instructed a solicitor. I will call her tomorrow to discuss time frames, but can anyone share tales of hope that we might be able to complete in the next 4 to 6 weeks?

I would love to have moved in by mid-December. Happy to whip some butts to make it happen if it is a possibility.

OP posts:
workshy · 26/10/2011 00:35

I've completed in 6 weeks previously but it depends on the solicitors really -you need everyone in the chain to emphasise that they want to complete quickly an keep in weekly contact with solicitor -ignore your EA at this point

Original poster
Primafacie · 26/10/2011 00:55

Thanks for the quick reply! Ignoring the EA is something I am more than happy to do :o

OP posts:
Gonzo33 · 26/10/2011 06:45

If everyone in your small chain is happy to go for a pre-christmas completion it is possible.

I have know of purchases complete in the time you are estimating. However, don't be disappointed if there is a hold-up along the way.

LemonPeel · 26/10/2011 07:01

the quickest we have done is 4 weeks. and that was a moving date of 21st december, It was alot of dashing about with forms to solicitors and estate agenst in order to avoid the delay of postage and getting signatures done same day etc but we made it., so you should be absolutely fine with another few weeks leeway.

birdofthenorth · 26/10/2011 07:09

Yes but you, your buyer's and your vendor's solicitors will need to act fast & you will need to keep up the pressure on them. A lost week here or there at any stage would jeopardise it,

Congrats, & good luckSmile

Original poster
Primafacie · 26/10/2011 09:07

Okay, starting to feel a bit hopeful now! Thanks everyone, I will be breathing down some necks in the next few weeks but I accept it might not happen for reasons out of my control.

OP posts:
OhTinky · 26/10/2011 09:46

Sorry to be the voice of doom and gloom, but I have been in the process of house buying since early July and im only completing on 4th November!

We were quick as could be re: responding to paperwork etc but were held up waiting for responses from Land Registry and solicitor's local searches and enquiries.

I'm a first time buyer in a chain of two so was hoping things would have moved much quicker than they have done!

My only advice is keep pushing - conveyancers have lots of cases but you need to keep yours at the top of the pile!

Good luck

JumpJockey · 26/10/2011 09:51

Definitely need to kick everyone regularly up the bottom; our offer was accepted in late April (selling to FTB, buying from someone moving into rented) and we moved a month ago. If the vendors have everything to hand it's fine, if like ours they fail to answer any requests for information until you threaten to pull out, it can take longer...

Spoke to our solicitor this morning about yet another thing they had claimed to do but lied about, he said basically some people are scumbags.

Sorry - not very helpful story there, but just to say everyone had supposedly been very up for a quick completion when offers made and accepted, then they just didn't live up to their end of the deal.

Blu · 26/10/2011 09:55

If everyone is immediate in getting surveys and searches done, checking them over v quickly, no complications, you might.

I have never managed to sell and buy in less than 12 weeks but everyone else seems to!

WhereDidAllThePuffinsGo · 27/10/2011 10:01

Our first house was 4 weeks (2-house chain), the next one 8 weeks (4 house chain). The current one will be 7 weeks (assuming we actually exchange today!) - 4 houses again although we've moved into rented to end the chain. Hoping to find somewhere to buy and be in by Christmas ...

It helps if you can get your buyers and vendors email or phone numbers so you can contact each other and keep things moving. And get a proactive solicitor and ignore the EA!

AhsokaTano · 27/10/2011 18:34

We are number 3 in a chain of 4 and are due to complete on Monday. It has taken a lot of chasing and reiterating of the desired date to get here though!

We accepted an offer on the 31st Aug and offered on the house we wanted a few days later so it's been about 8 weeks from start to finish but boy, has it been emotional.

I can't see why you wouldn't be able to do it with your move. Good luckSmile

Original poster
Primafacie · 28/10/2011 00:09

Ahsoka thanks, it s going to be a rollercoaster, thankfully I am on maternity leave so I have time to chase everyone twice daily!

OP posts:
Teds77 · 28/10/2011 10:38

We completed in eight weeks and I can see how we could have done it in less. It was only really delayed by a panic of 'Oh my god are we really going to do this' and probably us both working Grin.

Good luck!

Original poster
Primafacie · 25/11/2011 15:45

I just wanted to give an update - we did it! We exchanged today, 4 weeks to the day since our offer was accepted. Completion is in a week's time. I did have to chase the seller, buyer, agents, solicitors, surveyor, bank, etc. constantly, but it was worth it. :o

Thanks everyone for your support!

OP posts:
Baconsarnie · 25/11/2011 16:01

Congratulations OP! It's always good to hear of house moves going to plan - gives me hope for when it's our turn!
Good luck next week.

NoseyNooNoo · 26/11/2011 22:50

Well done - that is very impressive!

PogoBob · 26/11/2011 22:58

Congratulations!!

Very envious, we accepted an offer the day before you from first time buyers who wanted to be in by Christmas, we haven't even got a target date for exchange yet Envy just keep being told that everything is progressing and they are waiting for searches to come back.....

Hope the move is stress free Smile

Original poster
Primafacie · 27/11/2011 08:19

Thank you! I am a bit panicked that we are moving so soon, yikes! We've got half-finished lists all over the place :o

Pogo good luck, I guess you are not as big a pain in the neck as me and my buyer and seller just agreed to exchange so I'd get out of their faces :)

OP posts:
Becaroooo · 27/11/2011 08:25

We are due to complete on Weds!

So it will have been 6 weeks from offer to completion but we had an AIP from the bank and no chain either side.

Would second what everyone has said...phone the bank, EA and solicitors every day if you need to...you will need a very pro active solicitor too!

Becaroooo · 27/11/2011 08:26

Btw, depending on LA, you can pay to expedite the searches in 24 hours...costs about £20.

Original poster
Primafacie · 27/11/2011 12:28

Yy to expediting searches, and don't let solicitors fob you off - our buyer's solicitor said he needed two weeks to do searches, but I called the LA and they said it would take 48 hours.

OP posts:
Becaroooo · 27/11/2011 18:30

Also, make sure they dont just have 1 day a week when they do all the conveyancing work!!! Some smaller places do this...i.e. on a friday.

Last week I was ringing the EA and solicitor every day - sometimes twice a day.

Make them hate the sound of your voice Grin

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