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Original poster

Would anyone like an 'in a chain' support group? (2)

999 replies

AnnaELC · 01/12/2016 12:40

Seems we reached 1000 messages so I've started a new one!

OP posts:
ocelot41 · 24/02/2017 20:39

5 weeks Kilburn! That's awful! I know some banks have about a 2 week wait, but isn't that something you book in the first week or so?

ocelot41 · 26/02/2017 13:14

Hello, is anyone there? Feeling a bit down today - like I am just waiting for this chain to go wrong too. Does anyone else who has had a couple of sales collapse feel the same way? It is such a long haul and I am feeling so ground down by it all.

OnceUponATimeInLondon · 26/02/2017 13:24

I'm here ocelot. Sounds like you've had a mega rough time of it. While I'm having trouble with the sale this time, I had a point when buying my place where I was sure I would never find anywhere after being outbid on four or five. The only way I could keep the faith with that was to think that the right thing would happen at the right time. Not that helpful I'm afraid.

With the sale this time mine hasn't been nearly as bad as yours, but I feel like taking some control back over it has helped. Even if nothing practical can be done I know exactly where everyone in the chain is, and what is happening next and the timescales. And I chase on this. The estate agent and solicitor may hate me, but I'm polite, and I'm paying them, so they need to deal with it!

The long haul of it is crap. I received the news that despite insisting we would exchange last week, the buyers searches are not even back. Apparently this is due to a new thing solicitors are advising, which is to not start searches until after they receive mortgage offer, meaning if the mortgage offer hasn't come through they don't waste any money.

Where are you up to as of this week? Flowers Gin Cake I may actually get myself a bit of cake.

ocelot41 · 26/02/2017 13:30

Thanks Once. That's really nice of you. We have been in Limbo Land for 6 months now - paying for the mortgage on our house and rent on a temporary flat in the city we moved to to take up a job offer. Its small so DC are bouncing off the ways and I can't get a decent night's sleep in a double bed, so very ready to move on now.But very grateful to the friends of friends of ours whose flat it is for letting us stay on. Am expecting the survey on our house to take place this week and to hear back re the survey on our buyers' buyers house. Fingers crossed there is nothing wrong. I just want the stress over now.

ocelot41 · 26/02/2017 13:32

Maddening news about delays on searches - is there a long wait where you live? It is about 3 weeks in our neck of the woods! Something to do with technical problems and a backlog...

ocelot41 · 26/02/2017 13:56

Actually once, didn't you post awhile back saying your buyers had attempted a gazunder? What happened with that? Are you still worried about their commitment?

OnceUponATimeInLondon · 26/02/2017 14:05

Argh six months! Well, focusing on the moving forward, once surveys are done that's another box ticked. And that's pretty far down the track, a bit of negotiation if shows anything and then you should be getting there.

It's about a three week wait for searches, but they only asked for them two weeks ago... yet according to agent we were going to exchange last week... Envy

Thankfully no gazundering seems to have occurred, think I got myself in an unnecessary panic having talked to a friend who was burnt on her last house, I mentioned it seemed to be taking ages and she said "when that happened to us it was because they tried to negotiate down and then pulled out". Now seems more likely to be this searches situation delaying things.

I sometimes wonder if it would be a lot easier if the whole chain just sat in a room and worked it out, I don't feel like all the intermediaries are that useful l sometimes...

ocelot41 · 26/02/2017 14:14

Totally with you on that, Once! The whole thing seems to take forever in England and it is do uncertain. The Scottish system ain't perfect but most sales are finished in 6 weeks and involve a legal commitment much earlier. Would be a far better route IMO.

YY to the box ticking, thats how I am getting through this. And VERY happy to hear you haven't been gazundered!

littlemissM92 · 26/02/2017 15:37

Hi everyone please can I join ? :)

We accepted an offer on our house 4 weeks ago and we had our offer accepted on the house we want last week so still quite new but the survey has been done on our house and no problems there.. we have our appointment with mortgage next sat and then he will instruct a surveyor for ours. There is 2 people in chAin above us and our buyer is a cash buyer praying everything will be ok x

ocelot41 · 26/02/2017 16:11

Hi LittleMiss, great to see you again and to hear your good news!

littlemissM92 · 26/02/2017 16:25

Thanks ocelot41,Smile

trevortrevorslattery · 27/02/2017 10:11

Ooh lots of names I recognise from the "waiting for viewings" thread although I mainly just lurked on there.

