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Original poster

Would anyone like an 'in a chain' support group?

999 replies

thenewaveragebear1983 · 12/08/2016 11:54

Would anyone like an 'in a chain' support thread? We're selling and buying and it's so stressful!! We've found our 'dream house' and had an offer accepted, had an offer on ours within a week which was subsequently retracted. Wondered if anyone else was finding this whole process ridiculously stressful?

OP posts:
ApplesTheHare · 13/11/2016 13:29

ocelot I'm sorry, I don't have any suggestions but didn't want to read and run. That's so rubbish, what a nightmare.

ocelot41 · 13/11/2016 13:34

Thanks Apples. I really appreciate your sympathy. We really feel like we have been dicked about and are worried that our buyers seem to be holding out for a very high offer - despite having kept us waiting since August. As far as I can see the EAs are not encouraging them to be realistic

smallone · 13/11/2016 13:59

We lost our buyer and our vendor put their house back on the market. It added more stress for us, but I completely understood. I suggest you do that. Your current buyer is still in a strong position on your house if they were ready to proceed, so you can still go with them. But equally if you get a new buyer, you can tell them there is another party involved, it should forced everyone to move quickly. Good luck!

ocelot41 · 13/11/2016 14:10

Thanks for your suggestion small. We will think about it. We feel we have put so much time and money into this sale that we would like to give the buyers a chance to find other buyers. But maybe we should put it on sale again. We would need to get someone round to clean/do the lawn and hedges first though as it has been empty for a while. What frustrates me is that they are getting offers which are decent - just not as high as they would like!

Original poster
thenewaveragebear1983 · 13/11/2016 19:42

Just briefly checking in, I will read up on your week tomorrow. I'm absolutely exhausted, I can't believe how much we have done since Friday!
Congrats soph on your exchange and moving date!
Good luck everyone for the week ahead!

OP posts:
Mommasoph · 13/11/2016 20:45

Thanks bear 🐻 x

smallone · 13/11/2016 21:46

ocelot If you send a message to your buyers via your EA that you are sympathetic, but can't wait forever so it's going back on the market, but they'll take precident in the short term. That might be enough? Your EA won't want to have to resell the house so hopefully they'll pull out all the tricks of the trade too.

Northumberlandlass · 14/11/2016 09:47

Morning Morning...
Bear - Congratulations! Your new home looks beautiful Smile
Soph - so excited for you.

Flowers & Wine for everyone else & problems. It is so very stressful.

Show went so well & it was well received by general public, which is a relief.
With some headspace now available - the news so far is...
On Thursday afternoon, I had a call from my solicitor advising that shit solicitor at the bottom of the chain has proposed Fri 18 Nov for completion. This is the first time he has actually proposed something so I'm taking it as a good sign.
I called my ever so patient removal guy, who is free on Friday and told everyone involved that it's a go.

I instructed my solicitor to confirm the 18 Nov, but also stressed that I want to exchange as soon as possible as we have been in this situation before and I am loathed to cancel removal guy again and mess work around with time off.

I didn't hear anything Friday and I've already sent emails this morning basically saying that I want confirmation by the end of today that Friday is set for completion with exchange tomorrow or it'll be put back another week.

I'm feeling all kick ass!

Original poster
thenewaveragebear1983 · 14/11/2016 11:35

Ocelot if it was me in your shoes I would ask the EA to continue marketing the property but tell your buyers that you will honour their offer if they can get the answer in time. Ours went off the market for only 6 days after our original offer fell through, but it took another week to get any viewings as it didn't feature in the paper etc and people rightmove searching had seen it as sstc. So I'd get on it asap, you can always remove it again if your buyers come good.
North we ended up with only 3 days between exchange and completion, it was very tight and stressful. Luckily I had done the bulk of the packing by then but those 3 days were manic with little dc as well. Good luck!

We're settling in now, just about. I'd left our house clean, completely empty and labelled all the keys, written instructions for the boiler and heating. Y'know, nice info.
We arrived on Friday to a filthy dirty house, she 'd not even vacuumed ( you may remember she had 10 dogs), freezing cold house. A bundle of about 50 keys with no labels or anything. Dirty rugs and even bath mats just anything she couldn't be bothered to pack lying around. She'd and garage and garden full of rubbish and dog mess everywhere. I could literally have cried.
Looks a lot better now!

OP posts:
Northumberlandlass · 14/11/2016 12:00

Bear - I have stripped house of all stuff I'm not keeping and packed most things. Although that was 3 weeks ago and I've started unpacking bits & bobs as I need them.
I'm sorry you moved into a mess Sad when we moved into this one it was a disgrace & I could've cried.

I'm planning, like you to have a good clean and hoover through & leave keys with labels and info pack!
I was even considering a card & a bottle of prosecco in fridge!!

smallone · 14/11/2016 12:01

North glad the show went well, enjoy your ass kicking!

bear it's amazing what some people think is acceptable, isn't it? Glad you're in tho.

I have sent an email to solicitor requesting an update. I'm starting to feel a bit panicky about Christmas! Really hate that we are pushing it this close, but equally I do want to be in before if possible. I just wish I had a sense of how likely that was going to be.

