Buyers support thread - stressed? Worried? Stuck in a chain? Gazumped? Well come and join us here

[Bakingnovice]

I can't see if there is already a thread like this so here goes..

We finally upped our offer enough for it to be accepted on our dream house. It's been stressful so far and this is just the beginning. We have had so many let downs: vendor changing mind, vendor getting higher offer etc and we hope this sale goes through smoothly. We've been looking for years. Come and join me if you're buying and equally stressed....

Well, I have the letter confirming our mortgage and shall take it to the EA tomorrow, and up our offer at the same time. We went in low, but now it's gone up to asking price so we'll have to top that. We're a bit stuck now, a) because we love the house, b) because we have to be out of our house in 8 weeks, c) because our mortgage is really just for that house and no other (German bank) and d) because I found out last week that I'm pregnant.

So I am basically going insane! I hope the whole process isn't too drawn out, I'm willing to pay about 10-12% over asking if it comes to it, but the house needs quite a bit of work done so we'll see...

Some of you people have so much going on at the same time as moving. I really think I'd go mad trying to think about it all
We accepted an offer on ours last Friday. We have arranged the survey on the house we want for middle of next week but haven't heard about the survey for this place. How long should it take to sort do you think? Our buyer is in rented so should be in a hurry I would have thought.
And would you expect at least a weekly update from sol and EA?

Hi, may I join. Weve accepted an offer and have offered and everythings going through quite quickly, our Solicitors are on the case all the time. Can anyone tell me the difference between a homebuyers survey and a full structural survey? We are having a homebuyers on the place that we have bought, but our buyers were having both on us (which scared the hell out of me, from things Ive read) but have now changed their minds and just want the homebuyers. I thought the homebuyers one was not very detailed and really just for the mortgage company valuation really? DH reckons Im wrong (as if ) says he did one a million years ago and it flagged up all sorts of problems with the building.

God, this is all so stressful, this is not just a move but a whole bloody life change and I`m beginning to panic now!

Solicitors are slow. It is hopeless. They take on a lot of work as fees are relatively small ( though doesn't feel like it!) so always busy. I think a weekly update is reasonable but you will have to chase it as said. They won't contact you ime. It is also mad that in 2013 conveyancing is still largely a paper based exercise!

In terms of surveys, homebuyers is the middle one, valuation is the first one and full survey is the.....well, full one!

I did specify that I would prefer email correspondence but I can see I'm just going to jump on the phone to them aren't I? Would I be told which survey our buyers are going for? Obv if it were the home buyers then access to the property would be required but for the lesser one, does the surveyor need to come inside(or is that a v daft question??)

123 it may be that emailing has the same effect-reminding them you exist, getting an update but if they don't reply you may need to email!

Our house only had valuation survey and they did have to come inside but it only took 15mins max!

Well we are cracking on...had two removals companies round for quotes and taking advantage of the great weather to clear the garage ( which needed doing anyway!!) and then clear the loft and put that stuff we are keeping back into the garage. Spoke to Ea this morning and she said our buyers had chased their mortgage company about the survey. Hope to hear early next week.

Great stuff we cleared shed and loft ages before completion was so nice to know was sorted-I may have never cleared it when we moved in and there was a lot of junk!

Oooh, 123rd I'm all jealous that you're cracking on, we're still staring at our things and thinking we should really get started.

We went to the EA today and upped our offer, so now we have to wait and see what the other people are doing - I've sort of let them bid each other up and stayed back because there's no point in adding to the rising price, I'm just hoping this means someone will decide that they're out now. As it's a repo the EA has to continue advertising it any way, so we might as well bide our time.

Can I join? Just accepted an offer today on ours so househunting begins tomorrow . We're hoping to complete before Christmas (but not holding our breath). Do we appoint a solicitor yet or wait til we've found something to buy?

We're a bit restricted with houses to buy in that DS starts school next year and need to be in the catchment. Another alternative we're considering is renting in the catchment and looking to buy in the new year (after school applications go in). I like the look of the house tomorrow from the pictures and it would definitely get us in to school but I'm worried out best offer won't be good enough; the house is a bit too big/expensive for us but has been on the market almost a year I think... fingers crossed!

Thanks old woman! It's been a while since our last house sale, I presume the same solicitor does the buying and selling end of things, if sales fall through do you have to pay the solicitors fees twice? not that I'm pessimistic at all

You normally appoint the same solicitors but get quotes for both the sale and the purchase as they are technically separate transactions. Although of course they can run alongside each other to complete at the same time if that's what you want. The cost of buying is a LOT more than the cost of selling. Congratulations on selling, good luck with the big house-you never know unless you try!

I just assumed that you would want the same sol to do both sides...instead having yet another solicitor to add to the mix.(& chase)

Thanks icklekid and 123 will get going on appointing solicitors tomorrow, our buyers seem lovely so don't want to mess anything up for them.

We liked the house we saw today; it was HUGE downstairs -perhaps a bit too big really if that's possible- and the garden was great too. Unfortunatly the upstairs is on the small side - 2 doubles (not over generous ones) and 2 singles (one very small) and only one family bathroom. We will probably offer as we're very limited to choice in this specific area and as icklekid says - you never know til you try!

Hope its not too long now osmio, I would advise people to get others to move all boxes, we have packed and cleaned everything but the thought of spending all day moving boxes whilst waiting for the keys is not appealing at least by the end or today we will be in :-)

Ack, we and another interested party are currently bidding each other up - it's very frustrating because every raised offer sees me scratch something from my renovating budget! As long as my kitchen budget stays untouched I can live without a bathtub for the first few months.

Oh bludger, how long can you go on?? Do you have any idea how much the other party is bidding ? Could you not go in with best and final and ask them to take the house off the market?

No, it's a repossession so the EA has to continue advertising it after offers have come in - we'll just have to wait it out, I guess, but it is grating my nerves to shreds. I don't want to pay over the odds but am tempted to just raise the offer by 5k and hopefully be done with it! (I won't, I'll be patient!)