Sellers/Buyers Roll Call 9 and STILL going

[kerrymucklowe2020]

Is it time to start s new thread as the previous one has nearly 900 posts?

[BigHuff]

@FourForYouGlenCoco I only know what I've read, but (it seems) you can do anything in any order (except for exchange and completion ). They are likely waiting for the title deeds from the vendor's solicitor, but you can buy these online for £3...
I think they prefer to do searches after title check so that in the that there is something tricky with the title, they won't have spent time + money on searches. Just say you're happy to take the risk!

[notheragain4]

@BigHuff I know what you mean, I didn't find out our buyer hadn't started solicitors until the 7 week point, I asked him to get a move on a week 4 but had I of known I'd have pressed much harder. I was frantic by week 7 and caused a fuss which got things moving, hindsight is a wonderful thing! I care less about being a nuisance now though!

@FourForYouGlenCoco not that I'm aware of, I could be wrong but I would press for them to be done ASAP, ask them outright if it's possible to send for them now, I can't think what they'd need.

[houseofrabbits]

So our vendors have had an offer accepted on a property. We've instructed solicitors and searches seem to be underway. It's unclear at the moment if our vendors have instructed solicitors because our solicitor has not received the 'memorandum of sale' for the house we are buying. I emailed the EA and they said they were still waiting for the vendors to 'get back to them regarding solicitors' (even though they told us the vendors were using their recommended solicitors )

Our mortgage application seems to be taking a while, even though we are only borrowing a small amount.

We have organised a homebuyers report but are just waiting for the guy tiger back to us about how he organises it with the vendors.

There was such a flurry of activity at the beginning it all seems very slow now!

[Zebrahooves]

I feel your pain. Ours has been a slow process and getting things from our seller's solicitors is a painfully slow process. Their solicitor has a statement on their website which says they can complete a house sale in as little as 3 weeks. It took them 4 weeks to send out the contracts.

[PavoReal]

Apparently we will exchange either tomorrow or Thursday! I had no idea that at the moment between exchange and completion is only a week. I thought it was bog standard 2 weeks? It's scuppered my plans to see family for the first time this year but trying to get over that. The EA tells me it all depends on the draw down from the bank for the mortgage (I don't even know what I'm typing anymore) and currently it's only a week.

I've been trying to sell since May 2019, this is buyer number 5 (through no fault of the property) and it's 9 weeks since this buyer offered. This could be a very big day for me this week!

[kerrymucklowe2020]

I've swapped numbers with my seller and my buyer.....hope I've done the right thing.....the theory is that if I find out something is holding things up I can go direct to one of them......

[houseofrabbits]

@Zebrahooves it's frustratingly slow isn't it! Our solicitors seem pretty on the ball, but I'm envisaging it taking a good few more week to get an exchange date in place.

@kerrymucklowe2020 how did you swap numbers? Did you go through the EA's? We are considering putting a card through the door of our vendors (obviously we know where they live!) with our email address/phone number on it. Mainly because we are buying some of their white goods 'for cash' and I want to ask how they want to go about doing this.

Also just to clarify there are no tigers involved in my process, I think that was supposed to say 'to get'

[Ballet1992]

I'd say swapping numbers is a goos thing. You can keep things moving and the solicitors can't make excuses if you have direct contact.

ARGH! Still no mortgage offer. Chasing them is as useful as shouting into an abyss....

We are ready to exchange save for the bloody mortgage offer - driving me mad!

[kerrymucklowe2020]

houseofrabbits yes we asked the EA's if the people in our chain were happy to swap numbers

[houseofrabbits]

@kerrymucklowe2020 and @Ballet1992 thank you. I think I might email the EA and ask them. I suppose the only problem with that is if the EA say they aren't happy with sharing contact details then I can't really go round to the house and post my contact details through the door!

[Zebrahooves]

@PavoReal Fingers crossed for you. Our sale (moved into rental) collapsed twice before selling - again no fault of the house and that was hard enough. Hope you manage to exchange this week.

[ibuiltahomeforyou]

@hairycabbage welcome Hairy! How are you finding the process?

[ibuiltahomeforyou]

@PavoReal I hope you're able to exchange!

[Baxdream]

How often does everyone chase their solicitor? We are only a couple of weeks in but we have our mortgage offer already.
I've done all our fixtures and fittings paperwork etc. I don't know if the searches have been requested but I've paid for them.
Our chain are keen to move so I'd like to see progress but I don't know how much is too much!

How soon could we realistically start talking about dates?

[Glitterynails]

My house sale and purchase fell through in May when my buyer pulled out citing coronavirus as the reason. I put it back on the market with a slightly higher price and have had two viewers this week. One coming back for a second viewing. Other one was only yesterday and haven’t heard about feedback yet but the viewing seemed positive. Big issue is that we don’t have anywhere that we would like to buy now. The bigger issue is getting someone to offer on ours though I guess!

[notheragain4]

@Baxdream I haven't had to chase mine tbh because we've been so far ahead of our buyers, but I'm getting our EA to chase our buyer's solicitors every week.

If I were you I would ask for an idea of when they plan to do certain things, eg ask when they're planning on ordering the searches (I'd expect ASAP seeing as you've paid) so you can chase after the fact to check they've done it if you know what I mean? Ask for mini time scales to hold them to.

Whilst there's a fluffy of activity and uncertainty over what's being done I think it's fine to chase 2-3 days until they can explain their position, I wouldn't accept not knowing when they're going to do the next things, when you're in a period of waiting for searches I'd do once a week.

[Baxdream]

Thanks, I think you're right. I've chased and she's replied straight away. Our sale is with their solicitor so that's all progressing.
Our purchase is awaiting the contract pack. Thankfully I have the sellers number so I've text her. She's lovely so she's chasing them!
I wish I had everyone's numbers. I actually think things would work so much better if a chain just had a WhatsApp group for updates 😂

[GherkinsOnToast]

Our buyer just pulled out because of ‘roof issues’ on the survey. We have the cctv footage of the surveyor arriving without a ladder and the loft was locked! We’ve had 2 builders around who have both confirmed to the estate flagrant in writing that there are no issues at all with the roof, it’s structure or felting!

He was just pissing us about! The others who offered more have bought one further along so are no longer interested! We have 3 viewings today so can only hope.

[notheragain4]

@GherkinsOnToast really sorry to hear that. What a bloody awful process this is.

[Maybenexttime08]

@GherkinsOnToast Oh I'm so sorry - what a nightmare. At least the market is still really buoyant so fx'd a new buyer comes along quick :-(

[Chickaletta16]

So..ive managed to trace the solicitor that holds the charge on my property !! Which means i am nearly ready for exchange

[notheragain4]

@Chickaletta16 yay so pleased for you!

[Baxdream]

@GherkinsOnToast

I'm so sorry. How far into the process were you? I hope you get another buyer ASAP.

[Didicat]

Well we pulled out of our sale, and going to rented, just waiting for an exchange date asap so we can sign the rental agreement.

I think we will wait till January to start looking again for a new home.

What a mess buying in England is!

Good luck to everyone else, hope it is a smooth process for you.

[notheragain4]

@Didicat sorry to hear that, you will have the upper hand though, as awful as the whole process is it'll be much better not having to manage a sale and purchase at the same time.