Mommasoph · 14/11/2016 14:25

Oh bear that's terrible ! Operation clean as we speak I'm
Hoovering sweeping , dusting cleaning oven kitchen and all bathroom ! I will be leaving a little note too ! People can be so inconsiderate

AnnaELC · 14/11/2016 17:20

Afternoon everyone.
bear glad it went well and you are all moved in. Sorry to hear it was a mess.

north that sounds positive, at least dates are being discussed.

oce get the house back on the market asap - terrible that no one told you the buyers buyer had pulled out!

soph great news Wine

We have no news at all. Our solicitor has been pushing for dates since last Thursday but isn't getting anywhere... I'm pulling my hair out with it all now.

smallone · 14/11/2016 19:29

No response from Solicitors, hopefully tomorrow?

Phonecall from EA, to ask if buyer can come round Thursday for another viewing. I know it's likely that she's just excited and wants to show her parents round, but I am panicked that they will find stuff to pick holes in whilst they're here! I should just be grateful she's still keen shouldn't I?!

AnnaELC · 14/11/2016 19:45

Hi small I've been worrying about the same thing.... our lovely home no longer looks lovely.. There's boxes everywhere and nothing on the walls and to me it looks awful!

longandshortofit · 14/11/2016 20:48

Can I join in?

We were in the middle of a chain of 3, survey done on my house, needs a structural engineers report, buyer drops out today (1 week later), engineer coming on Wednesday.

Haven't told my sellers yet (will do so by Thursday).

Northumberlandlass · 15/11/2016 08:31

Morning!
Small & Anna - Wine (is it too early?) I hope you both hear news shortly.

Long - I'm confused by your situation! The survey has been done on the house you are going to buy? But the buyer for your current house has dropped out? What a nightmare Sad

I have been living out of boxes since mid Oct, when I thought I was going to move. I've now had to take stuff out of them & I'm half packed / nothing on walls etc. Every week I hoover through & clean bathroom, but my house is no longer my home.

I had a call from my EA last night and really shit solicitor at the bottom of the chain has now received the deposit from FTB (we'd had verbal confirmation that it had been received last week. LIE!) so he can request funds, but he doesn't think Friday is realistic. (WHY?)
And is suggesting Mon 21st...I have tickets for a concert that afternoon so I've said no. I've also refused to move on a Tues or Wed.

I need to call my removal guys AGAIN and see if they are free either Thurs or Fri next week. EA hinted at exchanging today, but I feel they tell me absolutely anything to keep me sweet. It's not working.

I am feeling very down about it all. I have to keep my focus on the fact I will be in within 2 weeks (hopefully).
I spoke to my kitchen guy and moved that back until January.

Spickle · 15/11/2016 08:56

Northumberlandlass - sorry to jump in on this thread, but highly likely that the client/purchaser at the bottom needs a mortgage and therefore completing on Friday is not enough time to draw down the funds. Lenders usually insist on five working days between exchange and completion (and not counting exchange day) so there is enough time for funds to be available to pass up the chain on completion day.

smallone · 15/11/2016 09:16

Morning all,

long Sorry to hear your buyer pulled out. I expect they've cancelled the survey now? Has your EA put it back on the market? We got a new buyer within the week, so all may not be lost. Good luck!

North hope you get some definites soon!

Thinking about hiring a rug doctor as my carpet in the living room is minging - it's also our dining room, and two dcs eating over carpet is a bad mix!

Good luck today everyone!

Northumberlandlass · 15/11/2016 09:44

Spickle - I know you are the solicitor & process defender. I am aware of the time frame for drawing funds. The solicitor in question verbally confirmed that he had the deposit last week. He did not. He also proposed Friday 18th last Thurs which the whole chain accepted the same day. If he could not meet that deadline, why suggest it? Yesterday, I was told that the deposit had only just been received & that Fri 18th was not possible.

What I require & expect to, is clarity & honesty. I cannot fault my solicitor as she has been clear & concise from the start. The delays in this chain have solely been caused by this man. Just because I am querying his professionalism does not mean I doubt all solicitors.

Northumberlandlass · 15/11/2016 09:45

Small - I draw the line at cleaning carpets!! It took me long enough to do my oven Smile

Northumberlandlass · 15/11/2016 11:52

Inching forward....
I proposed Thurs 24 for Completion and my buyers have agreed & apparently the FTB can move any day. This all came from my EA - waiting for solicitors to catch up!

EA said she sees no reason why we can't exchange today, but I think that is a bit optimistic.

longandshortofit · 15/11/2016 13:14

Sorry not clear. Both houses have had surveys done, the one I'm selling needs a structural engineer's report, (the one I'm buying needs a damp report).

My buyer has dropped out and I'm waiting for the structural engineers report before putting it back on the market. I'm expecting to lose out on the house I'm trying to buy.

Spickle · 15/11/2016 13:21

North - I am sure you don't doubt all solicitors. I am trying to defend the profession is because my job is conveyancing and knowing the process is part of that. EAs are not legally trained and so it cannot be the EA who decides when you can exchange. While he may see no reason why you can't exchange, he will not know whether there is anything legal holding up exchange. He can phone up and down the chain trying to push it forward but generally all that does is stir an already fractious chain.

Mommasoph30 · 15/11/2016 13:24

wish me luck its moving day tomorrow! I feel sick ill update once we have moved and leave some tips etc