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Original poster

Sellers/Buyers roll call Part 4 Keep strong everyone!

999 replies

alifelessordinary · 13/02/2019 16:46

Thought I'd start a new thread as previous one had hit 1000 posts and wouldn't let me reply!

@LookingOptimistic why do solicitors have to be so difficult at times? Hope it gets resolved for you soon.

The indemnity policy came through this afternoon, so we're hoping we might be exchanging sometime next week...unless something else crops up!

OP posts:
Mildura · 14/03/2019 15:01

@Jem01

It depends on the local authority, some will be as quick as 2 or 3 workings days, at the other extreme the worst offenders might be 8 - 10 weeks.

Normally it will give an expected time on the local authority's website.

dimmu · 14/03/2019 16:33

Hello may I join?
We put our London flat on the market mid-February, have had maybe 13 viewings, one second viewing but no offers yet. The amount of viewings seems to be tapering off now so getting a bit worried. The estate agent seems to think it's going well considering the current housing market. It's a great flat in terms of space although it needs some work. But It's an ex-LA and most people seem to be put off by the block/area rather than the flat itself, which of course is something we can't do much about.

Fingers crossed the right buyer will come along.

TiddleTaddleTat · 14/03/2019 16:55

Welcome @dimmu
Ours sounds like a similar sort of flat. We had it on for about 4 weeks before reducing and then offers started coming in. We were impatient though.

No news on our sale today, waiting for a few enquiries still.

Called the buying agents and have the green light after the survey except mentioned we would want a plumber to come and quote to replace whole heating system. We were expecting this so not asking for a price reduction or anything.
Searches are paid for and been requested today.

sandybayley · 14/03/2019 17:22

@dimmu - welcome. Like @TiddleTaddleTat we had lots of viewings but no offer the reduced and got the offer. Unfortunately that sale fell through three weeks ago and we're back on the market again. Viewings still steady and we have an offer on the table which we are trying to bump up at the moment.

I think you just need to be patient (hard I know). You only need one offer and it's a numbers game, if you're getting viewings then the right buyer will come your way. I think it took about 20 for us first time round.

Where about in London are you? We're SW.

dimmu · 14/03/2019 17:59

Thank you @TiddleTaddleTat and @sandybayley

I really hope you are right and right buyer will come along eventually.. we are not in a desperate hurry (yet) as we are relocating away from London and will be renting to begin with. But would like to move during school summer holidays.. So think price reduction will be something we may have to discuss with the EA within a few weeks if nothing happens.

I really hope it works out for you both.
I hope you manage to find a new buyer soon @sandybayley It must be so disheartening having to go back on the market.

sandybayley · 14/03/2019 18:14

@dimmu - that's kind of you. I must admit there were tears shed. Our buyers found out they were expecting twins and they will have 3 children under 2! So they decided to leave London to be closer to family. Really can't be helped and you just have to be philosophical about it.

We have the offer on the table from a FTB which they have said they will increase if they can find some more cash and we have a viewing booked tomorrow and four on Saturday so I can't be too sad. Plus there are a couple of previous viewings we think may come back so keeping my chin up.

And if we do find a buyer we can proceed very quickly as all the paperwork is ready. Our previous buyer may even be able to sell on the searches that were done and we have the HB survey which we might share (they gave it to us).

dimmu · 14/03/2019 18:43

@sandybayley Oh gosh what are the odds of that happening, certainly not the most common reason for a buyer to pull out!
Hope it works out with this potential new buyer..Were you on the market long the second time and are you buying yourself as well as selling?

I have contacted the council about the seller's pack as it can take them weeks to sort it out, so at least we are ready if/when a buyer comes along. Our only 2nd time viewer is very interested but wants to change the room layout and I don't think the lease allows that so don't think It's gonna happen with her.

lightlypoached · 15/03/2019 07:57

hello. I'm back. we've been on this train for a year now and dipping in and out of this thread for a while. some bad stories on here.
We had buyers but they just pulled out as they got fed up waiting for us to find something to move to. Bloody Brexit means that very few houses are coming on and when they do, competition is fierce.
we've offered on 4 places so far - asking price on 3 and lost them all to stupidly high offers.
We secured new buyers yesterday and are going to see a do-er upper on Sat. but that is likely to go to sealed bids.
We've given ourselves until the end of march and then we will give up, stay and extend.

We do love our current house but I wanted a bigger garden, which seems an impossibility.
maybe its just the 'house moving fate fairy' that's looking over us and saving us from a bad (and expensive) mistake?

tenapenny2018 · 15/03/2019 09:40

lightlypoached

So sorry to hear that. We are thinking about selling and had some advice from a rather frank speaking agent. Basically, we were told that if we do not desperately need to sell, we should wait until at least after the end of March and if Brexit is extended to June, wait until then. According to the estate agent, our local market has experienced significant slow down since Jan. They reckon as Brexit gets closer and less certain, everything is coming to a stop. Most people think that if it is just waiting for a few months for things to get clear, then they will wait. That killed the market. The agent sort of resigned to the fact that the market will remain dead until we know the outcome of Brexit. And the pended up demand will probably cause a significant market bounce, whe. if we finally move on from Brexit.

