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Buyers Sellers Roll Call 14

998 replies

PowerslidePanda · 19/02/2021 08:39

New thread for anyone buying or selling houses at the moment - come join us!

The previous thread ran for about 10 weeks and in ordinary (non-stamp duty holiday) times, that's long enough to get a transaction through, so let's hope this thread sees lots of people finish!

OP posts:
SilverGoldfinch · 15/03/2021 07:16

Good luck @hopefully2021! We aren't FTB but our mortgage was approved within 6 days a few weeks back.

SendMeHome · 15/03/2021 08:47

Best of luck @hopefully2021! Also not FTB but our mortgage didn’t take too long to sort, about a week.

Our flat listing should be updated today, new photos in the sunshine and a new description as the original one misses out quite a lot. Just waiting for the email to come through to approve!

The estate agent has recommended dropping the price by £10k and making it OIEO, but that seems controversial... does seem to be the done thing here; sadly.

Still no news from our offer and I know they had viewings over the weekend, so presuming it’s rejected. I guess we’ll focus on trying to find someone who will buy here and then hope there’s something we like where we want to move too.

Hmmph · 15/03/2021 08:52

We at the start of yet another week of waiting for new of when we’ll exchange! Although it feels more like another week of waiting to be told of another hold up/ problem to come out of the woodwork.

And another week of calling my new best buddy the EA! I speak to him more than my Mum at the moment!!

HouseStuff123 · 15/03/2021 09:53

'But seeing as it's a land registry query and someone else has been waiting five months'

The queries are back!! In the end, after much badgering from me, the queries were expedited, took about 7 days.

Clettercletterthatsbetter · 15/03/2021 10:11

It’s a new week! Hopefully this week will see some progress for all of us, whether that’s exchange/completion, movement in the chain or (in our case) finding a property to buy!

MotherofHeathens · 15/03/2021 10:16

Morning all! Looks like most of us are still tearing our hair out/biting our nails.

Our buyer has booked their survey, but it's not until the 9th April (because of course, it has to be middle of the school holidays...). We had first enquiries from them through last week. There was a specific one about removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room. I'd never thought about it before as when we bought the forms said 'no' for removal of walls. But looking at the plan and speaking to next door (lovely, but nosey, older couple who have been there for about 40 years) the wall was partly removed, sometime in the mid '90's. Slightly worried that this is going to open a can of worms now as we have no building control certs, or any other info, for it. I'm not even sure if we should have anything as it was done at least 20 years ago!

Here's hoping Monday brings some answers for those that need them.

AsbestosWitch · 15/03/2021 11:28

Waiting for a phone call to see whether our offer was accepted.

Is it normal to feel this stressed? I am usually quite a laid-back person but house-buying has my stomach in knots constantly, and I can't concentrate on work at all.

I don't think I can do this for a third (or fourth, or fifth) time if the offer is rejected!

cathybates · 15/03/2021 12:14

So I chased the estate agent this morning as it’s been 10 days since we’ve heard from buyers solicitors. Apparently they now have the structural survey and will be “back in touch as soon as they can”.
WTAF does that mean?!

I’ve asked agent to clarify because my tenant is now moving out end April so if they are not going to go through with purchase I bloody well need to know to re-market it for sale or rent

Why is everything so fucking stressful?!

They are constantly complaining my solicitors not responding (when they are) then they go radio silent

InescapableDeath · 15/03/2021 13:06

@HouseStuff123 yay! Ah, it was me worrying. But I found out they have expedited the query so hopefully we will hear back in the next week or so.

Turns out my vendor's vendor (this is so exhausting), bought an additional garage from the developer and it's not on their title deeds BUT they have all proof of purchase etc so hopefully it's relatively simple to update.

I hope so as our buyer is still ringing our EA every day demanding updates. Hate to think how she will react once she's in my slightly shitty house (it's a v good price for the area but does need updating, which she should know from price/viewings) and has no one to complain to any more...

Also I am simply desperate to move. I hate my current house and have mentally moved into the new one. I am worried about my own reactions if it falls apart now!

@AsbestosWitch sadly yes, stress is the norm. I thought viewings would be the stressful part but for me the hardest thing was finding the right house and getting an offer accepted. Took us so long to find the right place, I can't bear to go through it again.

ItemOneInYourFolder · 15/03/2021 13:22

We has offer accepted 26 days ago (can you tell I'm counting!)

Solicitor sorted, mortgage application in - but every email from the broker requires us to send in more information - I was planning on a long wait for approval but if you guys are hearing in a week or two there's still hope that we may hit the May completion requested by the people we're buying from! Our lease expires mid June!

We're dithering about having a survey - the house is 8 years old. They're quite expensive IMO!

Didicat · 15/03/2021 17:15

So Been told our seller has sent all the paperwork to their solicitors today. Tried to expedite the searches but you can buy the title or plan on land registry???? So got to wait for it to come from the seller instead.

Our surveyor is checking it out Friday, mortgage surveyor checking it out tomorrow.

@ItemOneInYourFolder we put in our request for mortgage with our broker last Monday, got approval in principle same day, Thursday got approval subject to valuation, valued going out tomorrow- so NatWest seem to be moving rather fast!

@AsbestosWitch I ended up ringing for an update on our offer, have you managed to speak to the estate agent? Whilst you are at it ask if they have any other new properties that would suit coming on the market?

