I know this has been done to death but...how much time would you give your vendor to find a property in current climate

[Eastie77Returns]

I'm trying not to BU as our offer was accepted 3 weeks ago. The vendor lives with his very elderly mum and told us during the viewing that they were downsizing and moving out of London. I was immediately a bit wary as they want to move to a very popular and expensive retirement area and I really want to move as soon as possible. We have just sold and are in a less than ideal rental.

EA specifically made a lot of noise about the fact that my offer was not the highest but as I was chain free the vendor went with me as they want to move asap etc. He also told us that the vendor had found a property so all seemed good.

Well now 3 weeks on it turns out his onward purchase fell through (outbid) and we've had no update since other than "he is out there, looking". I don't think there's even any point in asking if he will go into rental as his mum is very frail and I doubt they would want the upheaval.

I can't give any kind of deadline/ultimatum because the market here is dead. Nothing else suitable has come up in the last few weeks so there is zero point in me threatening to pull out if he hasn't found anywhere by x date. So I'm not sure why I'm posting..just venting really and perhaps hoping someone has a nice story they can share around having to wait for a vendor and it all turning out fine in the end? I'm really worried he will just take the property of the market if they don't find anywhere

I got so fed up as first house I waited almost three months then gave up; second house advertised as chain free and thought I'd make the stamp duty so got survey/searches etc only for vendor to pull out due to illness (then the agent called on June 29 to say he was ready to restart the process!) Final house was empty and I was only looking at definite chain free properties at that stage. Even tenanted houses that agents would say were chain free I didn't trust. I'd already moved out of my own house and had booked a two week holiday let (as I thought it'd be in by June 30), so after eight weeks of expensive Airbnbs and a couple hotels we completed after five weeks.
Frankly the grid of terraced houses where I was looking are all the same - minor differences in layout but everything else is just decor. I can change that so it wasn't so much what was inside the house that counted.

My vendor has just told me that their onward purchase has fallen through - their seller changed their mind about selling just as we were all ready to exchange.

They now want me to wait until they find somewhere else and we go through the whole process again.

It's doubly frustrating as they didn't reveal a chain for several week (originally said they would move out to their second home) and I completed on my sale.

Like @maofteens I've been spending a lot of money on Air BnBs but I've now decided that enough is enough and I'm moving into a rental for a bit. The English property market has worn me out.

@Simplelifecoming

My vendor has just told me that their onward purchase has fallen through - their seller changed their mind about selling just as we were all ready to exchange.

They now want me to wait until they find somewhere else and we go through the whole process again.

It's doubly frustrating as they didn't reveal a chain for several week (originally said they would move out to their second home) and I completed on my sale.

Like @maofteens I've been spending a lot of money on Air BnBs but I've now decided that enough is enough and I'm moving into a rental for a bit. The English property market has worn me out.

It's clear from threads on here that far too many sellers lie and say they will rent/move in with family/whatever, then refuse to. It stinks.

People ought not to promise what they aren't willing and able to perform. It's dishonest.

Really sorry to hear that @Simplelifecoming, how frustrating.

I also feel drained and disillusioned with the awful system here. This episode has removed any excitement I initially had about the house I offered on and I am no longer interested in it. I don’t trust the vendor. Even if he finds another property I’ll spend the entire time up until Exchange waiting for his purchase to “fall through” yet again or for him to simply change his mind. I have two young DC and cannot deal with that level of stress and uncertainty.

I am now looking at chain free properties only.

Moving is so stressful I know, we have recently downsized and relocated. We accepted the offer and found the ideal property for us in a couple of weeks, we very very lucky as the property we found was a probate sale so the chain ended with us. We were very motivated to sell as our house was no longer suitable for my disability. The vendors don’t seem motivated to move do they? Sounds like they were stringing you along, I think you are right to walk away and find another property, sometimes things are just not meant to be, and I sure you will find somewhere even better for your family. Good luck.

Feel so, so upset. I'm being unreasonable but I just want to vent.

I restarted viewing properties last week as I've long given up on our vendor finding anywhere. Saw a picture perfect place last week via instant alerts on Rightmove and we arranged an immediate viewing the next morning. We were the first to view and I made an offer immediately - it ticked every box. The owner was in the house and we had a long chat. She is older lady, downsizing to a new town but she has already packed up her possessions and found her new place (cash buyer and doesn't need the proceeds from this sale). She kept saying she thought my family were lovely and she could picture us living in the house. DD played with her dog in the garden and it al felt idyllic. We left with a wave and she said I hope you'll be happy here. I know it was silly to get my hopes up just on that basis but I was convinced we'd get the house. Just received a message from the EA to say she had a long think about it over the weekend and has decided to sell to a cash buyer instead. I burst into tears after I put the phone down. I can't eat or focus on work.

I hate this. Hate our rental. Hate the street. This afternoon a drunk, drug addicted man was sitting half-naked in front of our gate (standard around here). The crime is next level with home invasions taking place during the day. I only took this place as it was convenient and I thought we'd be here for a short time. Ha.

To make matters worse the EA for my non-moving vendor sent me a cheery e-mail to tell me the vendor still hasn't found anywhere but want to "reassure you he is looking". I don't give a shiny shit, I don't even want his house anymore!