TiddleTaddleTat · 15/03/2019 12:28

Agree with that. Not a time to sell unless it's needed in the short term. In our case our sale is in an area significantly affected by Brexit. Resulted in lots of properties hanging around, reduced, few offers and those at minimum 10% less than would be previously. We took the hit and are hopefully getting to exchange now but I know our buyer is tentative because of Brexit. He's intending to rent it out. No deal would be especially bad for that area I think .

However the picture is entirely different where we are buying. Buoyant market further pushed up by limited properties coming to market because of Brexit uncertainty and commanding ever higher prices

dimmu · 15/03/2019 14:12

The Brexit is certainly having an impact here. Really hope that by March 29th there would be some clarity, at least we should hopefully know whether the No Deal scenario will take place or not, presumably that's what everyone is most concerned about.

We have two more viewings booked at the moment, one for tomorrow and another early next week. Really hope they're not time wasters, tired of hearing 'they didn't like the block or area' now.

tenapenny2018 · 15/03/2019 17:07

We completed today! Good luck to all the rest!!

TiddleTaddleTat · 15/03/2019 17:26

Ahh mega congratulations @tenapenny2018
Cheers! Wine

MrsPatmore · 15/03/2019 17:31

Brilliant tenapenny2018! You can celebrate now! Hoping it will be me in a week or two.

sandybayley · 15/03/2019 17:59

@tenapenny2018 - great news. You must be elated but a bit exhausted. Have a lovely weekend in your new home.

Original poster
alifelessordinary · 15/03/2019 18:33

Congrats @tenapenny2018!! All the stress was worthwhile.
Good luck to everyone with viewings at the weekend.

OP posts:
Thekitten · 15/03/2019 18:50

@tenapenny that's fantastic! Congratulations!

Good luck all with viewings this weekend!

Well, we're all done on my side, waiting for the vendors to finalise things on their side. Who knows how long that'll be...

dimmu · 15/03/2019 18:52

Congrats @tenapenny2018
Enjoy your new home!

hartof · 15/03/2019 23:36

We also completed! Went much smoother than I expected, even got our floor fitters in the new house before we legally completed 🙈 but the house looks a lot more like a home than I expected at this point!

Good luck everyone, hang in there it's definitely worth all of the stress Wine

TokyoSushi · 16/03/2019 07:09

Ah well done @tenapenny2018 enjoy your new home!

We continue to wait in our 'temporary accommodation' There are currently 9 outstanding enquiries (of 27) I continue to do a daily morning, and afternoon chase with the solicitors #week30

Smart123 · 16/03/2019 09:44

I feel for you Tokyo..
I'm the same.. My solicitor can't really give Me any advise re neighbours chimney..
My buyers want him to put it in writing, he Isent prepared to do that...
I may just loose this sale due to my neighbours chimney, seems so unfair..
As if I remarket any future buyers may not be happy to proceed either

tenapenny2018 · 16/03/2019 10:32

hartof Congrads to you too!

Our sellers left the house in a reasonablly clean condition, so we just need a little bit light clean + steam clean carpet.

Fleabag123 · 16/03/2019 11:54

Well, mortgage offer came in today so that’s something!!
We were a bit deflated yesterday as the survey flagged quite a few things. However I think they are all the “usual” caveats rather than anything major - eg “get the electrics checked”. They’ve mentioned damp as a possibility so we might get a damp & timber survey. However they’ve agreed the valuation is accurate. So now to searches and enquiries. We still don’t know about the chain.

Congratulations to those who’ve completed and moved, enjoy your new places x

tootyfruitypickle · 17/03/2019 16:48

I can't believe how little there is coming on the market where I want to buy , which is good really, as being sensible I want to sell before I buy (am in rented), but I'd really like to just get on with it.

Buyers seem to be continuing apace, could it really be true that they will buy without messing around.....?!! I was a little encouraged anyway on Friday as I was in the house I'm selling packing up some bits and I saw some other buyers who I recognised (I got so desperate I started stalking buyers...) who offered at the same time as our current ones but just a little bit lower - they are cash buyers. They spent a good few mins looking wistfully at the front of the house so I'm really hoping they're still around and good back up options if it this sale goes pear shaped!

Having the occasional breathless moment though wondering if anything that fits what I want and is affordable will ever come along again....(I'm downsizing due to divorce and the figures are tight) . Plus I can see there will be fierce competition now here because of that - what a completely bizarre market it is at the moment.

WBWIFE · 17/03/2019 20:31

I feel so stressed.

We've had all searches back fine but mortgage valuation came through yesterday 1k under what we have offered.

We only wanted to pay 285 originally but ended up going upto 291k. Mlrrgage valuation says worth 290k and says we should check for asbestos.. I'm assuming it's in the artex ceilings possibly.

What do we do next? Never been in this situation! Always been worth what were buying it for.

Also artex ceilings will have to be investigated won't they, as we will be moving walls?

Ahhhhh