Angry our buyer hasn't done their survey yet so I am starting to worry a little bit. The agent is going to give them a nudge today so fingers crossed!

Good luck everyone and hope we all make progress this week Flowers

CampervanLady · 27/02/2017 10:20

Hey everyone! No news here :( still chasing up this mortgage offer. Apparently it was supposed to issued within 10 days of the survey. Which was over 10 working days ago so getting a little worried. Our buyers mortgage is tiny though - but doubt it makes the process easier & quicker Sad wish it would though!

CampervanLady · 27/02/2017 17:02

I was pretty sure our estate agent would call us today after ignoring our calls on Friday. Nope. Totally ignored and screened our calls again. Should I start thinking negatively? Again??

:(

ocelot41 · 27/02/2017 17:04

I just found out the house we wanted has gone under offer to buyers whose house sale has passed exchange. A state we have been trying to reach for SIX frigging months. Am on the Ben and Jerry's!

ocelot41 · 27/02/2017 18:40

Oh God. I have just seen our buyers' house ping back onto Rightmove. EA been avoiding my calls all day. This is it, isn't it? The third sale must have collapsed. Campervanlady where are you? I need an e-hug....

CampervanLady · 27/02/2017 20:16

oce hugs!!! I think our buyer has changed their mind. I can't believe it's gone wrong 4 times!! Even our EA is shocked and bewildered. SadSad

ocelot41 · 27/02/2017 20:30

Oh no!!!!!! Campervanlady! I am so sorry - do you know for sure?

user1484830599 · 27/02/2017 21:17

You have both been so, so unlucky. I'm so sorry.

littlemissM92 · 27/02/2017 21:25

How bloody shit !!! So sorry both I

Pasithea · 27/02/2017 23:46

Omg. Completion tomorrow , removal men turned up 18 hours early. Now in bath dying sooo tired and have guys sleeping in Lorry on our drive. Dogs going crazy.

So sorry to hear of people's woes. Fingers crossed for everyone.

ocelot41 · 28/02/2017 06:33

Morning Campervanlady, how are you? We should find out today if its all over or if there has been some weird admin error. I am thinking its the former. Been up since 3.30 with a stress headache (again). Are there any EAs on MNet who can advise? We are both in the shit now - to any buyer it is going to look like there is something wrong with our properties because they keep pinging back - but that's not the case, its just chains collapsing.

user1484830599 · 28/02/2017 07:08

I think you need to really push your EA to check how they are vetting these buyers Ocelot - to have it happen this many times, (with the same EA) shows that something isn't right. Are you happy with your agent or is this an opportunity to switch?

Are there other sales falling through locally?

ocelot41 · 28/02/2017 07:38

Thanks for responding user. We are at the end of our contract with this EA so will switch. I asked to see their checks last time and it all looked fine. But 3 in a row does look like either very bad luck or a possible problem with the EA. What advice do you have about launching afresh?

user1484830599 · 28/02/2017 07:57

I am always a little suspicious when sellers change agents, that either their price is too high OR what will the new agent do differently? I always think that if a house is sensibly priced and on rightmove/zoopla then it will sell, pretty much regardless of how much effort an agent takes to shift it.

However that is a bit simplistic and in your case I really can't see that this is the case - there is obviously an issue somewhere with your agents process (by this I mean how they are progressing the sale, not their marketing) if this has fallen through this many times. If there was an issue with the price then it wouldn't have sold 3 times!

Is there ANYTHING to do with the property that is making people pull out. Who are these people who put in offers (thereby showing their interest and commitment in actually purchasing the property) and then withdraw. What makes them walk away, or choose another property? How good is your solicitor? They also need to be pushing the sale through, and on the ball to spot any signs of a nervous buyer.

Who is buying the property? Is it first time buyers/chains/investors? And what sort of property - detached/semi/town/rural/how many beds?

Unfortunately there is so much uncertainty at the moment, with Brexit etc . I'm so sorry this is happening to you, it must be so incredibly stressful.

Sorry for the mega long post. I am not an EA, just a property junkie also trying to buy at the moment (love the house so much I daren't post in case I jinx it).