Sellers/Buyers Roll Call No 5...,

[sandybayley]

Starting new thread. Calling all the regulars...
@TiddleTaddleTat
@WBWIFE
@Allhallowseve
@BeauticianNotMagician81
@crispysausagerolls
@dimmu
@Fleabag123
@Farontothemaddingcrowd
@Frogqueen13
@Glitteryfrog
@MrsPatmore
@Smart123

@Ellieboolou27 I agree with sandybayley, maybe see how it goes for a couple of weeks.
We reduced after 3 weeks on the market, at that point we had has 20+ viewings but no offers.

Sorry was supposed to be after 4 weeks on the market.

@dimmu yes 4 weeks sounds about right.
Had feedback from agents, one said flat too small - others said they don't like the area funny thing is 2 streets down one bed flats sell for 80k plus more!

Can I join please? I confess to stalking these threads as have been wanting to join for a while...

Had offer accepted on house a week ago today. It had been on for 3 months, vendors finally dropped price at insistence of their EA where it showed in our price bracket. We offered 2.5% under as it needs gutting (children selling deceased parents house) which was flat out rejected as they wanted more. We offered asking on the basis it came off the market. We have since found out the vendors think they have been too hasty in dropping by 25k and think they should have held out for more, but EA advised of our good position and they agreed to stick. As we got gazumped on our last purchase we already had mortgage offer (which is being renewed, just going through underwriting) and solicitors already in place which we updated. FTB, no chain, 15% deposit. Today we learnt the vendors haven't appointed a solicitor yet so the EA cannot update anyone and they also cannot get hold of the vendors...

DH and I are desperate to move, not sure I can take another purchase failure so we are hoping this one works

@Neron they would be foolish to hold out on you based on your offer and position. Fingers crossed that they honour their side of the deal. It's all the stress of waiting that's the killer.

@Neron my goodness it isn't for the faint hearted is it? Why can't people all just be more honest and upfront. You never really know where you stand or more importantly who you can trust you just hope. Really hoping it works out for you. I'm sitting here stressing because (house no 2 after first chain collapsed) we haven't got draft contracts yet after 3 weeks of an offer accepted.. really hoping I get something very soon!

@Neron I think vendors selling deceased properties are often difficult to deal with. Every house we viewed in this situation refused to accept any offers below asking.
Today has been stressful as I am waiting to hear from EA whether our single buyer is able to proceed following the loss of her partner 6 weeks after making offer. She wants house as it was his wish, I want her to get it but everything up in the air sadly.
Almost 2 years since we started this process and I think if it goes wrong it’s time to give up 😢

@Ellieboolou27 I would like to think that but we thought that on the other house and still got gazumped
@Minnie881 it's so stressful! If this one doesn't work out I don't know what DH and I will do. Fingers crossed you get the draft contracts through soon

I just spoke to the EA. Apparently the vendors cannot decide on a solicitor to appoint so bugger all can happen as our solicitor has no one to liaise with. Only a week in which I know is nothing, but it's not giving us a good feeling about the rest of the transaction

@TulipsfromAmsterdam yes! Exactly how we found it. Oh bless your buyer though. Fingers crossed it works out for you both. Have to admit, me and DH are so downtrodden about the whole house searching/buying nonsense

@Neron I know exactly what you mean, we were a week before exchange after waiting for our buyers since December (November if we count offer) and they pulled out 2 weeks ago it has floored us - makes you very distrustful and sceptical.
I would question why they are making such a fuss about solicitors though as it's not such a difficult decision

@Minnie881 - I feel your pain but don't despair. We had to chase our vendor for draft contracts, their solicitors are really not great. It's annoying but can you just keep chasing via the EA? That's what I had to do and it worked. I'm with you on the 'honest and upfront' - why people aren't from the start I just don't understand.

@TulipsfromAmsterdam - what a difficult situation. I just can't imagine how tough that would be. I remember you posting about it and I was surprised she wanted to carry on with the purchase in the circumstances.

@Ellieboolou27 - this process does make you cynical doesn't it? That said both our buyer and vendor this time round seem less tricksy than the previous ones so far....

We got our mortgage offer today - yay! I thought we would given we had one on the previous house but had a sneaky feeling the valuation might come back lower than we've offered (SW London prices falling) but all is good. I can really recommend Coventry BS. Excellent service to date!

De-lurking to join in, we are planning to move back to Brighton after 13 years in a small West Sussex village. Appointed estate agents today so photos on Friday, hopefully on rightmove by next week.
Floor plan and EPC are being done on Tuesday.
We have done a lot to our house and it is pristine. I love it more than ever, but it's in the wrong place.
We were surprised by the EA giving a higher value, but he justified it, and is really enthusiastic so time will tell...

Welcome @Fern204 and good luck! It is so stressful getting the house tidy and decluttered for photos, there is some relief when it is done!