ItemOneInYourFolder · 15/03/2021 17:37

@didicat - wow, very quick - I've always wondered why things take so long with house buying

Didicat · 15/03/2021 17:40

@InescapableDeath and @cathybates fingers crossed for movement this week for you!

@motherofheathens do you have a date you are working towards? You might have to pay for a indemnity if no building regs, hope your buyer does not get spooked and ask for the ceiling to come down to check....

@HouseStuff123 congrats glad they managed to speed up in the end....

Didicat · 15/03/2021 17:42

@ItemOneInYourFolder we had a previous mortgage application with them so I assume that helps a lot but even I was surprised

mummabubs · 15/03/2021 17:51

Anxiously joining the thread now that we've found somewhere! Offer accepted on Friday last week, we've got the ball rolling as much as we can I think. Solicitor instructed, survey booked for next week and all documents sent to mortgage lender and solicitors.

We're hoping to get everything done before 30th June, our solicitor seems confident that this is doable as we've sold to FTBs and the house we've bought is vacant possession so no onward chain. My only concern is that we've sold our house through purple bricks, and while we did as many suggested and avoided their solicitors (who are apparently notoriously slow), our buyers have gone with them... So we shall see! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Bouledeneige · 15/03/2021 18:07

Dear friends - so we were due to exchange on Friday (12th). But for one piece of paper. Now everything is in and ready. So it looks like we will exchange tomorrow and complete on 1st April. Yay!

MotherofHeathens · 15/03/2021 18:13

Thanks for the heads up about the indemnity policy @Didicat that's a much less stressful solution. Hopefully our buyer will agree!

Didicat · 15/03/2021 18:32

@Bouledeneige very exciting I look forward to tomorrow’s update! Very promising for those of us worried about beating June 30th

HouseStuff123 · 15/03/2021 19:00

@ InescapableDeath & Didicat...

Thanks, I'm just so relieved. I hope you both get good news soon, the waiting is unbearable!

So close to the end for me now, I'm keeping everything crossed that I'll be done and dusted by the end of the month.

Notmulan · 15/03/2021 19:08

We’ve put in an offer that’s fair but they wanted to check out our chain first , so have no idea if it’s been passed on? Is that normal? Last time we bought we heard back on our offer within 30 mins, it was a bit more Kirsty and phil , this time they are spending a day on money laundering checks and we don’t even know if it’s been accepted

Candleabra · 15/03/2021 19:15

So we're due to complete this week, but still no exchange (delays with mortgage advances apparently). Is it getting to the stage where there's no point in exchanging and completing on different days? Is it easier to do it all at once, or is this still an inherently risky thing to do?

AsbestosWitch · 16/03/2021 08:19

Another day of waiting Hmm

Rang the agent yesterday afternoon to be told the vendors were 'considering all their offers' but that the EA hoped to hear later that day. Obviously, he didn't. He did ask for more info about our position to pass on to the vendors, which I took as a positive sign - surely if they were rejecting us outright he wouldn't bother at this stage?

We are in a strong position with a big deposit (only 30% LTV mortgage needed) and have offered over asking. We already have a move-out date in our current place and are prepared to go into rented if necessary. I can't see what more we can do to be an attractive prospect but I bet we don't get it. God, I absolutely hate this...

Hope everyone who is waiting gets some good news today!

cathybates · 16/03/2021 08:37

I’ve had enough. I’ve sent an email to the agent basically saying the buyer needs to raise any other enquiries today. They’ve sat on it now for over 10 days. We are moving into yet another rental (as my shitty “friend” has thrown us out in favour of another family she doesn’t even know - a deal that was apparently struck before we moved in despite her having said we could stay here on a rolling monthly basis after our 6 months was up - and we are not in Uk so coronavirus rules don’t apply) next Friday so loads of packing/cleaning/unpacking to do and we want to spend time with our kids. I’ve said I want this sorted this week. They’ve had long enough now.

My fucking stress pot can’t take any more. Everyone comes to me wanting me to fix their problems. Mother in law was told not to order a kitchen off a certain company as loads of people we know had been let down by them - our global head of litigation got involved on behalf of one of our colleagues and even he struggled to get it sorted - so what does she do? Order the fucking kitchen (and thinks it’s funny). Then lo and behold they’re asking for the full balance or they won’t dispatch the kitchen, so she’s asking me to sort it/for advice. Just fuck off, I told you not to and explained ad nauseum why and you do it and think it’s funny then of course come to me to sort your mess.

Just arghhhhhhhhhh

cathybates · 16/03/2021 11:59

So, after 3 months of endless enquiries and me being very patient, the cheeky fucking bastards have just asked for a 15k price reduction! Luckily my estate agent is hard as nails and said no and that if they didn’t proceed at agreed asking, it was going back on market at midday.

They are getting a bloody bargain at 365 - properties in that road go for 450ish when done. It does need work but they can probably get away with spending 15-20 on it, if that and flip for a decent profit. They are already saving 15k due to SD holiday. I just can’t believe the cheekyfuckery of it!!!

If I was in Uk I’d renovate it myself and sell for much more, but I’m not so it’s too difficult.

Hopefully we can now bloody well exchange finally

Winterwaves · 16/03/2021 12:16

After 5 months of stress we should be exchanging today!! We've been here a few times already as some of you may remember but it now seems that all is in order with the chain. We recieved a phonecall from the EA this morning confirming we are happy with completion next tuesday and now waiting to get the call from the solicitor... I shall keep you posted!