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 - allow yourself 24 hours of excitement! But (speaking from experience here) keep a sober head for the remainder of the process. It's a game of snakes and ladders. You've climbed a ladder today, fingers crossed your snakes will be little ones.

Don't wish to be the voice of doom but you need to avoid getting too excited too soon...

@sandybayley oh I know, I've been in the snake pit too, we were a day before exchange before our first buyers pulled out in Feb so although I'm excited I know how wrong it can go, we started this process back in October so I'm really really hoping this will go through.

Hi everyone! Been on and off this thread for what seems like forever...thought everything was going smoothly but apparently not! Our experience so far:

April 18-put 2 bed flat in London on the market, had to reduce twice but got an offer after 8 weeks, first time buyer so no chain (We were relocating to Manchester so we're planning to live with PIL until we found somewhere to rent).
Everything fine until the survey showed up damp in one of the bedrooms-buyer messed us around, got parents involved took ages to make a decision about the property, by which time we had to move because of DHs new job. Accepted a 10k reduction just to get the sale over the line, eventually sold in sept 18.

Nov 18-found a 3 bed we loved, but everything moved really slowly over Xmas. Finally got in to do the buildings survey and it turned out there was quite a lot of structural work to be done that wasn't obvious to do with the cellar/roof. Vendor accepted a 5k reduction on the promise that 'there was no further reductions' - we thought this was a bit weird but ok. Then we eventually got the selling pack from the solicitor-turned out that the vendors had taken out chimney stacks/supporting walls and moved the back door and didn't have any building regs. Couldn't get any buildings insurance because of this so had to pull out of the sale.

March 19-found another 3 bed, absolutely perfect for us, offer accepted. Chain of 3, so hoped that everything would go smoothly-which it all was until we got a call today from our vendor to let us know that he's pulled of of his sale as he was lied to about the management of the property he was buying. He's assured us that he's found one where else he's going to put an offer on, but we were literally just about to exchange and now it looks like the new chain will take about 2/3 months....

I swear I am never moving again after this!!!

Thanks for the good luck wishes for Friday.

We moved in 10 months after we went on the market. 5 months with EA1- 4 viewers, 3 months with EA2 -18 viewers and 2 offers including 1 fall through. So so pleased it’s over now.

The move was an interesting day by all accounts. Especially as we didn’t complete until gone 3pm so spent a lot of the day on tenterhooks! Luckily our vendors let us have access to the house from late morning as it was empty and let us start moving. It was gone 5 when the movers went even with that so a very long day.

We’ve not done much unpacking yet and there are boxes everywhere but so happy it’s all over. Have come away for a couple of days on a short break with friends that was arranged ages ago so have all that to look forward to when we are back!

Crossing my fingers for those of you still waiting to reach the end

@TeamRocket that's crazy, all that stress and worry. It really shouldn't be like this should it! I think if I had come across this thread before I was thinking of selling I'd have ran for the hills!

@amroc18 enjoy your break, sounds like it's definitely in need

Ellieboolou, we are the same as you. Started this process in October, should have exchanged February. Buyer finally pulled out March. Had this buyer since April. Hoping to complete this month!! Let's hope we both get lucky!!

Teamrocket, you do wonder how houses ever get sold with all the things that can go wrong!! Hope your vendor gets sorted and the move progresses

Finally, some news! Freeholder has agreed to the deed of variation so 🤞🏼we should be able to get back on track before too long. Heeding @sandybayley and not getting too excited but it’s good to have a ladder finally in this snake-filled pit of a process!

@Ellieboolou and @seaorrel - we’ve also been at this since last October if it’s any consolation

Ugh. Electrician out today to do the electrical testing as recommended by my homebuyers report. Report came back unsat as the consumer unit needs replacing. Not particularly costly - he says about £500 for parts and labour - but another thing to hold everything up

@sandybayley glad you have a court date. Fingers crossed it's the outcome you want.

Yes £500 isn't the end of the world. If the vendor refuses then I'll just pay it regardless, but I really don't want to be paying for work on a flat I don't even own yet. What irks me even more is that it was a rental property which he has been letting out unsafe - the electrician has given it the highest danger category rating.

@sandybaley glad you have a court date. Fingers crossed. We haven't really had much news recently so think I should start chasing the solicitor... fun.