@sandybayley that's exactly what I've been doing, I'll harass (email!) them again tomorrow and ask for another chase if we don't have them. So frustrating as we can't start searches or raise initial queries until we have them... here's hoping for this week.

Holiday booked, can't wait to switch off from houses

@amroc18 thank you. Has anything moved on for you. Any closer to a date for exchange?

@DH30 thank you for sharing your story. I'm so pleased everything worked out for you in the end. So sorry for the loss of your dad but I bet he was there with you in spirit when you secured your dream cottage.

@dimmu things are moving for you at least. We heard from our buyers briefly but I think they will need a lot of chasing. Now almost four weeks into the process and no survey has been booked. They hadn't even sent paperwork off to their conveyancer.

@Ellieboolou27 Definitely too early to change the price. We were having steady viewings. Then lowered the price on week 4 and sold soon after.

@Neron Like others have said all you can do is hope. It really is one of the most stressful things ever.

@Minnie881 No draft contracts here either. I haven't had anything from my conveyancer in a week as I've done everything. He's just waiting on everyone else.

@sandybayley Congratulations on your mortgage offer. That's one less thing to worry about.

@BeauticianNotMagician81 here's hoping for you too that you get your contracts soon and we can both start progressing..

Congrats on your mortgage offer @sandybayley Didn't even occur to me that the falling house prices could have an impact, hoping now that the valuation of our flat (once the buyer gets around to it) will be ok.

Welcome @Neron I hope the process will go smoothly for You, it's Such a stressful time.

Welcome @Fern204 and good luck with your sale, hope the right buyer comes along in no time.

@BeauticianNotMagician81 your buyer certainly doesn't seem to be in any hurry. Our buyer also hasn't booked a survey yet but at least they have started the process with their solicitor and we have had the initial forms and queries to fill, posting them off today.

Have to get the kids ready now so good luck everyone else I haven't mentioned.

I am off to view some properties in real life today, as opposed to feeding my rightmove obsession.
Probably too early as we aren't live online yet, but already some of the ones I wanted to look at are under offer.
Nothing new on yesterday either.... but encouraging that there are buyers out there.

@Fern204 good luck. I'm not viewing anything more now until we are under offer, I'm scared of falling for a house like I did before so not risking it this time round.

@sandybayley well done on the mortgage offer - one more box ticked

We are now on the market! Hoping for some viewings soon

@afrikat Whoop whoop - fingers crossed viewings come soon!

@BeauticianNotMagician81 a bit of movement here today but seems lots is waiting on vendors solicitors who are being very slow!

@sandybayley good news on the mortgage

@Minnie881 because our council is so slow in searches we managed to convince our solicitors to start searches anyway before draft contracts received, they weren’t happy about it though

Does anyone else feel bad about the continual chasing? I feel like I’m a pain but at the same time things only seem to happen when I shout....

@amroc18 - first rule of house moving club is that you've got to chase! Nothing happens if you don't.

Well a very strange turn of events today. House No 1 (the one I loved and lost when the vendors dumped us in favour of another buyer) has approached us somewhat sheepishly. Apparently the sale has hit a 'stumbling block'. I was very tempted to send a rude email back but DH says we should ignore for 24 hours and then send a cold email back asking what discount they might offer.

I think they are unreliable and deceitful and I'm not inclined to have anything to do with them (much as I like the house). I also don't want to let down the vendors we are now going with because that would us me as bad as the bad guys. We have valid mortgage offers on both houses and could quickly exchange on either!

Oh and has anyone had dealings with HSBC? Our buyer's mortgage is with them and he says he has an offer confirmed but no valuation done yet? He has had the buildings survey done and apparently HSBC do a free valuation towards the end of the process. Can that be right?

@sandybayley When we bought our flat we mortgaged with HSBC and they did their own valuation. Pretty sure it was maybe 5 weeks into the process, certainly not straight away, but of course that was almost 7 years ago.They also wanted us to use one of their approved conveyancers which was a bit annoying.

Our buyer hasn't had their survey done yet and it's been 3 weeks since we accepted the offer but could be the same thing.

@sandybayley I've been lurking, but saw your question about HSBC. My son is a FTB and applied for a mortgage from HSBC. Once the actual application was submitted, HSBC sent Countrywide to do the valuation within about a week. The survey was quite thorough, and uncovered a gap in the loft firewall. HSBC only sent the official offer once the work had been completed by the vendor. I find it very hard to believe that they have offered a mortgage without the valuation given how fussy they were with my son's application!

@Sirrah - thanks! They have had a buildings survey done already (I met the surveyor and all seemed OK) but I was led to believe a valuation would also be done in addition. Maybe it was included? Surveyor suggested it was separate.

Unfortunately our FTB is not very clear on the process and had to have the difference between exchange and completion explained to them this week. I can see why FTBs are considered to be not always straightforward. They just don't 'get' the process and the need to be proactive. Our FTB is nice though.