@sandybayley that's great about the court date!

Possibly a silly question, but when you exchange and your buyer pays the deposit, do you get access to that straight away, or does your solicitor hold on to it until completion? Just planning our finances here for the move and everything..

@DavetheCat2001 so glad everything worked out for you in the end. Buying and selling is definitely not for the faint hearted.

@isseywithcats hoping it all goes well for you.

@Ellieboolou27 amazing news congratulations.

@TeamRocket oh wow you must be desperate to get it all done with. I hope you manage to exchange and complete as fast as possible.

@amroc18 that's a late move but congratulations on finally being in. I hope you enjoy your new home and make many happy memories there.

@seaorrell Hoping things work out for you this time. Honestly it's the most stressful thing ever. I even have nightmares about houses.

@sandybayley Pleased that you now have the end in sight. Hope it all goes well.

I've been chasing our solicitor this week. He called me today to go through the 12 buyer enquiries. Mostly straightforward asking about any building work (there's none) and clarifying boundaries etc. Our EPC is going to run out soon so I've booked a new one. I also hadn't signed something but that's been signed and scanned over. The buyers wanted us to pay for a boiler service and electrical testing. Is that a normal request? I said no. If they want them doing they can do it at their own expense or get a survey done. So far they've only done a mortgage valuation. I'm hoping we might be able to exchange soon. The searches are apparently all due on Friday. I won't be doing anything on Friday as we have MILs funeral. So I'm hoping for good news on Monday.

@dimmu exchange is just the exchange of contracts. All monetary transfers are done on completion.

Thank you @BeauticianNotMagician81

It's been a lonnnnnnnnng road, and as per my current thread running at the moment have been having major wobbles about moving this Friday, but I know it's the best and we are so lucky to have got this house..it's beyond anything we ever thought we'd be able to have..it just needs a heck of a lot of TLC to get it back to it's former glory!

And sorry for the loss of your MiL

@DavetheCat2001 thank you. We are also buying a house that needs work but it's the kind of house that rarely comes up and will be our forever home

All gone quiet with buyers solicitor. Am sure the mortgage application should be back (been 4 weeks and it is a BTL) but they were on hols last week and have not got back to our solicitor this week. I am wondering if landlords have to submit quarterly books and he is trying to draw completion out till July. He is seriously p**sing me off. I also have a feeling he will play the gazunder card as well. My nerves are in shreds. If we do ever complete, I am never moving again!!

paperwork sent in to the solicitors today i walk past the house every day on my way home from work cant wait but not looking forward to packing this house up four years of accumilating even though i declutter every so often the charity shop i work in is doing very well out of us at the moment

I put my late fathers house on last week , havent sold anything for a while so dont know what to expect from the market

it is a modest 2 bed semi in Bishops Stortford , I have refitted the bathroom and kitchen so they are functional and have got planning for a wrap around extension to make it a 3 bed
fingers crossed

@billysboy - welcome! Fingers crossed for a quick sale.

@seaorrell - I feel your anxiety. I just want resolution of this situation and to get back the time/thinking space that house moving is taking up. Silence is worrying in this process.

@DavetheCat2001 - I've been following your thread. Your house has amazing potential but I know 'buyers remorse' is a real thing.

@BeauticianNotMagician81 - sorry for your loss. You're dealing with two of the most stressful life events at the same time - not easy.

So I'm feeling a bit better that we have a date in the diary for resolution either way (30 days and counting). I just can't wish the time away though as I have masses of stuff on at work, uni visits with DS1 and worries about my Mum's health to deal with. I'm thinking I might do some decluttering at the weekend. Can't do any harm as house will be tidier and in a better shape to move if it happens.

@dimmu - @BeauticianNotMagician81 is right about the deposit money. It sits with the solicitor between exchange and completion. It has to because it can be forfeited by a buyer if completion doesn't happen because they fail to deliver the remainder of the funds. As a seller you won't have access to any money until completion day.

@BeauticianNotMagician81 I hadn't realised an EPC needed renewing if it runs out, is it 10 years that it is valid for? As you already have an offer why does it need renewing? Just intrigued 😁

@sandybayley glad you have at least got a date... though it does feel long! Keeping fingers crossed for you with your buyer